The 585 members of New Haven Teachers Association (NHTA) are on strike for the schools New Haven students deserve.

The morning of May 20 marked the first time ever that teachers at New Haven Unified School District (NHUSD) have been forced to go on strike. New Haven teachers walked out of their classrooms and onto picket lines this morning to stand together for the resources that make New Haven schools strong and allow the district to recruit and retain the quality teachers the New Haven community needs.

Throughout Union City and South Hayward, picket lines were packed at all 12 NHUSD schools and the district office, as parents and other allies joined teachers in what has quickly become a community-wide movement. NHTA President Joe Ku’e Angeles said it was a beautiful day in New Haven.

“Our picket lines were filled with parents and supporters, walking and chanting with us, donating food and other supplies, and giving us emotional support as we take the ultimate stand for our students,” he said. “The community is united in saying ‘enough is enough!’”

NHTA met with district negotiators on Sunday in the attempt to reach a settlement and avert a strike, but New Haven administrators were unwilling to agree to a student-centered contract that puts district priorities where they should be. This failure by NHUSD management and the New Haven School Board led to picket lines across the district, including, ironically, in front of schools named in honor of labor leaders Cesar Chavez, Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz.

New Haven teachers will be on strike as long as it takes to get a fair contract. Like their page on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram for the latest news and information on the strike.

Want to help these brave teachers? Donate to their strike fund, join them on the picket lines and share the sights and sounds of their struggle on social media.