Around this time last year, West Virginia public school teachers shocked the world with a remarkably unified labor front. Last year was reactive.

This year they are PROactive.



Teachers spent only a few hours striking before West Virginia's House of Delegates effectively killed a new bill that would pave the way for charter schools and private school vouchers in a state that relies primarily on public education....

In anticipation of the strike, nearly all of the state's 55 public school systems canceled classes for Tuesday.

Republican politicians across the country are looking for revenge on public school teachers for daring to stand up for public education.

However, public school teachers aren't waiting around to be targets, and West Virginia teachers aren't alone. Today it was Kentucky's turn.



Hundreds of teachers wearing red shirts clogged the stairs leading to the House chamber, chanting so loudly they disrupted hearings before the state Supreme Court.

...Statewide teacher groups, including the Kentucky Education Association and KY 120 United, had urged teachers to go to work Thursday. Some districts, including the state’s second largest system in Fayette County, sent delegations of teachers to Frankfort to keep the schools open.

But the call for a “sick out” in some districts spread quickly on social media, forcing administrators to close schools.

Teachers were out in force against a bill for tax credits for attending private schools (and costing public schools $209 million in tax revenue).

Bills attacking school teachers in Oklahoma and Arizona are likely dead.

Last year saw a dramatic increase in the number of strikers, and public school teachers were the primary reason. Denver, Oakland, and Los Angeles teachers have struck so far this year.

That much you may already know.

Now here's something that might surprise you - it's gone global.



Across the world, teachers in dozens of countries across five continents are taking part in a strike movement of unprecedented international proportions.

In advanced and underdeveloped countries alike, teachers are fighting for the same cause: the defense of public education.

Nearly one million teachers struck in Argentina this week.

Nearly 300,000 teachers will walk out in Columbia next week.

Kenya, Mexico, and Iran saw tens of thousands of public school teachers walk out.