‘Teachers are fighting for the silent majority of children’ in possible Fresno Unified strike
On Thursday, Fresno Unified School District and teachers will receive a fact-finding report that may determine whether there will be a strike in the district or not.
As a retired teacher, I can tell you that teachers are fighting for the silent majority of children in this district who come and want to learn but cannot because of the current conditions in many classrooms. There are conditions of disrespect, disruption and violence within our schools.
Disrespect is when students are calling a teacher a “bitch” and nothing is being done because leadership is too busy with other more volatile situations.
It is a teacher having to stop teaching and usher students out of class because a child is turning over desks and throwing things, endangering the other children.
Children who are hitting and bullying others are getting away with it because their parents come to school and intimidate leadership.
With this possible strike, teachers are going to stand up for the silent majority of students who endure this behavior from their peers and those same peers who so desperately need the social emotional support that is lacking.
I say to those who want to make that $500 per day for subbing, think about what is a stake for our children.
Caren Moody, Fresno
This story was originally published January 16, 2018 at 3:00 PM with the headline "‘Teachers are fighting for the silent majority of children’ in possible Fresno Unified strike."