The streamlined process of education is a cornerstone of child development and progress. In recent years, however, the education system has faced many issues surrounding class sizes, school closures, disagreements on teacher tenure, and funding.
The recent spate of rising teacher's unions and government showdowns have raised grave concerns over educational progress in West Virginia. Many people believe that the real victims of these strikes are the students.
The crux of the matter here is that these strikes should be illegal. Teacher strikes set an alarming precedent because they hold the administration hostage until demands are met. The educational progress of public schools is held as ransom when teachers strike. Many stakeholders question the integrity and legality of such work stoppages since the students are the most affected population in the chaos.
Since education is run in the public sector and funded on both the federal and state level, any forced disruption is an obstruction of government. Public education is intended to be a service for the people. When teachers strike, they create disruptions to the process. They're in direct conflict with the mission of service to the people.
The impact of teacher strikes on the students' education is quite adverse as it puts children from impoverished backgrounds at risk. Strikes have also proven to be a significantly negative determinant of test scores across the state. There is no denying that the most disadvantaged party in all the teachers' demands and legislation scuffles are the students and working families. These strikes are putting the parents in jeopardy since the work stoppage means school closures rendering parents unable to do their own jobs.
The 9-day strike from the West Virginia teacher's union strike closed 55 counties and refused the back-to-work orders to continue the stoppage. While the demands for salary raises and health insurance funding are a fair objective, bringing down the whole education system in its wake.
As the West Virginia strike ended, the uprising inspired teachers in other states to do the same, further reiterating the fact that there is an emerging pattern of holding the institution hostage at the cost of students' well-being. State-wide strikes are an illegitimate way of achieving fair demands and should be illegal.