1
00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:10,119
Speaker 1: Cool Zone Media. Welcome to Dick. It appened here a

2
00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:14,960
Speaker 1: podcast being recorded in the like last hours of Halloween

3
00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:19,800
Speaker 1: in in the the I guess the closing minutes of

4
00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,239
Speaker 1: a teacher is in Portland not being on strike. So yeah,

5
00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,560
Speaker 1: this is this is a podcast that is often about strikes,

6
00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:28,240
Speaker 1: and here to talk with me about this is Britney Doris,

7
00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,120
Speaker 1: who's a fifth grade teacher in Portland public schools, who's

8
00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,240
Speaker 1: the union captain for her school and the strike captain

9
00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:35,760
Speaker 1: also for her school. Brittany, Welcome to the show.

10
00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:37,560
Speaker 2: Hi, glad to be here.

11
00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:42,000
Speaker 1: I'm really glad to talk to you. So all right,

12
00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:45,080
Speaker 1: we are we are in we are in zero hour. Yeah,

13
00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:46,720
Speaker 1: we're in the zero hour of the strike. By the

14
00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:48,599
Speaker 1: time this comes out, like I guess, you'll have been

15
00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,800
Speaker 1: on strike for like two days. Yeah, I'm assuming this

16
00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:56,760
Speaker 1: comes out Friday. Yeah, So all right. I think the

17
00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,480
Speaker 1: place we should start probably for people who are not

18
00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,160
Speaker 1: in poor people who haven't been following this. I guess

19
00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,800
Speaker 1: we should start with what are the sort of conditions

20
00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:09,360
Speaker 1: that have led to this. I have heard some absolutely

21
00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,399
Speaker 1: wild things about what's happening for the schools right now.

22
00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,200
Speaker 2: So how did we get here?

23
00:01:16,760 --> 00:01:17,000
Speaker 1: Yeah?

24
00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:22,600
Speaker 2: Yeah, we've been negotiating or bargaining this contract for over

25
00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:28,119
Speaker 2: a year and pushing for circumstances that are just better

26
00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:31,640
Speaker 2: suited for our students. Some of our classrooms that we're

27
00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:38,280
Speaker 2: dealing with situations like rodents and mold and still some

28
00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:43,400
Speaker 2: buildings dealing with lead in their water. Extreme temperatures like

29
00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:48,440
Speaker 2: class sizes are huge, but different depending on where you're

30
00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:52,920
Speaker 2: at in the city. Like, we've just been overcompensating with

31
00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,600
Speaker 2: less since the pandemic times, and we're fed up, we're

32
00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:02,600
Speaker 2: not able to do it anymore. And yeah, we're strike ready.

33
00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,080
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I mean this is something, this is, this

34
00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,239
Speaker 1: is this is I think a pretty interesting set of

35
00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,880
Speaker 1: circumstances because my understanding and okay, so don't quote me

36
00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:16,560
Speaker 1: on this. I'm pretty sure that the last time that

37
00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:19,080
Speaker 1: the Portland teachers went on strike was in the like

38
00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:21,960
Speaker 1: actually ended up striking and not just doing this strike

39
00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,200
Speaker 1: authorization vote was the was was during the eighties, So

40
00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:28,239
Speaker 1: it has been it has been a really long time.

41
00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:30,080
Speaker 2: It's literal lifetime.

42
00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:32,840
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's like I was not I was like two

43
00:02:32,919 --> 00:02:36,000
Speaker 1: of my lifetimes effectively, Like I was on a line

44
00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:36,280
Speaker 1: for this.

45
00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:42,160
Speaker 2: So yeah, I think we're seeing that shift happened nationwide.

46
00:02:42,320 --> 00:02:47,040
Speaker 2: That education has been continuously public education has been continuously

47
00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:51,399
Speaker 2: chipped away at and eroded over the last few decades,

48
00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,799
Speaker 2: and more and more responsibility has put on the been

49
00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,320
Speaker 2: put on the backs of teachers, and we are not

50
00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:04,960
Speaker 2: able to function under this workload, under these conditions, and

51
00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:11,360
Speaker 2: without increased support for the educators as well. So I

52
00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,960
Speaker 2: think this is the culmination of kind of years and

53
00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:19,000
Speaker 2: years of disinvestment in public education nationwide. And so you're

54
00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:23,680
Speaker 2: seeing a lot more strikes, educational strikes coming up throughout

55
00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:26,880
Speaker 2: the country, and particularly for Portland's history. Like you said,

56
00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:30,760
Speaker 2: it's if Portland public schools have striked in the past,

57
00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:34,080
Speaker 2: it's been literal decades, not in my lifetime, not in

58
00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:40,119
Speaker 2: your lifetime, and just the continued frustration of decades of struggle.

59
00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,920
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I mean, as from what I've heard from

60
00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:47,120
Speaker 1: from people in the city. So the line that I

61
00:03:47,240 --> 00:03:51,000
Speaker 1: got was that janitors were being told that the standard

62
00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:54,920
Speaker 1: they were supposed to clean schools too was quote moderately dingy.

63
00:03:55,600 --> 00:03:57,600
Speaker 1: So things seem not good.

64
00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:03,680
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's rough. There's rodents everywhere. Our custodial workers are

65
00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:08,000
Speaker 2: already worked to the limit and understaffed, and so our

66
00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,880
Speaker 2: buildings show. I mean, the school that I work in

67
00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,720
Speaker 2: is over one hundred and ten years old, and you

68
00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:17,799
Speaker 2: can tell it's not being up kept and students are suffering.

69
00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,799
Speaker 2: The conditions are, like you said, dingy, a moderate level

70
00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:26,080
Speaker 2: of approved dinginess supposedly, and that's gross.

71
00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:30,400
Speaker 1: Yeah, And I mean so I've heard that complains a lot.

72
00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:32,440
Speaker 1: I mean, I like, when I was in school, we

73
00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:34,719
Speaker 1: only had one we had well, I mean, there might

74
00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:36,960
Speaker 1: have been more. There probably were more rats we didn't see.

75
00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,080
Speaker 1: We had one drowned rat fall out of a ceiling,

76
00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:41,160
Speaker 1: but that was it. It was. It was. We were

77
00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,600
Speaker 1: limited to one rat for four years. And I feel

78
00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:45,680
Speaker 1: I feel like that's the maximum number of rats that

79
00:04:45,760 --> 00:04:49,120
Speaker 1: you should encounter is maybe one because it's kind of funny,

80
00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:52,120
Speaker 1: but yeah, yeah.

81
00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,440
Speaker 2: And these are class pets, like these aren't no the

82
00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:57,000
Speaker 2: mice and rats that you're using in a science class

83
00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,240
Speaker 2: or keeping as the class pet in the corner.

84
00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:05,680
Speaker 1: Like ooh yeah, and the other I guess I guess

85
00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:07,480
Speaker 1: the next thing that I wanted to talk about is

86
00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:09,560
Speaker 1: class sizes, because I know, I mean, this is a

87
00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:13,520
Speaker 1: very people have been like talking about this for ages,

88
00:05:13,640 --> 00:05:16,719
Speaker 1: and it's it's something that's really I feel like it's

89
00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:20,000
Speaker 1: weird negotiating wise because and this is something I see

90
00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:21,880
Speaker 1: all the time. The school dishesh will be like, well,

91
00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,719
Speaker 1: like the admin will be oh, well, yeah, of course

92
00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:27,279
Speaker 1: you want like smaller class sizes, and then they just

93
00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,000
Speaker 1: won't do it. So, yeah, could you talk about.

94
00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:35,800
Speaker 2: Yeah, here's something that's really burning my biscuit. Our district

95
00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:39,680
Speaker 2: management continues to tell our community and the press that

96
00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:43,000
Speaker 2: our average class size is twenty three students at the

97
00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,800
Speaker 2: elementary level. And the problem with that statistic is that

98
00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,160
Speaker 2: they are doing a ratio based on the adults in

99
00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:52,279
Speaker 2: the building. So, for example, we have a learning coach.

100
00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,400
Speaker 2: Uh huh. We have a learning coach who works with

101
00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,200
Speaker 2: children in small groups throughout the building, but she herself

102
00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:02,360
Speaker 2: is not a rostered classroom teach, but she is put

103
00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,920
Speaker 2: into that equation so that it looks like our classes

104
00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,040
Speaker 2: on average are twenty three when the reality is very different.

105
00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,320
Speaker 2: The music teacher doesn't count, the learning coach doesn't count.

106
00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,480
Speaker 2: But in the math that the district is like that

107
00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,279
Speaker 2: math ain't math in my class is thirty four kids.

108
00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:20,760
Speaker 2: You're telling the public that the average is twenty three,

109
00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:24,440
Speaker 2: and it's just not true. Because you're including adults in

110
00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,719
Speaker 2: the building who aren't the host classroom teacher.

111
00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:31,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, which is that's just that's just absurd, Like, I mean,

112
00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:34,359
Speaker 1: you have to know that you're lying in order to

113
00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:38,880
Speaker 1: create that statistic, Like that's a h And I you.

114
00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,640
Speaker 2: Know, it is true that there are some classes around

115
00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,560
Speaker 2: the district that are small. I had a miracle of

116
00:06:44,560 --> 00:06:46,839
Speaker 2: a class last year that was twenty two kids. That

117
00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:49,600
Speaker 2: coport was just small that you know, they weren't having

118
00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:52,440
Speaker 2: as many babies eleven years ago. I don't know. But

119
00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,599
Speaker 2: this year, this year, I have thirty four and the

120
00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:59,440
Speaker 2: year prior so not last year, but the twenty twenty

121
00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,280
Speaker 2: two years I had thirty two and thirty four kids

122
00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:06,880
Speaker 2: is unsustainable, especially because I have the twenty two to

123
00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,360
Speaker 2: compare it to. I am very aware of how little

124
00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:14,760
Speaker 2: capacity I have for meeting their needs, for teaching, the

125
00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:16,880
Speaker 2: wide range of levels that are in the class, even

126
00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:18,960
Speaker 2: for checking in with kids. I can look out at

127
00:07:18,960 --> 00:07:22,119
Speaker 2: my room at midday and think looking at a kid.

