Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1541528
O N O C T . 8 , thousands of public school educators and allies from across the country came together in Colorado Springs, CO, for a one-day strike to protest unfair labor practices and the local school district 's efforts to silence its teachers. Colorado Springs Education Association (CSEA) announced the strike in September; shortly after, educators received district emails threatening disciplinary action or dismissal if they chose to participate. That didn't deter the multitudes that picketed at school sites across District 11, united in the belief that all students — in Colorado Springs and beyond - deserve safe and well-resourced schools. CTA and NEA helped support the action. The strike followed months of outrage among CSEA members. In December 2024, the school board voted to let a 56-year-old master agreement with the union expire in June. Since 2023, the board has banned Pride flags and other materials in classrooms, limited sports participation for transgender students, and banned library books with LGBTQ+ characters. A new high school health textbook had a chapter that covered gender and sexual identity ripped out, despite previous board approval. The district has refused to bargain with CSEA about urgent needs to lower class sizes; add more counselors, social workers and special ed staff; and retain educators. The strike, said CSEA President Kevin Coughlin, was a moment for teachers to elevate their voices and prioritize student performance over divisive politics that distract from learning. It also allowed them to knock on more than 10,000 doors to advocate for a slate of school board candidates in the Nov. 4 election who could ensure students receive the education they deserve. "Instead of focusing on smaller class sizes or retaining high-quality teachers, the current board has dragged our schools into culture wars that leave students feeling unsafe," Coughlin told the crowd at a strike rally later in the day. " They try to silence educators and ignore parents because we knew before they could tear pages out of our textbooks, they had to get rid of the contract that gives educators a voice and acts as a barrier against top-down mismanage- ment. But we will not be silenced. We are uniting to elect education champions who will put kids first." Note: At press time, two CSEA-endorsed candidates appeared to have won seats on the school board. One-day Strike Draws National Attention Colorado Springs CSEA members went on strike to make their voices heard and draw attention to urgent student needs. 46 cta.org Advocacy