(Supporters of all ages gathered to demand changes within the Oakland school district. (Photo: Chaz Hubbard/YR Media))
Oakland, CA — The Oakland teachers strike kicked off on Thursday — and it’s not just about higher salaries. Teachers and their student supporters are demanding smaller class sizes, more support staff and charter school oversight.
YR Media reporters Ivelisse Diaz, Georgia Kingsley-Doyle and Will Flattery-Vickness spoke about their first-hand experience as OUSD students.
Almost no one was inside at Oakland Technical High School on Thursday, according to one student Flattery-Vickness spoke with.
The school district recently recently offered teachers a seven percent salary increase, falling short of the 12 percent the union asked for.
The strike has already gotten the attention of multiple celebrities on social media. W. Kamau Bell showed up at a rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland on Thursday.
Nearly all of Oakland's 2,300 teachers decided to strike, according to multiple news outlets. The length of the strike is still unknown. Teachers say they're prepared to strike until their needs are met.