128
00:07:22,400 --> 00:07:25,680
Speaker 2: I don't know if I've talked to you, like, it's

129
00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:27,880
Speaker 2: possible to go so under the radar when there are

130
00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:29,400
Speaker 2: that many children to care for.

131
00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,160
Speaker 1: Yeah, And I mean that's a difference of like it's

132
00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:36,520
Speaker 1: like a forty percent class size increase, right, Yeah, good year,

133
00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:37,680
Speaker 1: which is nuts.

134
00:07:38,080 --> 00:07:40,400
Speaker 2: And I can feel and it's having a significant impact

135
00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:42,560
Speaker 2: on just my own well being and mental health this

136
00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:44,840
Speaker 2: year because I know what it looks like to teach

137
00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,640
Speaker 2: well and I know that I cannot currently do it

138
00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,760
Speaker 2: with this many and it's hard. Last year, I wasn't

139
00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:53,240
Speaker 2: feeling any symptoms of burnout at all. It's feeling really good,

140
00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,640
Speaker 2: loving my job still. And this year, I'm like, oh,

141
00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:00,480
Speaker 2: oh my gosh, I cannot keep up with this many kids,

142
00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:04,360
Speaker 2: especially with you know, we've gotten even so as class

143
00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:07,640
Speaker 2: sizes have increased, so have the needs of our students. Right,

144
00:08:07,680 --> 00:08:10,120
Speaker 2: We're dealing with a lot more mental health issues. We're

145
00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,360
Speaker 2: dealing with a wide range of neurodiversity that comes with

146
00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:18,640
Speaker 2: different needs. And so it's that's the thirty four now

147
00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:23,440
Speaker 2: is exponentially different than thirty four when we were young.

148
00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:28,120
Speaker 2: It's it's intense and it's unsustainable and I'm living it

149
00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:28,640
Speaker 2: every day.

150
00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:32,200
Speaker 1: Yeah, And like, you know, I think on an abstract level,

151
00:08:32,600 --> 00:08:36,920
Speaker 1: like the district knows like that this sucks, right, but

152
00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,000
Speaker 1: they just they don't fucking do anything about it.

153
00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:43,959
Speaker 2: It's just right, real, Yeah, and even to the level

154
00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:46,280
Speaker 2: that we're able to bargain it. There are things such

155
00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,360
Speaker 2: as like permissive topics that we can or cannot bargain

156
00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,200
Speaker 2: and things that we can bargain. And even in the

157
00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,800
Speaker 2: strike that we are about to have, they continue to

158
00:08:55,840 --> 00:08:59,440
Speaker 2: push back on the class cap request, saying that it

159
00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:03,000
Speaker 2: is a permissift topic and that it's class caps may

160
00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,120
Speaker 2: only be applicable to what are called Title I schools,

161
00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:09,680
Speaker 2: so schools where the population is more impacted by poverty,

162
00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:14,160
Speaker 2: and so they're trying, like even trying to get small

163
00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,560
Speaker 2: class sizes or smaller class sizes, knowing that it's a

164
00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:21,560
Speaker 2: district wide issue, may still only be successful for some

165
00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:27,400
Speaker 2: parts of our district. Yeah, and that's that, ain't right, Yeah?

166
00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:29,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, Yeah, that's absurd.

167
00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:34,760
Speaker 2: Yeah, Like, my classroom is incredibly diverse. We are not

168
00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:37,959
Speaker 2: a Title one school. We are known for supposedly being

169
00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,719
Speaker 2: in one of the more affluent areas, but even our

170
00:09:40,760 --> 00:09:44,760
Speaker 2: neighborhood school that those demographics have continued to change, and

171
00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:48,640
Speaker 2: we have many students that are experiencing poverty and experiencing

172
00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:53,079
Speaker 2: some of the cultural pieces that go with that, the

173
00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:57,640
Speaker 2: systemic impacts of that. Our students are living through trauma.

174
00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:01,520
Speaker 2: Our students are experiencing it for Our students are experiencing

175
00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:06,280
Speaker 2: racism and sexism and homophobia, and they are jam packed

176
00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:12,120
Speaker 2: sardines in a overheated room with no supports. I'm the

177
00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,520
Speaker 2: only adult in the room to support them. I have

178
00:10:14,559 --> 00:10:17,880
Speaker 2: students with disabilities who aren't getting support from our SPED

179
00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,920
Speaker 2: team because our SPED team is SPED stance for special education.

180
00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,840
Speaker 2: Our special educators are working with some younger grade students

181
00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,720
Speaker 2: with even bigger needs. So my fifth graders with disabilities

182
00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:31,040
Speaker 2: are getting completely left in the lurch. And it is

183
00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:37,240
Speaker 2: my single body with all thirty four and we're floundering.

184
00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:43,080
Speaker 1: Yeah, And I mean that's another sort of aspect of

185
00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:47,000
Speaker 1: this that I think is really like, is really grim,

186
00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:52,520
Speaker 1: that all of these issues. It's like, the kids you

187
00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:54,760
Speaker 1: need the most help from the beginning are the people

188
00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:56,960
Speaker 1: who are getting the most hurt by it, and right,

189
00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,960
Speaker 1: you know, and those are the people who the education

190
00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:02,920
Speaker 1: system is supposed to be taken care of and just

191
00:11:03,080 --> 00:11:08,760
Speaker 1: cannot because yeah, you know, chronic understaffing, class sizes that

192
00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:10,120
Speaker 1: are too large.

193
00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:13,720
Speaker 2: Right, And it's especially painful. I've been teaching now for

194
00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:16,439
Speaker 2: ten years and I am looking at this class right now.

195
00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:18,600
Speaker 2: I have a student in my class who is a

196
00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,480
Speaker 2: little black boy with a disability, and I'm looking at

197
00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:24,800
Speaker 2: him knowing that I am not able to give him

198
00:11:24,800 --> 00:11:27,680
Speaker 2: what he needs. And he is like the statistic that

199
00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:30,680
Speaker 2: school districts want to put on their website, like we

200
00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,959
Speaker 2: got you know, our our marginalized populations, We've helped them,

201
00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,719
Speaker 2: we fit and like, here is a student that is

202
00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:41,360
Speaker 2: the statistic that you supposedly are fighting for, and he

203
00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:44,800
Speaker 2: is absolutely left out to dry and I am trying

204
00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:46,520
Speaker 2: to do what I can for him, and he comes

205
00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:48,439
Speaker 2: to mind. I picture him as I'll be out there

206
00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:50,280
Speaker 2: on that picket line, like I am out there for

207
00:11:50,320 --> 00:11:53,319
Speaker 2: that kid as well as his thirty three other classmates.

208
00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:57,720
Speaker 2: But just like quint essential picture of who I'm fighting

209
00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:00,520
Speaker 2: for and who is getting left behind?

210
00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,679
Speaker 1: Yeah, which which which I don't know? Like there there's

211
00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:07,320
Speaker 1: there's I think there's something really grim in the way

212
00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:09,240
Speaker 1: and this is this is a you know, this this

213
00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,000
Speaker 1: goes back to what you were talking about with the

214
00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,120
Speaker 1: way that they're just straight up lying about the average

215
00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:18,240
Speaker 1: the average class size, where it's it really seems like

216
00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:21,440
Speaker 1: these things have you know, the the actual process of

217
00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:25,320
Speaker 1: education is being degraded into just this this sort of

218
00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:28,560
Speaker 1: metric chasing game. And you know, as long as you

219
00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:31,280
Speaker 1: have metrics that look good, you know, like the district

220
00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,480
Speaker 1: is like, wow, okay, it's fine that, like, our students

221
00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,040
Speaker 1: aren't equality of education they need. It's fine that they're

222
00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:40,680
Speaker 1: in these buildings that are literally falling apart. It's fine that,

223
00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:42,560
Speaker 1: you know, kids aren't getting what they need. Like, as

224
00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:44,719
Speaker 1: long as the metrics look good and right.

225
00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:48,080
Speaker 2: That's something something that gets me when we talk about

226
00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:52,720
Speaker 2: those metrics. Knowing our superintendent gets a bonus if academically

227
00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,440
Speaker 2: marginalized populations like our black and brown students, if they

228
00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:01,120
Speaker 2: increase their performance on standardized tests, he gets a bonus. Now,

229
00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:03,480
Speaker 2: what I have a problem with is that those standardized

230
00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:07,040
Speaker 2: tests that we take every spring, there are some students

231
00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:11,200
Speaker 2: that are so impacted by the school system that they

232
00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,840
Speaker 2: may have attendance issues, they may not be there consistently

233
00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:18,280
Speaker 2: in the spring to take those tests. So something I'm

234
00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:22,079
Speaker 2: picturing a couple of my students who were impacted by poverty,

235
00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:26,040
Speaker 2: were kids of color and were significantly absent due to

236
00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,480
Speaker 2: what the circumstances of their life. Those students were not

237
00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:32,480
Speaker 2: able to take that test in the spring. That means

238
00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:35,560
Speaker 2: those students, those black and brown students, that data wasn't

239
00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:38,240
Speaker 2: in those metrics. So even the metrics that are being

240
00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:40,640
Speaker 2: used to measure whether or not we are successfully supporting

241
00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:44,440
Speaker 2: our students of color are inaccurate because our most impacted

242
00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:48,959
Speaker 2: students aren't able to take that assessment. Like his data,

243
00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:52,280
Speaker 2: our superintendent's data is going to look better when some

244
00:13:52,360 --> 00:13:55,520
Speaker 2: of the students who might tank that data because they

245
00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:58,040
Speaker 2: are unsupported by the school system aren't there to be

246
00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:00,720
Speaker 2: in the data because they're unsupported by the school system.

