Public Education

Eric Blanc, the author of Red State Revolt: The Teachers' Strike Wave and Working-Class Politics discusses how teachers in West Virginia self-organized themselves, successfully overcame the divisions with school service personnel, and won broad community support for a mass political strike that despite a Republican-controlled statehouse and a coal baron governor, beat back charter school legislation, attacks on seniority, a paycheck “protection” bill, and won a pay raise for all public employees.

Eric Blanc, the author of Red State Revolt: The Teachers' Strike Wave and Working-Class Politics, explains the significance of the successful Los Angeles teachers' strike. It wasn't all about wages. At its core, the strike was a fight against a hostile takeover of public schools by the super rich.

Lt. Governor David Zuckerman says we should focus on the challenges that face Working Vermonters.  Many Vermonters are not benefiting from the state's economic growth. While the wealthiest have seen their incomes climb dramatically, working class Vermonters' incomes remain flat. We should pass legislation that will ease the struggle for many. Affordability is a coin with two sides: expenses and income.

Kate Logan, of Rights & Democracy, and Cathy Albisa of the National Economic and Social Rights Initiative (NESRI), discuss the need for a broad discussion and organizing leading to the creation of A New Social Contract: Collective Solutions Built by and for Communities.

Martha Allen, president of the Vermont-National Education Association, talks about how to make sure that all Vermont children have the resources and attention they need and deserve. She explains that students are facing more challenges than ever before, and at a time of rising income inequality, we should work to stop the slashing of services working families depend on. We also need to make public education more affordable for more Vermonters by making the way we pay for schools fairer.