St. Paul teachers rally and ‘walk-in’ at over 50 schools to support union negotiating committee
Saint Paul, MN – Teachers and staff from the Saint Paul Federation of Teachers organized ‘walk-in’ events at more than 50 public schools in the early morning before school started on Feb. 17. Each walk-in included an informational picket and short rally. Teachers wearing red, the union’s color, were joined by supportive students and parents in a show of collective strength by walking into school together for the day.
The union organized the actions to show support for their negotiating committee which is in contract negotiations with the school district. The negotiations have dragged on for months and are in mediation. The union expressed the urgency of taking action in a message on their Facebook page, saying, “Top down decision making in our schools has created inequitable, understaffed learning environments where suspensions are on the rise and gaps are widening. Our students can't wait any longer for site driven solutions that empower families and teachers. They can't wait for fully staffed schools and guaranteed access to high quality pre-K. Our students cannot wait any longer for access to arts and physical education.”