247
00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:03,520
Speaker 2: It falls apart.

248
00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:05,400
Speaker 1: And this is one of these things where it's like,

249
00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,840
Speaker 1: the only way to change this is do is do

250
00:14:08,960 --> 00:14:11,880
Speaker 1: union actions because like the school district's not going to

251
00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,520
Speaker 1: do it, like their metrics look fine, right and right,

252
00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:15,800
Speaker 1: you know, the government is not going to do it

253
00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:17,120
Speaker 1: because they're not going to they don't want to spend

254
00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,480
Speaker 1: more money. So this is this is the only way

255
00:14:19,520 --> 00:14:20,640
Speaker 1: to actually.

256
00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:25,440
Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think we finally, I think have made

257
00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:28,760
Speaker 2: a point. We are I mean, our union actions already

258
00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:31,280
Speaker 2: have been building up a visible presence. We have massive

259
00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,480
Speaker 2: community support from our not only our parent communities, but

260
00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:37,400
Speaker 2: the greater Portland area. Business is coming out and support

261
00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:40,000
Speaker 2: people joining us at like we had a massive march

262
00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,760
Speaker 2: this Saturday where we took over the Burnside Bridge. And

263
00:14:43,840 --> 00:14:46,200
Speaker 2: as our union actions build, we know that we are

264
00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:48,920
Speaker 2: out there, we are not alone, and that we are

265
00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,120
Speaker 2: feeling the support from the community and we are becoming

266
00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,800
Speaker 2: a more visible presence, and especially in Portland, we are

267
00:14:55,840 --> 00:14:59,160
Speaker 2: a massive union. Other unions around the state are looking

268
00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:01,600
Speaker 2: at us and watching how this goes. And we can

269
00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:05,520
Speaker 2: tell that the district management is scared. They are starting

270
00:15:05,560 --> 00:15:09,160
Speaker 2: to send out emails to families that are meant to

271
00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:13,840
Speaker 2: intimidate and panic and cause chaos. And we're seeing these

272
00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,200
Speaker 2: defensive moves that are a reaction.

273
00:15:17,840 --> 00:15:19,560
Speaker 1: Do you know who else is a hack and a fraud?

274
00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:21,520
Speaker 1: Who did who didn't figure out a way to do

275
00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:23,360
Speaker 1: an ad pivot here? It's the it's the products and

276
00:15:23,400 --> 00:15:25,080
Speaker 1: services that support this podcast.

277
00:15:25,520 --> 00:15:27,680
Speaker 2: Yeah, speaking of businesses that support.

278
00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:44,760
Speaker 1: Us and we're back. Yeah. So you know, okay, So

279
00:15:44,800 --> 00:15:46,800
Speaker 1: that that those are Those are two other dynamics that

280
00:15:46,840 --> 00:15:49,960
Speaker 1: I I sort of I wanted to get into. I

281
00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,640
Speaker 1: guess first I want to talk about what the what

282
00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:55,760
Speaker 1: the community support has looked like, what fourthmore the unionses

283
00:15:55,760 --> 00:15:58,800
Speaker 1: look like and you know, how how you've been engaging

284
00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:00,320
Speaker 1: with parents, because I mean that that's it's been a

285
00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,120
Speaker 1: big thing. So I'm from Chicago and so we have

286
00:16:02,240 --> 00:16:04,320
Speaker 1: like a I mean not that long, like for the

287
00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:07,560
Speaker 1: last about decade, the Chicago Teachers Union's been on strike

288
00:16:07,880 --> 00:16:10,520
Speaker 1: a bunch of times, and it's yeah, like it really

289
00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:13,320
Speaker 1: and the support of that and the engagement of that

290
00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:16,000
Speaker 1: really is one of the few things us in making

291
00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,400
Speaker 1: Chicago a better place. So I wanted to ask what

292
00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,720
Speaker 1: that's looked like in Portland because this is basically the

293
00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,520
Speaker 1: first time for y'all right.

294
00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,240
Speaker 2: And I know historically in Oregon we felt the support

295
00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,600
Speaker 2: from our community, such as the Red for Ed movement

296
00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:32,720
Speaker 2: a few years ago when we were really pushing for

297
00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:37,120
Speaker 2: statewide reform and change in education policy. And here in

298
00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:41,840
Speaker 2: Portland ever since, the seeds of our uprising were being

299
00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:45,200
Speaker 2: planted knowing that we are on a collision course towards

300
00:16:45,240 --> 00:16:49,560
Speaker 2: a strike based on how poorly the district management is

301
00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,880
Speaker 2: bargaining with us, and so we started to build in

302
00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:58,320
Speaker 2: that communication and enlist the support of our parent communities

303
00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:01,800
Speaker 2: pretty early on by having info sessions, by talking about

304
00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,200
Speaker 2: you know, the community's wants and desires for their students,

305
00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:11,320
Speaker 2: connecting with our schools, ptas, connecting with local businesses, especially

306
00:17:11,359 --> 00:17:14,359
Speaker 2: as in the last month or so that we felt okay,

307
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:16,880
Speaker 2: this is happening. We are about to strike. We need

308
00:17:16,920 --> 00:17:20,400
Speaker 2: to connect with our communities in our school areas and

309
00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,160
Speaker 2: see who's out there and if they have our back.

310
00:17:23,240 --> 00:17:28,119
Speaker 2: And it's been really profound in grassroots organizing between the

311
00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:33,120
Speaker 2: parents and the ptas in tandem with our unions and

312
00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,720
Speaker 2: from businesses around our school areas. We attended an event

313
00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:40,120
Speaker 2: called Strike School to prepare and one of our missions

314
00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:44,600
Speaker 2: was to check in with businesses and neighbors in the

315
00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:47,040
Speaker 2: areas of our schools where we plan to be picketing

316
00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:48,959
Speaker 2: and seeing, you know, where can we go to use

317
00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:51,280
Speaker 2: a bathroom, where can we go to use a parking lot,

318
00:17:51,560 --> 00:17:54,920
Speaker 2: and just making those connections, some of which already existed.

319
00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:58,240
Speaker 2: Even though Portland hasn't had to strike, We've been very

320
00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:02,399
Speaker 2: connected to our communities because the educators live in these communities.

321
00:18:02,480 --> 00:18:05,880
Speaker 2: This is my community. Unlike some of the big wigs

322
00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,160
Speaker 2: in the big pink building of management, like they are

323
00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:11,879
Speaker 2: coming in and out in a few years. We're from here,

324
00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:15,320
Speaker 2: we are here to stay, we are here to make

325
00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,760
Speaker 2: those connections. So it was very easy to call upon

326
00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:20,199
Speaker 2: those connections because we are the community. You know, we

327
00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:22,399
Speaker 2: have a lot of union members that are parents. We

328
00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:24,600
Speaker 2: have a lot of union members that are married to

329
00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:30,320
Speaker 2: business owners in the area. We've Yeah, it's been it's

330
00:18:30,400 --> 00:18:34,080
Speaker 2: been obvious who lives here, who's fighting for these kids

331
00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:36,080
Speaker 2: because this is our community.

332
00:18:37,040 --> 00:18:40,800
Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know, I mean, Portland's been a place where,

333
00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:43,199
Speaker 1: I think, kind of beneath the notice of a lot

334
00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,920
Speaker 1: of the national press, it's been one of the places

335
00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:49,280
Speaker 1: where the most union organizing is happening and where the

336
00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:53,560
Speaker 1: most strikes have been happening. And yeah, I was wondering,

337
00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:56,040
Speaker 1: I mean, to what extent have y'all been influenced by

338
00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:58,960
Speaker 1: I mean both the sort of the just profusion of

339
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,280
Speaker 1: like local strikes and then also the kind of the

340
00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:02,720
Speaker 1: bigger national strikes.

341
00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:05,960
Speaker 2: Something really beautiful about living in Portland is that there

342
00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:12,119
Speaker 2: is quite a bit of cross union solidarity. And like

343
00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:15,119
Speaker 2: in the educational realm, we have a coalition of all

344
00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:18,320
Speaker 2: of our unions that come together the certified teachers like

345
00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:21,840
Speaker 2: my union PAT as well as SEIU, the union that

346
00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:26,600
Speaker 2: represents our custodial staff, as well as PFSP our para educators,

347
00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:29,919
Speaker 2: our nutritional staff, the bus drivers union, like, all of

348
00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:33,960
Speaker 2: those unions come together and support each other. And in fact,

349
00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,360
Speaker 2: in the educational realm of Portland, multiple unions are on

350
00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,800
Speaker 2: the verge of striking in that they are having unsuccessful

351
00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,800
Speaker 2: bargaining attempts. But then also with like the ups workers,

352
00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:51,399
Speaker 2: with Kaiser pharmacies and the medical field, like, there is

353
00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,399
Speaker 2: labor action all around Portland and there's definitely a built

354
00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:59,040
Speaker 2: in solidarity network from unionity to union. Our union siblings

355
00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:02,760
Speaker 2: are with us. We have been with them throughout the years.

356
00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:05,399
Speaker 2: I think we do a really good job as a

357
00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,400
Speaker 2: major city of wrapping around each other's unions and supporting

358
00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:12,960
Speaker 2: big actions. And you know, Portland, when we do get

359
00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:16,720
Speaker 2: national press, it is for how rambunctious our little city

360
00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,840
Speaker 2: can be. And this is some of that good trouble

361
00:20:20,160 --> 00:20:22,240
Speaker 2: that that John Lewis would want us to get in.

