Folks,
Greetings from the Burgh, where we are hot off investigating a major story about Pittsburgh NewsGuild President Michael Fuoco’s sexual misconduct.
We have been slammed with tips all day and will be coming out with more stories. If you have any tips, feel free to contact me at melk@paydayreport.com or Signal 412 613 8423.
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South Carolina Teachers Go on Sickout
In 2019, Payday covered how over 10,000 teachers went on their first teachers’ strike in South Carolina’s history.
Now, teachers in Palmetto State are at it again. Today, scores of teachers across the state participated in “sick out” strikes to protest not receiving pay raises they were promised last year.
“This is shot to our General Assembly to show what happens when teachers are not in the classroom,” Saani Perry, a board member of SC for Ed told WCNC today. “We’re going to do a phone-a-thon throughout the day we are going to bombard the House making sure their phones are ringing off the hook to make sure they understand teachers are not okay with what they’re doing.”
Louisiana Teachers to Strike Over Being Replaced by Subcontracted Teachers
In an attempt to lower teaching costs, some school districts are using virtual learning as a way to subcontract teachers.
In St. Landry Parish, Louisiana teachers are threatening to go on strike if this isn’t reversed. From KLFY:
In the revised virtual learning academy: grades K-5 will have optional face to face instruction three hours a day, but grades six through twelve will have prerecorded mini-lessons through a service called Edgenuity. Those lessons will be with teachers outside the district and with similar yet different curriculum. Those teachers will be available for live questions during certain office hours.
At a Tuesday school board meeting, people asked for the current model for online instruction to stay in place or they will go on strike.
The current model for online teaching 6-12 grades is simply streaming classes live to those that choose to stay at home. Students at school or online got the same experience if their internet could handle it. That won’t be the case under the new program which is the cause of the uproar.
“Sit in, call in, stay at home, strike. Whatever word you want to use, we are prepared to go all the way,” warned Donald Broussard, a former St. Landry educator and coach.
Fulton County, Georgia Teachers Walk Out
This week, a group of Fulton County, Georgia teachers went on an unprecedented walkout during lunchtime to protest the district’s plan to return to full-time, in-person instruction.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the story:
This is among the strongest actions the teachers can take because Georgia’s teachers don’t have access to unions in the traditional sense — state law prohibits collective bargaining and strikes by public employees. Teachers can join professional organizations that provide access to legal services, training opportunities and give them a more influential voice at the Capitol.
French teacher Brett Edeker said he and about 30 others walked outside of Riverwood High School in Sandy Springs to show they are afraid of returning everyone to classrooms. He said there were walkouts at Tri-Cities High School and other schools.
“We’re trying to play within the rules of our job, we’re fearful of retaliation, so we’re trying to do it at a time that doesn’t impact students,” Edeker said.
For more, go to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
1,200 Alaska Teachers Could Go on Strike Over Lack of Pay Raises
Across the nation, a teachers’ strike wave appears to be spreading. In the town of Matanuska-Susitna, Alaska, 85% of 1,200 teachers voted to strike this week.
The teachers are upset over pay raises being demanded at a time when teachers are facing unprecedented challenges in the classroom.
For more, check out the Anchorage Daily News.
That’s all for today folks, but don’t worry, we are gonna keep on working on this big story that’s unfolding within the NewsGuild cover-up of sexual misconduct in its ranks. Keep emailing us tips melk@paydayreportcom or Signal: 412-613-8423.
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