Immigrant Teachers Face Intimidation As Strike Wave Spreads

Writing for the Guardian, Christine Bolaños and Mike Elk have a look at the intimidation faced by immigrant teachers:

According to an analysis by the Guardian, more than 13,000 teachers were recruited from overseas on J-1 cultural visas during the last five years alone as a result of local shortages. According to the federal government, more than 18,000 educators teach on H-1B visas.

In Texas, Missouri and elsewhere, immigrant teachers say that they have faced a culture of intimidation that has prevented many from speaking out.

“Things like that happen all the time,” says Lily Eskelsen García, the first Latina president of the National Education Association. “And it’s reprehensible. That’s not good faith bargaining – that is an intimidation tactic.”

“What we know is that some people have been oppressing the system for a long time and don’t like the power of educators standing up and being heard and that they will try to intimidate us,” said García.

For more, go to the Guardian.