362
00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:24,880
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I mean this is something that you can

363
00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,440
Speaker 1: I mean, so I was in Portland for like three

364
00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:30,960
Speaker 1: weeks pretty like recently, and I mean you would just

365
00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:35,040
Speaker 1: run like I was. I was at a hospital for long,

366
00:20:35,359 --> 00:20:37,120
Speaker 1: long story about that, but I was at a hospital

367
00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:39,800
Speaker 1: and like the first person we talked to is like

368
00:20:39,840 --> 00:20:42,600
Speaker 1: as a receptionist was like the union rep from the

369
00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:45,760
Speaker 1: receptionist union, and then like we're talking to the nurses,

370
00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:47,480
Speaker 1: and the nurses are like, oh, yeah, we just won

371
00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:49,320
Speaker 1: our We just won our thing, not having to go

372
00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:51,680
Speaker 1: on strike because management caved. It's it's a really sort

373
00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:55,560
Speaker 1: of incredible place to be in terms of like just

374
00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,600
Speaker 1: just the energy and just like the amount of stuff

375
00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:02,800
Speaker 1: that's happening there. It's really sort of incredible, very active.

376
00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:07,520
Speaker 1: I guess the other side of this is that this

377
00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:10,960
Speaker 1: we've also seen a lot of sort of management retaliation

378
00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,119
Speaker 1: and crackdown attempts. And yeah, I was wondering if you

379
00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:17,800
Speaker 1: talk about what management's been doing, because yeah.

380
00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:22,439
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's really ramped up in the last week or

381
00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,040
Speaker 2: so as it is clear that we are on our

382
00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:27,679
Speaker 2: way to strike, especially when we ninety nine percent of

383
00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:31,160
Speaker 2: the membership voted yes to a strike authorization. That sent

384
00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:33,920
Speaker 2: a pretty clear message and I think it made district

385
00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:37,639
Speaker 2: management panic a little. And we've received numerous emails to

386
00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:42,560
Speaker 2: the parent community. They have for example, they are training

387
00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:46,880
Speaker 2: tomorrow Thursday, the day of our strike beginning, or when

388
00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,359
Speaker 2: on Wednesday, the day that the strike begins, they are

389
00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:56,000
Speaker 2: training our para professionals and eas in how to deliver

390
00:21:56,359 --> 00:22:01,359
Speaker 2: virtual phonics instruction. One of their moves was to cause

391
00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:04,200
Speaker 2: panic in the families by sending emails home that say,

392
00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,280
Speaker 2: your student, based on their test scores, is a struggling reader.

393
00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:09,679
Speaker 2: Here's the plan should there be a school closure, that

394
00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:13,720
Speaker 2: we're going to provide virtual learning opportunities. So immediately you've

395
00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:16,840
Speaker 2: got parents in a panic emailing their teacher like by

396
00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:20,200
Speaker 2: students struggling, why didn't I know? And in many cases

397
00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:22,920
Speaker 2: that was inaccurate. A second grade teacher at my school,

398
00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,640
Speaker 2: every parent in her class got that email, and sure

399
00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:28,639
Speaker 2: she has some struggling readers, but it is not every student.

400
00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:32,520
Speaker 2: Why did every student's family get that email? To cause panic,

401
00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:37,280
Speaker 2: to cause fear, to cause intimidation, And so they also

402
00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:40,640
Speaker 2: send out a big email trying that the technology team

403
00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:43,160
Speaker 2: was coming into the buildings to collect all the chromebooks.

404
00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:46,080
Speaker 2: Our students are one to one with chromebooks. They're pretty

405
00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:51,200
Speaker 2: integral to our curriculum delivery and our instruction. And they

406
00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,679
Speaker 2: started pulling them out in the middle of the workday,

407
00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:55,960
Speaker 2: in the middle of the teaching day from some of

408
00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,120
Speaker 2: our youngest students, which was a visible thing in front

409
00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:01,560
Speaker 2: of students me to collect them. It was unplanned, We

410
00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,960
Speaker 2: had no warning. That again seemed to be kind of

411
00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:09,160
Speaker 2: a panic move. We are trying to sew fear and

412
00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,919
Speaker 2: intimidation and we're taking your chromebooks and we're putting kids

413
00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:14,240
Speaker 2: back in COVID times.

414
00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:17,800
Speaker 1: That's just a terrible also, just like a terrible thing

415
00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:21,680
Speaker 1: to do to a bunch of kids, right, like what, Yeah,

416
00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,200
Speaker 1: they're just coming to their room, just taking their stuff

417
00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,240
Speaker 1: in front of everyone, like what right.

418
00:23:26,760 --> 00:23:29,920
Speaker 2: Especially in those younger grades, with no warning and like, oh,

419
00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,080
Speaker 2: we were supposed to have our tech time on Friday,

420
00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:34,800
Speaker 2: like we had our routine and well, oh this this

421
00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:37,960
Speaker 2: guy's coming in and taking all the chromebooks. Sorry kids, Yeah,

422
00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:40,040
Speaker 2: not really having a ready answer.

423
00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:42,720
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's like it's one of those things where it's

424
00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:44,880
Speaker 1: like you can you can really tell, like who actually

425
00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:52,399
Speaker 1: cares about the kids here, because it's just like yeah.

426
00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:52,760
Speaker 2: And you know, management is trying to put out the

427
00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:56,000
Speaker 2: message that teachers don't care about your kids. That's why

428
00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,200
Speaker 2: they're willing to stop school and put your kids back

429
00:23:58,200 --> 00:24:01,280
Speaker 2: at home again. It's bad, like the pandemic time, those

430
00:24:01,440 --> 00:24:04,520
Speaker 2: those nasty teachers want your kids out of school. And

431
00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,480
Speaker 2: you know, our point being that our students haven't been

432
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:11,879
Speaker 2: getting the learning that they deserve because of the current conditions. Yeah,

433
00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:16,159
Speaker 2: that we've been under serving them already. We are walking

434
00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:18,720
Speaker 2: out not because we don't care, but because we care

435
00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:22,040
Speaker 2: so passionately that we aren't willing to stand for these

436
00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,160
Speaker 2: subpar conditions any longer.

437
00:24:24,960 --> 00:24:27,120
Speaker 1: And this is the thing, I don't like, I've seen

438
00:24:27,160 --> 00:24:29,640
Speaker 1: a lot of teacher strikes in my city. I've seen

439
00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,360
Speaker 1: a lot of teacher strikes Nashurally, I don't think I've

440
00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:34,320
Speaker 1: ever seen and you know, and this isn't to say

441
00:24:34,359 --> 00:24:36,160
Speaker 1: that I like, I don't think it would be justified

442
00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:38,800
Speaker 1: for teachers to go on strike, like just because they're underpaid.

443
00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:43,400
Speaker 1: Like everyone like has the right and possibly the obligation

444
00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:46,040
Speaker 1: to go on strike for better conditions. But like that's

445
00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:50,280
Speaker 1: not ever ever, I have never, at any point ever

446
00:24:50,359 --> 00:24:53,360
Speaker 1: seen a teachers you to go on strike for reasons

447
00:24:53,359 --> 00:24:58,080
Speaker 1: that words mostly about like mostly about improving things for

448
00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:01,480
Speaker 1: their kids. It's it's wow, because you see this every

449
00:25:01,640 --> 00:25:03,240
Speaker 1: like they do this in Chicago too. It's like every

450
00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:05,360
Speaker 1: single time there's a strike, it's like, ah, the teachers

451
00:25:05,440 --> 00:25:07,240
Speaker 1: like they hate they hate your kids. Is that they're

452
00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:09,720
Speaker 1: like these like privilege overpaid people real like and it's

453
00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:13,160
Speaker 1: like you guys, like you should you should like look

454
00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,240
Speaker 1: at the admin salary sometime, like.

455
00:25:15,560 --> 00:25:22,000
Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, yeah, it's it's clear that there's a disconnect.

456
00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:26,200
Speaker 2: And as soon as there's a change in the weather,

457
00:25:26,560 --> 00:25:28,840
Speaker 2: teachers go from being the hero to being the villain.

458
00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:32,200
Speaker 2: And the fact that we are willing to go out

459
00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:33,919
Speaker 2: on the streets and fight for our kids in the

460
00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,560
Speaker 2: rain and the cold of Oregon winter, no, we're the villains.

461
00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:42,200
Speaker 2: We are putting them all back in their COVID boxes

462
00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:44,679
Speaker 2: like yeah, that ain't it.

463
00:25:46,280 --> 00:25:50,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, that really sucks, Like no, it's it's.

464
00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:54,280
Speaker 2: Just, thankfully, the negative kind of vitriol that we see

465
00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:59,679
Speaker 2: mostly online where the trolls live, it does seem to

466
00:25:59,680 --> 00:26:02,679
Speaker 2: be like loud minority. As with any form of tolling

467
00:26:03,080 --> 00:26:06,240
Speaker 2: or counter you know, we do hear from community members

468
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:09,879
Speaker 2: that have more legitimate concerns, but they are I'm really supportive.

469
00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:12,640
Speaker 2: I'm a little worried about this one aspect, but I'm

470
00:26:12,640 --> 00:26:14,800
Speaker 2: with you guys, you know, and that's valid. I told

471
00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,280
Speaker 2: my students as we were getting ready to go home

472
00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,520
Speaker 2: for the long weekend quote unquote, you know that it

473
00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:23,359
Speaker 2: is okay to feel a variety of emotions like I'm sad,

474
00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:25,560
Speaker 2: I'm gonna miss you guys. I don't know when I'll

475
00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,480
Speaker 2: get to see you again, and that makes me anxious

476
00:26:28,920 --> 00:26:31,280
Speaker 2: and I'm excited to go fight for you guys to

477
00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:35,040
Speaker 2: get us what we deserve. Like, so even letting the

478
00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:37,200
Speaker 2: children know this is totally normal, and that's my same

479
00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,800
Speaker 2: message to the adults, like it's totally okay if you've

480
00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,560
Speaker 2: got some mixed emotions. Yeah, and we're going to be

481
00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:44,600
Speaker 2: out there fighting for the kids. I hope you're not

482
00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:46,600
Speaker 2: mad at me for very long, but I'm gonna do

483
00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:47,080
Speaker 2: it anyway.

