Walking through Sierra Hall one day, I came across a poster that said, “I don’t want to strike but I will.”
Much happened that day that I can’t recall but the sigh I uttered after my run in with that message, followed me though out the day.
We’ve heard much about the CFA (California Faculty Association) negotiations over the past couple of years, and as much as it makes me sad that they’re still struggling for pennies and dimes, it makes me sadder that the CFA has taken the place of “teacher” in my mind.
So for the purposes of this article, I will replace the acronym CFA, with the estranged noun “teacher.”
Thinking about the poster, I was puzzled as to why it mentioned that they “don’t want to strike?”
When the super market workers went on strike no one said, “I don’t want to”, even when the nurses when on strike no one thought it necessary to stress hesitation. I think it’s understood that no one ever wants to strike and that it is used only as a last resort.
So again, why did the poster make the point?
I think historically teachers have been placed in an elite cast. Teachers grew out of the cream of the ancient Greek’s intellectual society. The Academy, one of the first schools of higher learning, was established by the philosopher Plato.
The truth is we can stomach grocery chain employees giving up on us, but not the teachers.
And that is why it’s important they mentioned that they “don’t want to strike.” They know.
As much as we could all use an occasional break from classes, the threat of a strike and the implied abandonment is hurtful to students.
It says, like parents using their child to influence a spouse, teachers are willing to use their students to get their way with the CSU.
The CSU will recover from the public relations implications of a strike, but how about the image of striking teachers and what it means to students.
I’ve heard some teachers say, the strike is symbolic. That it won’t be for long, two hours may be, or two days, and that it is meant to send a message.
A message to whom? How come the message is directed towards students?
Our teachers deserve much more money; undoubtedly more than could be assigned a dollar amount- probably why Socrates one of the first teachers didn’t accept a fee.
I hope teachers find a better way, a more suitable way of expressing their frustrations-lets face it, with the CSU.
I assume the message on the poster is in fact two fold. “I don’t’ want to strike” is directed at the students and the “but I will” is for the CSU. I assume this since our teachers wouldn’t want to appear hesitant to the CSU or threaten students with a strike. So if they sense there is something wrong that requires the extra poster space, why not just avoid a strike?
Perhaps this is too romantic a thought for our world. But of all profit driven professions and corporate jobs in this world, and especially this town, shouldn’t teaching have more heart?
I wonder if the teachers remember the first class they taught, the first time they felt the awesome responsibility that goes with students writing down their every words, or the gratification of hearing about a former students success, or a life they helped shape.
To those who can still remember, a strike sends the wrong message to the wrong people.
