LAUSD strike prompts outrage amongst parents who 'have nowhere else' to send ... trends now
Parents who are struggling to figure out what to do with their children due to a three-day strike in the Los Angeles Unified School District are slamming officials for being unable to come to an agreement.
Angry parents whose children were forced to stay out of school Tuesday expressed outrage at one video of teachers dancing in the rain during the first day of the strike.
Other moms and dads on social media called out the educators and employees who said they are using nearly 500,000 students as 'leverage' in their own battle for better pay and other benefits.
'What about those parents who work at restaurants, warehouses, retail etc…who don’t allow children? Trying to juggle kids while not being fired is stressful to many,' wrote Helen Yesenia Ramos.
'Working parents should not be struggling,' Ramos, who identifies herself as a parent of LAUSD students, said on Facebook.
The strike has caused ripples in the lives of so many residents that venues like the Los Angeles Zoo have offered free entry for students and reduced admission for parents looking for something to do with their child.
Upset parents whose children were forced to stay out of school Tuesday slammed one video of teachers dancing in the rain during the strike
Parents like Rachel Elder (left) and Helen Ramos (right) have taken to speaking with local news outlets and sharing social media posts to discuss the disruption the strike has caused
'Those government officials or in positions need to come up with better solutions in situations like this. Working parents should not be struggling,' said Helen Ramos, a parent
Other parents on social media called for the groups to stop using children as 'leverage' in their battle over pay and labor practices
In the video posted to Twitter Tuesday evening, teachers and even some young children are seen wearing ponchos and holding umbrellas as they dance.
Along with the school support staff, the United Teachers Los Angeles union is striking out of solidarity.
The large groups came together to strike in the rain over the poverty-level wages earned by some school support staffers - such as janitors and bus drivers.
On average, these employees make just $25,000 per year.
For comparison, a cashier at Burger King makes roughly $27,000 in the same area, according to Glassdoor.
While some applauded at the video, others did not view it with kind eyes.
'Dancing around while children sit around unsupervised at home. Definitely on the right side of history!' said one person on Twitter.
'Or, you could go back and teach the poor kids who lost out on 18 months of education in your district,' wrote another user.
More than 1,000 public schools are closed across the area.
According to a union representative with Service Employees International Union, Local 99 (SEIU 99), the strike will end Thursday and classes will resume Friday.
While some applauded at the video of the teachers dancing, others did not view it with kind eyes
The video shows the educators dancing in the rain while holding umbrellas
'Or, you could go back and teach the poor kids who lost out on 18 months of education in your district,' wrote one Twitter in response
Another video of teachers and staff dancing was shared by Newsweek
This map shows the schools throughout the Los Angeles area closed during the strike
The strike is slated to end on Friday after three days, officials said
In addition to pay and health care benefits, the group is calling out LAUSD on 'unfair practices'
The sentiment carried over to Facebook where parents expressed their outrage and sadness over children losing out on days worth of schooling.
'Do your job and get to the negotiating table. You are the ones failing the families that attend LAUSD Schools,' wrote one commenter on SEIU 99's post about the strike.
One man who identifies himself as a California resident in his Facebook profile said he is 'disgusted' by the strike.
'I’m disgusted by this LAUSD strike starting Tuesday. This was supposed to be the first “normal” school year since the 2018-2019 school year…' Dustin Bowen said.
'The children of Los Angeles aren’t leverage for political agendas or wage negotiations. The kids have been through enough the last three years,' he continued.
'I agree that the school district should pay school staff members more, but not at the expense of children,' Bowen wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday.
Rachel Elder, a