484
00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:50,280
Speaker 1: Yeah. And that's another thing that's kind of like weird

485
00:26:50,280 --> 00:26:55,600
Speaker 1: about this is like the way the negotiations have gone.

486
00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,040
Speaker 1: It's like this is happening, like because a lot of

487
00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:01,040
Speaker 1: strikes happen at the beginning of the school year, right,

488
00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:03,800
Speaker 1: and so it pushes back the but this is but

489
00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:05,800
Speaker 1: this is like okay, So like you've gotten in, you've

490
00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:08,600
Speaker 1: met the kids, you're like teaching them to developing your relationship,

491
00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,760
Speaker 1: and then management is just like, no, this is the

492
00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:14,159
Speaker 1: moment we're going to force everyone.

493
00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:18,760
Speaker 2: Yeah that just sucks, Like yeah, and I don't think

494
00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:22,440
Speaker 2: there's ever a great time to strike, but we definitely

495
00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:24,720
Speaker 2: hope to be the least impactful. You know. We want

496
00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:27,280
Speaker 2: to make sure that our families have what they need.

497
00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:29,119
Speaker 2: We want to make sure that our staff have what

498
00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:31,600
Speaker 2: they need. We didn't want to go too long. We

499
00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,200
Speaker 2: don't want to be striking in the middle of winter

500
00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:38,280
Speaker 2: or during a break when students are already out. Yeah,

501
00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:40,720
Speaker 2: it's there's never a great time. And I feel I

502
00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,800
Speaker 2: feel really confident that our bargaining unit has really worked

503
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:47,920
Speaker 2: to make this the least detrimental to our students as possible, Yeah,

504
00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,879
Speaker 2: while still maintaining the validity of a strike, of a

505
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:53,040
Speaker 2: big collective action.

506
00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:56,040
Speaker 1: I mean, I think this is this is something that

507
00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:59,760
Speaker 1: care workers struggle with a lot, Right. It's like one

508
00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,720
Speaker 1: of the reasons that it's it's hard for teachers to strike,

509
00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:06,399
Speaker 1: that it's hard for healthcare workers to strike is because like, yeah,

510
00:28:06,440 --> 00:28:10,159
Speaker 1: like you don't do this job unless you care about

511
00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:12,919
Speaker 1: the people that you're like it's your job to care for,

512
00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:14,920
Speaker 1: Like you don't, you wouldn't know, Like no one will

513
00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:17,560
Speaker 1: put up with these conditions if they didn't care, right,

514
00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:20,840
Speaker 1: And you know, and that's I think there's this really

515
00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,160
Speaker 1: grim way in which just becomes this sort of trap

516
00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:26,159
Speaker 1: of like this is it becomes this and you see this,

517
00:28:26,359 --> 00:28:27,760
Speaker 1: like this is the thing I've been I've been talking

518
00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:32,120
Speaker 1: to like people who like abortion workers, and they talk

519
00:28:32,160 --> 00:28:33,719
Speaker 1: about this too, where it's like there's this this kind

520
00:28:33,760 --> 00:28:36,199
Speaker 1: of trap you get in because it's like you know

521
00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:39,240
Speaker 1: that you are the only person providing the service that

522
00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:42,080
Speaker 1: these people really need, and your bosses use that to

523
00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:46,000
Speaker 1: underpay you use it to you know, have unacceptable conditions,

524
00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:51,400
Speaker 1: and it sucks that. It's like, you know, the the

525
00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:55,480
Speaker 1: foundational elements of an actual any kind of society that's

526
00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:58,480
Speaker 1: actually good, like the fact that people care and love

527
00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:00,200
Speaker 1: like love each other and care for each other is

528
00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:05,960
Speaker 1: being used as a weapon really shitty conditions.

529
00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:10,200
Speaker 2: It's weaponizing our passion and our care for our kids.

530
00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,440
Speaker 2: And that's also something that tells you that it's serious.

531
00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:18,640
Speaker 2: If if teachers who know that our students rely on us,

532
00:29:18,680 --> 00:29:20,840
Speaker 2: we love our students so deeply, if we are at

533
00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:24,040
Speaker 2: the point where we're finally striking it's been bad for

534
00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:28,920
Speaker 2: a while. Yeah, yeah, and you were kind of mentioning

535
00:29:28,920 --> 00:29:32,760
Speaker 2: this earlier, but teachers are so many things to our students,

536
00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:35,760
Speaker 2: like I am their teacher. In some cases am a

537
00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,600
Speaker 2: care provider. In some cases, I'm a therapist. In some cases,

538
00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:41,960
Speaker 2: I'm their nutrition expert. Like they are coming to us

539
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:45,400
Speaker 2: for everything in some cases, and so to be willing

540
00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:49,200
Speaker 2: to say I have to leave now to get us

541
00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:53,760
Speaker 2: what we deserve, I'm going to make sure you're okay.

542
00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:55,840
Speaker 2: It's so hard, it's so hard to say goodbye to

543
00:29:55,880 --> 00:30:01,480
Speaker 2: these kids, and it's so necessary. Yeah, and that's that

544
00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:04,520
Speaker 2: tells you that we that it is also that important

545
00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:08,960
Speaker 2: that we have gotten to this point where we need to. Yeah,

546
00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,080
Speaker 2: and the students do seem pretty I mean I have

547
00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:13,120
Speaker 2: the benefit of being at fifth grade, but the students

548
00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:15,920
Speaker 2: do seem to understand pretty well. Some of them are

549
00:30:15,920 --> 00:30:20,360
Speaker 2: incredibly activated little unionists, little union fighters as well. We

550
00:30:20,480 --> 00:30:24,160
Speaker 2: had some of the fifth graders sent letters to the

551
00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:27,600
Speaker 2: Oregonian and to the to the school board and to

552
00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:30,920
Speaker 2: the superintendent. And they're very eloquent. They I mean, they've

553
00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:34,200
Speaker 2: been living the conditions. They are the voice and it

554
00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,640
Speaker 2: is they are trying to shout loudly, and you know,

555
00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:40,320
Speaker 2: we're trying to amplify that. Like I am striking for them.

556
00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:44,400
Speaker 2: I will benefit, but this is for them to have

557
00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:45,200
Speaker 2: a better outcome.

558
00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:48,800
Speaker 1: You know what, other services are provided by a bunch

559
00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:50,560
Speaker 1: of workers who are not getting paid enough and are

560
00:30:50,560 --> 00:30:54,200
Speaker 1: probably understaffed legally. I don't know if I'm allowed to

561
00:30:54,200 --> 00:30:56,719
Speaker 1: say that, but they haven't done the crackdown on us yet,

562
00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,800
Speaker 1: so I can say whatever I want. Damn it. It's

563
00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:15,920
Speaker 1: products and services that support this podcast and we are back.

564
00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:17,640
Speaker 2: So there wasn't.

565
00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:20,200
Speaker 1: There's a thing I've been noticing. So I've been interviewing

566
00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:22,720
Speaker 1: a lot of I've been interviewing a lot of service

567
00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:25,440
Speaker 1: workers in the last god, like I guess like two

568
00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:27,120
Speaker 1: years now. Jeez, I've been doing this for a long

569
00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,040
Speaker 1: time now. But one of the things that I've been

570
00:31:31,080 --> 00:31:36,120
Speaker 1: noticing is a lot of people. And this comes back

571
00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:38,080
Speaker 1: to something that you were talking about, which is that

572
00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:40,240
Speaker 1: a lot of a lot of service workers, I mean

573
00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:43,200
Speaker 1: people who are just beached as people who are you know,

574
00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,560
Speaker 1: people who are just doing effectively random service jobs are

575
00:31:46,600 --> 00:31:50,000
Speaker 1: being pushed more and more into having to care for

576
00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:53,200
Speaker 1: people because the rest of the sort of whatever social

577
00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:56,080
Speaker 1: safety nets the US used to have have just completely imploded.

578
00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:59,080
Speaker 1: And I think I want to get your opinion in

579
00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,719
Speaker 1: this way, it looks to me like ground zero for

580
00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:04,480
Speaker 1: this was the education system of right, all of the

581
00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:08,160
Speaker 1: responsibility of you know this, these massive increases in poverty

582
00:32:08,160 --> 00:32:11,960
Speaker 1: and its extagnating wages and police violence and like our

583
00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:15,440
Speaker 1: completely dysfunctional mental healthcare system that all of this. The

584
00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:18,160
Speaker 1: first people this was pushed on was y'all.

585
00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:22,240
Speaker 2: Yeah. Now, we're that first line of defense for the

586
00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:26,280
Speaker 2: public good. And when you are gutting education, you are

587
00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:30,239
Speaker 2: gutting the first safety net of the public good. And

588
00:32:30,840 --> 00:32:32,880
Speaker 2: you know, the students will tell you that they are

589
00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:37,000
Speaker 2: our future and we are the net that's supposed to

590
00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:40,800
Speaker 2: catch them. And we've been underfunded and undersupported and under

591
00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:46,640
Speaker 2: resourced and in many ways like privatized, where some of

592
00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:49,480
Speaker 2: what will be the future populace are getting what they

593
00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:55,200
Speaker 2: need and everyone else is left behind. And you can

594
00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:59,320
Speaker 2: see it in retrospect. You can see how public education

595
00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:05,000
Speaker 2: has been deteriorating or forcibly deteriorated by some of those

596
00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:09,160
Speaker 2: interests that are trying to privatize or have privatization yep

597
00:33:09,280 --> 00:33:13,920
Speaker 2: in their mission. And the ultimate outcome of that is

598
00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:20,440
Speaker 2: a deteriorated United States. Like the populace is suffering because

599
00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:23,320
Speaker 2: of it, Like I wonder why democracy is starting to

600
00:33:23,320 --> 00:33:27,960
Speaker 2: fall apart when yeah, follow the dominoes backwards. Public education

601
00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:32,960
Speaker 2: has been underfunded and undersourced for decades now, so our

602
00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:37,680
Speaker 2: generation of workers are trying to repair the damage we

603
00:33:37,760 --> 00:33:41,120
Speaker 2: witnessed and experienced and stop it from getting worse as

604
00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:42,680
Speaker 2: it gets worse around us.

