A teachers strike in Oakland has entered its fourth day after another round of negotiations stalled Monday night.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond joined the fray this week.
“We needed an adult in the room,” said Keith Brown, President of the Oakland Education Association. Thurmond, he added, “has been amazing.”
But Thurmond’s presence in the negotiations was not enough to break the impasse Monday night. Brown said the school district continues to spread “lies and misinformation” about the process.
The district has upped its previous offer of a 5% raise over three years to 8.5% over four years. Union officials say that does not go far enough. They want smaller class sizes, more oversight of charter schools, increased support staff, and raises of 12%.
In addition to the drama between district and union officials, a harrowing scene involving TV crews unfolded Sunday night. Reporters that were covering the strike were robbed at gunpoint and their security guard was shot. Oakland Police are investigating the incident and say at least two arrests have been made.
This is the first multi-day teachers strike in Oakland since 1996. That last strike lasted over two months.
In a KPIXTV interview, Oakland Mayor Libby Scharf expressed her support for the city’s teachers. You can view that interview here.