Lessons From West Virginia

WAMU 88.5

Published March 6, 2018 at 9:06 AM CST

West Virginia teachers, students and supporters hold signs on a Morgantown street as they continue their strike on March 2, 2018 in Morgantown, West Virginia. Despite a tentative deal reached Tuesday with the state's governor, teachers across West Virginia continued to strike on Friday as the Republican-controlled state legislature debated the governor's deal.

Public schools in West Virginia have been closed for more than a week due to a teachers’ strike that’s caused classes to be canceled. State legislators and teachers have failed to come to a deal over demands for better pay and benefits.

From NBC News:

“The walkout began after Governor Jim Justice signed a 2 percent pay raise for next year. The House of Delegates later approved a 5 percent increase, negotiated last week between Justice and the unions.

Then on Saturday, the state Senate approved a 4 percent raise, prompting angry union leaders to vow to stay out of the classroom indefinitely. The House wouldn’t agree to the Senate’s move, sending the bill to the conference committee.”

We talk to one of the 277,000 students affected by this strike about how they’re dealing with the time away from school and how they want to see this conflict resolved.

GUESTS

Cora Dunlap, High school student, Capital High School in Charleston WV

For more, visit https://the1a.org.