605
00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:44,840
Speaker 1: Yeah, And this is one of those things where this

606
00:33:44,880 --> 00:33:46,680
Speaker 1: is kind of like there's been this kind of unholy

607
00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:49,560
Speaker 1: alliance between like that I guess I call it like

608
00:33:49,560 --> 00:33:53,440
Speaker 1: the sort of the charter school private school alliance between

609
00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,480
Speaker 1: the sort of like Obama, Arnie Duncan, Oh my god,

610
00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:04,000
Speaker 1: Paul vallis like technically liberal like neoliberal reformers, who were

611
00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:07,440
Speaker 1: you know, trying to destroy teachers' unions, trying to like

612
00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:10,040
Speaker 1: trying to force everyone in the charter schools, trying to

613
00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:12,680
Speaker 1: sort of like I just and just just just blasting

614
00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,440
Speaker 1: holes in the education system of every single city they

615
00:34:15,520 --> 00:34:18,120
Speaker 1: end up in. But it's just it's just interesting thing too,

616
00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:21,160
Speaker 1: where like you have these people on the one hand,

617
00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,319
Speaker 1: and they're the sort of like vaguely liberal wing of it,

618
00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,840
Speaker 1: and then simultaneously you have this sort of like absolutely ferocious,

619
00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:32,680
Speaker 1: like frothing right wing like evangelical shoe shape. Yeah, It's

620
00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:37,160
Speaker 1: like someone I saw a well, I get they were

621
00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:38,759
Speaker 1: going through their direction, but I saw I saw a

622
00:34:38,760 --> 00:34:42,640
Speaker 1: funny defiction of that. They called it like fish hook theory,

623
00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:44,520
Speaker 1: where like you have this stuff in the middle, and

624
00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:46,680
Speaker 1: then the far right people sort of bend back around

625
00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,520
Speaker 1: into the middle because they found this one thing they

626
00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:53,520
Speaker 1: agree on, which is that they hate teachers, right.

627
00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:57,440
Speaker 2: And you know, the public enemy.

628
00:34:58,440 --> 00:35:00,799
Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, and I think it's it's interesting too that

629
00:35:00,920 --> 00:35:04,400
Speaker 1: like schools are specifically the place that when when the

630
00:35:04,480 --> 00:35:07,080
Speaker 1: rights tried wanted to do their push back against racial justice,

631
00:35:07,080 --> 00:35:09,759
Speaker 1: it was like they went to schools. They've been doing

632
00:35:09,760 --> 00:35:14,239
Speaker 1: this with like LGBTQ stuff too, is you know, this

633
00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:18,480
Speaker 1: is like the rights whole game. I mean, since like

634
00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:23,160
Speaker 1: desegregation has been trying to push people into private schools

635
00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:26,360
Speaker 1: and privatizing the education system, and I don't know, it

636
00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:29,719
Speaker 1: strikes me it's interesting that that, you know, there's been

637
00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:33,600
Speaker 1: for a really long time, and I think y'all, like

638
00:35:34,520 --> 00:35:37,479
Speaker 1: y'all the like Chicago teachers Unions has this has really

639
00:35:37,520 --> 00:35:40,759
Speaker 1: been sort of the forefront of the fight against that

640
00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:42,880
Speaker 1: of like it seems it seems like we're finally in

641
00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:44,880
Speaker 1: a period with these people who have run this country

642
00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:47,000
Speaker 1: into the ground for the past like fifty years are

643
00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:51,160
Speaker 1: finally starting to sort of like face the consequences and

644
00:35:51,280 --> 00:35:53,640
Speaker 1: like have to deal with the people that they've been

645
00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:56,120
Speaker 1: just destroying for so long.

646
00:35:56,719 --> 00:36:00,799
Speaker 2: Yeah, we are seeing it from the in side as

647
00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:06,000
Speaker 2: it happens, Like I am experiencing as an elder millennial

648
00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:09,480
Speaker 2: growing up in the nineties in the public education system,

649
00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,600
Speaker 2: knowing now as an adult what I was not being

650
00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:15,800
Speaker 2: taught or what was being left out or censored just

651
00:36:15,880 --> 00:36:18,480
Speaker 2: due to systemic patterns that now we teach in a

652
00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:21,120
Speaker 2: different way to make sure that that doesn't continue. And

653
00:36:21,160 --> 00:36:24,640
Speaker 2: then we're seeing legislation in places like Florida and Tennessee.

654
00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:27,920
Speaker 2: They're like stop doing that, stop fixing the problem, and

655
00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,960
Speaker 2: you can't put it back in the box. Like we

656
00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:35,600
Speaker 2: see from the inside as things are are falling apart

657
00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,719
Speaker 2: and people are being left out, and so we're inside

658
00:36:38,800 --> 00:36:43,240
Speaker 2: public education screaming, knock it off. You did bad by us.

659
00:36:43,560 --> 00:36:45,480
Speaker 2: We won't let you do bad by the next generation

660
00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:46,520
Speaker 2: and the next generation.

661
00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:50,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, And I think like the other aspect of that,

662
00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:53,759
Speaker 1: like is is the way that like school boards are

663
00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:55,360
Speaker 1: being used to sort of like to take control of

664
00:36:55,400 --> 00:36:59,040
Speaker 1: districts and like push all of this sort of just horrific,

665
00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:03,440
Speaker 1: like queer politics stuff, and I don't know, like that

666
00:37:03,560 --> 00:37:06,840
Speaker 1: that's a personal one for me because like my school,

667
00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:11,400
Speaker 1: like I mean, I guess we technically had stuff, but

668
00:37:11,960 --> 00:37:17,640
Speaker 1: like I don't know, like the resources available to all

669
00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:19,880
Speaker 1: the queer kids that like that was like me and

670
00:37:19,920 --> 00:37:22,280
Speaker 1: like everyone I grew up with were like just terrible.

671
00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:25,160
Speaker 1: And you know, I got to see the consequences.

672
00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:27,080
Speaker 2: Of that, right bare minimum if any.

673
00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:29,799
Speaker 1: Yeah, and like you know, like in a in a

674
00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:33,600
Speaker 1: really really like frothing right wing like really justconservative environment,

675
00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:37,880
Speaker 1: and like, I don't know, it's it really seems like

676
00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:40,120
Speaker 1: it's for a lot of people, it's gotten way better

677
00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:42,239
Speaker 1: and all of these you know, like one of the

678
00:37:42,280 --> 00:37:44,160
Speaker 1: assaults that we're seeing is like who just want to

679
00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:46,440
Speaker 1: bring this stuff back right to.

680
00:37:46,560 --> 00:37:49,960
Speaker 2: The quote unquote good old days before all of us

681
00:37:50,040 --> 00:37:53,120
Speaker 2: queer folks were coming out, And yeah, like put everybody

682
00:37:53,120 --> 00:37:55,840
Speaker 2: back in the closet, hide all of the racism that

683
00:37:55,880 --> 00:37:59,759
Speaker 2: you've unraveled and exposed, put it all back in the

684
00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:03,040
Speaker 2: b put a bow back on the box. We want

685
00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:07,120
Speaker 2: America to look the way it used to. Yeah, And

686
00:38:07,160 --> 00:38:11,280
Speaker 2: that's that's a lie, and that benefited very specific populations

687
00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:15,160
Speaker 2: and we won't continue to play that game. And I

688
00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:18,280
Speaker 2: think that's another reason, like you said that you're seeing

689
00:38:18,320 --> 00:38:21,600
Speaker 2: the gutting of public education, is that it's scary. Public

690
00:38:21,719 --> 00:38:28,319
Speaker 2: education is about truth and teaching critical thinking, and that

691
00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:32,000
Speaker 2: is not good for people in power when their power

692
00:38:32,400 --> 00:38:36,479
Speaker 2: has been achieved on the backs of marginalized groups and

693
00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:40,400
Speaker 2: by historically underserving people and pushing people into the dirt.

694
00:38:41,320 --> 00:38:45,239
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's like it turns out that when your entire

695
00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:48,320
Speaker 1: state is based on doing a rolling genocide across the

696
00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:51,400
Speaker 1: entire continent, you probably don't want to tell people that

697
00:38:51,400 --> 00:38:53,720
Speaker 1: that's like it's a bad idea.

698
00:38:54,600 --> 00:38:57,520
Speaker 2: Yeah, cats out of the bag America.

699
00:38:57,680 --> 00:38:58,759
Speaker 1: Yeah.

700
00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:00,000
Speaker 2: Yeah.

701
00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:03,319
Speaker 1: I wanted to ask to sort of what role has

702
00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:08,520
Speaker 1: I guess, just twenty twenty in general, and I mean

703
00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:12,440
Speaker 1: the pandemic too, but like I don't know, like I

704
00:39:12,480 --> 00:39:15,799
Speaker 1: want to, I guess, like get a sense of what

705
00:39:15,880 --> 00:39:18,480
Speaker 1: impact like the uprising has had on all of this,

706
00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:21,680
Speaker 1: because it is, like I do think it is notable

707
00:39:21,719 --> 00:39:24,720
Speaker 1: that you know, it's like three years after the uprising,

708
00:39:24,760 --> 00:39:29,360
Speaker 1: it's we have the first strike in.

