Getting unhoused students a place to sleep in unused school buildings
In most states, teachers have collective bargaining power: meaning they can go on strike when the school undercuts them on salary or working conditions.
There’s a new movement in progressive districts (Oakland, Los Angeles, St. Paul, Chicago) where teachers go on strike for “common good” issues like student homelessness, transportation, and even challenges to a school’s organizational structure. School boards argue these issues don’t belong in a strike, and should be decided by the community. Teachers clearly disagree. Collective bargaining adds more leverage than pressuring the school board to pass a “resolution,” a promise to make some change, since the school board can just as easily revoke that resolution. Bargaining leads to a contract, meaning if the school board doesn’t follow through, the Union can sue them.
There is a power asymmetry here. When teachers don’t go to school, school doesn’t happen. But even if the school board agrees to teachers’ demands, it may literally not have enough money to follow through. If teachers ask for a 3% raise, the school board might be able to make room in the budget. But since teacher salaries increase every year based on a teacher’s experience, the school is now committing to pay more, every year, even as special COVID funding a school might’ve received runs out.
There isn’t enough money in education for everyone to get what they want. Good proposals for policy and practice change will not only explain the problem, but also find a budget solution.
Students have more leverage. By showing up to school more, you literally increase your school’s budget because state funding is allocated based on a school’s average attendance. More importantly, you have something better than a contract: when teachers go on strike, everyone suffers—teachers don’t get paid, parents need to figure out where to send their kids during the day, the school board looks awful—but when students protest, they are not taking an inherently hostile attitude towards any group except the one they target.
In fact… you can get support from other groups by making powerful allies.
Here’s the housing agreement: https://ousd.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=12101921&GUID=EF32AD5B-76A6-4B78-90E4-E5CAB78D1551