709
00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:33,120
Speaker 2: Right, so long. I think as a result of living

710
00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:37,640
Speaker 2: through pandemic times, people really had an opportunity to reflect

711
00:39:37,920 --> 00:39:41,280
Speaker 2: on what their lives were like, what they were living

712
00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:43,960
Speaker 2: through that was unjust. I think a lot of inequities

713
00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:49,479
Speaker 2: were revealed through having to shift our entire worlds, and

714
00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:54,359
Speaker 2: things that had previously gone hidden or unnoticed or unexposed

715
00:39:54,880 --> 00:39:59,160
Speaker 2: came to light and people said no more. I we

716
00:39:59,239 --> 00:40:01,799
Speaker 2: have learned to do things a different way. We will

717
00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:04,360
Speaker 2: not go back to the broken ways. And so it

718
00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:07,800
Speaker 2: makes sense to me that we are at this boiling

719
00:40:07,880 --> 00:40:13,760
Speaker 2: point in repairing and trying to rebuild and reform after

720
00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:19,040
Speaker 2: a global change. And you see it in the kids too.

721
00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:21,200
Speaker 2: I mean they say about my generation as a millennial,

722
00:40:21,239 --> 00:40:26,360
Speaker 2: that we've lived through numerous large scale traumas, and the

723
00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:29,560
Speaker 2: kids of today have now as well. Like the students

724
00:40:29,560 --> 00:40:33,239
Speaker 2: I'm currently teaching were second graders when the pandemic hits,

725
00:40:33,480 --> 00:40:38,239
Speaker 2: and they are forever changed. They were seeing, you know,

726
00:40:38,320 --> 00:40:41,400
Speaker 2: the Black Lives Matter movement come alive on their television

727
00:40:41,400 --> 00:40:45,000
Speaker 2: screens and in their cities. They grew up in civic

728
00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:51,600
Speaker 2: action and global turmoil, and they are active. Even if

729
00:40:51,640 --> 00:40:55,120
Speaker 2: I wasn't teaching current events in the way that I do,

730
00:40:55,320 --> 00:40:57,440
Speaker 2: the students are bringing it to the room. Like the

731
00:40:57,480 --> 00:40:59,080
Speaker 2: conversations are happening.

732
00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:03,040
Speaker 1: Yea, which is it's such an interesting like that generation.

733
00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:05,200
Speaker 1: I think it's gonna be really interesting because I don't

734
00:41:05,239 --> 00:41:08,719
Speaker 1: know I'm from this. I'm on exactly the borderline with

735
00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:10,759
Speaker 1: everyone trying to figure out whether I'm a millennial or

736
00:41:10,760 --> 00:41:14,239
Speaker 1: a zumer. But like my like my first memory is

737
00:41:14,320 --> 00:41:17,440
Speaker 1: nine to eleven. Yeah, so like you know, it's I

738
00:41:17,520 --> 00:41:19,799
Speaker 1: feel like I got a kind of millennial experience, which

739
00:41:19,840 --> 00:41:22,239
Speaker 1: is I got nine to eleven, two thousand and eight,

740
00:41:22,400 --> 00:41:24,400
Speaker 1: twenty six well two thousand and eight, then like the

741
00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:26,840
Speaker 1: twenty thirteen uprisings I guess was a bit off, but

742
00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:30,800
Speaker 1: I got like thirteen up risings, and then like I

743
00:41:31,280 --> 00:41:33,759
Speaker 1: get out of college or I get into college and

744
00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:35,160
Speaker 1: it's twenty sixteen.

745
00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:41,240
Speaker 2: It's just like a mess. Yeah, it's hot mess.

746
00:41:41,680 --> 00:41:45,760
Speaker 1: It's this real Like I I I like, I became

747
00:41:45,960 --> 00:41:51,000
Speaker 1: conscious the moments that history returned to the world. Yeah,

748
00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:53,120
Speaker 1: but I don't know, Like, I think it's an interesting

749
00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:56,799
Speaker 1: thing with like with these kids who've grown up, who

750
00:41:56,840 --> 00:41:58,279
Speaker 1: are you know? I mean like, yeah, like their first

751
00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:01,799
Speaker 1: memories are going to be like the pandemic and like

752
00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:08,839
Speaker 1: twenty twenty that I don't know, Like I I don't

753
00:42:08,840 --> 00:42:11,080
Speaker 1: know I'm interested in where these people are going to go.

754
00:42:11,120 --> 00:42:14,040
Speaker 1: But also I think this is you know, this all

755
00:42:14,080 --> 00:42:18,359
Speaker 1: of this ties back into just the importance of what

756
00:42:18,440 --> 00:42:21,120
Speaker 1: you and all of your coworkers do, which is that

757
00:42:21,239 --> 00:42:25,960
Speaker 1: you're the people who are you know, like it, you're

758
00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:28,279
Speaker 1: the people who are producing, like the kids who are

759
00:42:28,320 --> 00:42:30,960
Speaker 1: going to who are I mean, hopefully they won't have

760
00:42:31,040 --> 00:42:33,640
Speaker 1: to be fighting the same fights that we are right now.

761
00:42:33,840 --> 00:42:38,480
Speaker 1: Statistically they probably will, but yeah, like and you're the

762
00:42:38,480 --> 00:42:40,960
Speaker 1: people who are sort of mediating their understanding of like

763
00:42:41,600 --> 00:42:44,359
Speaker 1: what is happening in this world around them that's you know,

764
00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:47,600
Speaker 1: increasingly terrifying and complex.

765
00:42:47,160 --> 00:42:51,400
Speaker 2: Right, trying not to give ten year olds an existential crisis,

766
00:42:51,480 --> 00:42:55,239
Speaker 2: but yeah, coming into like they are at that developmental

767
00:42:55,239 --> 00:42:58,880
Speaker 2: age where they are starting to have that existential crisis

768
00:42:59,080 --> 00:43:04,680
Speaker 2: of Wow, our planet is out of luck, our educational

769
00:43:04,680 --> 00:43:09,520
Speaker 2: system is rotten, our democracy is falling apart, like they

770
00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:14,000
Speaker 2: are witnessing turmoil in every country like that it is.

771
00:43:14,520 --> 00:43:16,640
Speaker 2: You know, they say that the youth's humor is very

772
00:43:16,719 --> 00:43:21,279
Speaker 2: nihilistic and dark, and it's just getting darker. Like thankfully,

773
00:43:21,520 --> 00:43:25,319
Speaker 2: they give me so much hope and light in you know,

774
00:43:25,400 --> 00:43:27,480
Speaker 2: a world where sometimes I don't even know want to

775
00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:29,600
Speaker 2: be a part of the future, because the future looks grim.

776
00:43:30,280 --> 00:43:34,680
Speaker 2: They are a light even in all of that darkness.

777
00:43:35,280 --> 00:43:39,200
Speaker 2: And you know, I think they're really resilient. I wish

778
00:43:39,280 --> 00:43:42,000
Speaker 2: they didn't have to be. I have my own big

779
00:43:42,040 --> 00:43:45,520
Speaker 2: existential dread. And the kids are angry. The kids are

780
00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:49,200
Speaker 2: are upset, But the kids are all right. Maybe, yeah,

781
00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:51,040
Speaker 2: if we can continue to support them.

782
00:43:51,920 --> 00:43:54,080
Speaker 1: And I think this is something that goes for everyone's

783
00:43:54,239 --> 00:43:58,760
Speaker 1: like it. So insofar as we have obligations to anyone

784
00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:01,600
Speaker 1: on earth, like the thing, the thing that we owe

785
00:44:01,680 --> 00:44:04,919
Speaker 1: these kids is to try to make sure they don't

786
00:44:04,920 --> 00:44:06,480
Speaker 1: have to go through the same shit that we did,

787
00:44:06,840 --> 00:44:09,360
Speaker 1: because like that stiff sucked.

788
00:44:10,440 --> 00:44:14,719
Speaker 2: Yeah. One of my teaching philosophies is the bee who

789
00:44:14,760 --> 00:44:18,040
Speaker 2: you needed when you were younger? And I didn't even

790
00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:20,319
Speaker 2: know some of the things I needed. But looking back,

791
00:44:20,360 --> 00:44:22,880
Speaker 2: like now, as a queer adult living in a major

792
00:44:22,920 --> 00:44:25,680
Speaker 2: city who grew up in a small town in Montana

793
00:44:26,160 --> 00:44:31,200
Speaker 2: in the binding is I'm very, yeah, very aware of

794
00:44:31,320 --> 00:44:34,920
Speaker 2: some of the things that I should have had as

795
00:44:34,960 --> 00:44:37,440
Speaker 2: a young person, and that I am glad to be

796
00:44:37,520 --> 00:44:40,480
Speaker 2: there for my students in that way. Even the difference

797
00:44:41,400 --> 00:44:43,880
Speaker 2: working with some people who've been teaching for longer. You

798
00:44:43,920 --> 00:44:46,840
Speaker 2: see the difference in educational philosophy from run generation to

799
00:44:46,880 --> 00:44:48,960
Speaker 2: the next and the bee who you needed when you

800
00:44:48,960 --> 00:44:54,040
Speaker 2: were younger. I'm very open to being neuro affirming, supporting

801
00:44:54,040 --> 00:44:56,319
Speaker 2: our students that are on the spectrum or students with

802
00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:59,520
Speaker 2: ADHD are students with anxiety disorders in a way that

803
00:44:59,719 --> 00:45:02,480
Speaker 2: even the teachers of our generation when when I was

804
00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:06,000
Speaker 2: a child, yeah, aren't necessarily on the site like we're

805
00:45:06,160 --> 00:45:09,560
Speaker 2: getting better, we're making education less damaging to I think

806
00:45:09,560 --> 00:45:11,800
Speaker 2: that's one of the reasons sometimes we lose public opinion

807
00:45:12,040 --> 00:45:14,880
Speaker 2: is people have negative memories of school. School has been harmful,

808
00:45:15,640 --> 00:45:17,759
Speaker 2: and we're like, no, support us, Like I promise it's

809
00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:18,439
Speaker 2: different now.

810
00:45:19,440 --> 00:45:21,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, but but I mean, but I think this is

811
00:45:21,719 --> 00:45:24,320
Speaker 1: one of those things too, where like the Teachers Union

812
00:45:24,440 --> 00:45:26,759
Speaker 1: in general, if you're looking at what is this, what

813
00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:30,960
Speaker 1: is the single like group of people in the United

814
00:45:30,960 --> 00:45:34,960
Speaker 1: States who actually wants to make school suck less? Like

815
00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:38,440
Speaker 1: the most it's probably like slightly above that is students.

816
00:45:38,480 --> 00:45:41,440
Speaker 1: But the thing is, like students are organized enough to

817
00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:45,040
Speaker 1: like right, and you know, and like I said, as much,

818
00:45:45,080 --> 00:45:46,759
Speaker 1: really any know that this isn't to write off, like

819
00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:49,840
Speaker 1: the incredible amount of student activism that I mean, it

820
00:45:49,880 --> 00:45:53,000
Speaker 1: has been happening forever, but they don't have the kind

821
00:45:53,040 --> 00:45:56,919
Speaker 1: of power that like teachers unions too, and teachers unions

822
00:45:56,920 --> 00:46:00,680
Speaker 1: are the social voice. Yeah. Well, and also the ability

823
00:46:00,760 --> 00:46:03,120
Speaker 1: to like, like the ability to withdraw your labor and

824
00:46:03,160 --> 00:46:06,839
Speaker 1: suddenly actually have a massive effect on the entire sort

825
00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:08,280
Speaker 1: of like state economy.

826
00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:11,880
Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, we are united for our students, like the

827
00:46:12,280 --> 00:46:15,680
Speaker 2: we are called a teachers' union, but we are united

828
00:46:15,760 --> 00:46:20,840
Speaker 2: for our students because they don't yet have the ability,

829
00:46:20,920 --> 00:46:24,840
Speaker 2: or the access or the social capital to be heard

830
00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:25,880
Speaker 2: in the way that they deserve.

831
00:46:26,480 --> 00:46:28,120
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know. I think I think that's a

832
00:46:28,239 --> 00:46:30,040
Speaker 1: that's a pretty good note to end on, unless you

833
00:46:30,040 --> 00:46:31,200
Speaker 1: have anything else that you want to say.

834
00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:35,160
Speaker 2: First, I'm satisfied. I mean I'm not satisfied. I'm striking,

835
00:46:35,200 --> 00:46:39,400
Speaker 2: but like, yeah, yeah.

836
00:46:39,200 --> 00:46:42,080
Speaker 1: So, how how can people well, A, how can people

837
00:46:42,120 --> 00:46:44,200
Speaker 1: in Portland support the strike? And then b, how can

838
00:46:44,239 --> 00:46:46,200
Speaker 1: people who are not in Portland who want to support

839
00:46:46,200 --> 00:46:46,879
Speaker 1: the strike help?

840
00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:51,480
Speaker 2: Yeah, Portlanders are able to help support the strike. We

841
00:46:51,600 --> 00:46:56,960
Speaker 2: have a strike fund set up for purchasing and some

842
00:46:57,040 --> 00:46:58,920
Speaker 2: of the things that we've needed on our strike. Lines,

843
00:46:59,040 --> 00:47:03,360
Speaker 2: like megaphones, like ponchos. All of that strike fund is

844
00:47:03,400 --> 00:47:05,920
Speaker 2: being used to help strike captains such as myself around

845
00:47:05,920 --> 00:47:09,719
Speaker 2: the city organize our pickets and our actions, and so

846
00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:12,040
Speaker 2: donating to that strike fund is one way to make

847
00:47:12,080 --> 00:47:16,640
Speaker 2: sure that every teacher in Portland is getting some support.

848
00:47:16,800 --> 00:47:19,040
Speaker 2: And then if you live in Portland, finding out the

849
00:47:19,080 --> 00:47:22,360
Speaker 2: schools that are closest to you in your area, reaching

850
00:47:22,440 --> 00:47:26,520
Speaker 2: out to those schools specifically, probably through social media since

851
00:47:26,520 --> 00:47:28,200
Speaker 2: we will not be in our buildings, like using a

852
00:47:28,239 --> 00:47:31,400
Speaker 2: school email wouldn't work, But reaching out to the strike

853
00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:33,520
Speaker 2: in your area if you drive by and you see them,

854
00:47:33,560 --> 00:47:36,040
Speaker 2: like giving them a honk in a horay and finding

855
00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:40,160
Speaker 2: out where they need supplies to get directed to people

856
00:47:40,239 --> 00:47:43,240
Speaker 2: outside of Portland. Same thing that strike fund is very visible,

857
00:47:43,640 --> 00:47:47,440
Speaker 2: sharing on social media things on our behalf really making

858
00:47:47,480 --> 00:47:50,560
Speaker 2: sure that your own legislatures know how important public education

859
00:47:50,719 --> 00:47:53,920
Speaker 2: is to you. Hopefully things in your state or area

860
00:47:53,960 --> 00:47:57,480
Speaker 2: are going positively for educators, but chances are they're not

861
00:47:57,680 --> 00:48:01,080
Speaker 2: so I bet no matter where you live. As a listener,

862
00:48:01,520 --> 00:48:04,359
Speaker 2: you a public educators in your area could probably use

863
00:48:04,360 --> 00:48:08,240
Speaker 2: your support talking to school boards, talking to legislators and

864
00:48:08,360 --> 00:48:11,720
Speaker 2: making change in education, making sure that kids are getting

865
00:48:11,719 --> 00:48:14,800
Speaker 2: what they need. That fight is guaranteed to be happening everywhere.

866
00:48:15,640 --> 00:48:18,080
Speaker 1: Yeah, and we will we will have links to well,

867
00:48:18,120 --> 00:48:20,800
Speaker 1: definitely a strike fund probably also will have links to

868
00:48:20,840 --> 00:48:25,120
Speaker 1: social media stuff the description, so yeah, go go do that.

869
00:48:25,440 --> 00:48:29,719
Speaker 1: And also yeah, yeah do you want I'm assuming you

870
00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:33,640
Speaker 1: also people control the picket lines. M yeah.

871
00:48:33,719 --> 00:48:37,640
Speaker 2: Yeah. Anyone in Portland driving in any of our neighborhoods

872
00:48:37,920 --> 00:48:40,239
Speaker 2: will find a school, will find a picket and you

873
00:48:40,280 --> 00:48:43,360
Speaker 2: are welcome to join us. I know I'm in the

874
00:48:43,719 --> 00:48:46,880
Speaker 2: Southwest region of Portland. Will be picketing in major areas

875
00:48:47,040 --> 00:48:49,480
Speaker 2: as well as right outside our schools. So pretty much

876
00:48:49,480 --> 00:48:52,120
Speaker 2: anywhere you see a sea of blue, give us a

877
00:48:52,160 --> 00:48:54,280
Speaker 2: honk and hop out and join us for a little while,

878
00:48:54,520 --> 00:48:57,400
Speaker 2: and we'll see you in some big visible spaces to

879
00:48:57,560 --> 00:49:00,759
Speaker 2: be determined as we do some lar interactions.

880
00:49:01,160 --> 00:49:04,080
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, this is a This is the thing I

881
00:49:04,120 --> 00:49:08,200
Speaker 1: will say from from experience is that like the Okay,

882
00:49:08,239 --> 00:49:11,120
Speaker 1: so the more people there are, the better picketing is.

883
00:49:11,160 --> 00:49:12,800
Speaker 1: And where there's a bunch of people on a picket,

884
00:49:12,840 --> 00:49:15,480
Speaker 1: it rules. So go go to a picket. It's a

885
00:49:15,480 --> 00:49:15,960
Speaker 1: good time.

886
00:49:16,280 --> 00:49:17,400
Speaker 2: You're you're you're joining us.

887
00:49:17,920 --> 00:49:19,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, you're fighting. You're fighting for a good cause, you

888
00:49:19,920 --> 00:49:23,720
Speaker 1: are fighting for your class and yeah.

889
00:49:22,880 --> 00:49:26,400
Speaker 2: Yeah, hey, well, thank you so much for having me,

890
00:49:26,440 --> 00:49:28,600
Speaker 2: and thank you to your listeners for giving us an ear.

891
00:49:29,320 --> 00:49:31,719
Speaker 1: And thank you, thank you for talking to me. It's

892
00:49:31,760 --> 00:49:35,200
Speaker 1: been it's been great. And yeah, go go go listeners,

893
00:49:35,239 --> 00:49:37,560
Speaker 1: all of you, go support the strike make sure they win.

894
00:49:38,160 --> 00:49:40,839
Speaker 1: And yeah, go out, go out into your communities and

895
00:49:40,880 --> 00:49:47,760
Speaker 1: do the same. It Could Happen Here as a production

896
00:49:47,840 --> 00:49:50,839
Speaker 1: of cool Zone Media. For more podcasts from cool Zone Media,

897
00:49:50,920 --> 00:49:53,600
Speaker 1: visit our website cool zonemedia dot com or check us

898
00:49:53,600 --> 00:49:56,440
Speaker 1: out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you

899
00:49:56,480 --> 00:49:59,239
Speaker 1: listen to podcasts. You can find sources for It Could

900
00:49:59,239 --> 00:50:03,200
Speaker 1: Happen Here update and monthly at coolzonemedia dot com slash sources.

901
00:50:03,400 --> 00:50:04,240
Speaker 2: Thanks for listening.