By now you may or may not have heard teachers speaking about wearing red every Wednesday to demonstrate solidarity with their comrades. But why is this exactly? And what has lead to teachers all across the nation to express dissatisfaction with the conditions they are currently experiencing in the workplace.

Red for Ed is the theme of the teachers’ unions which seeks to route more funding for public education. Studies which have been conducted by the N.E.A (National Education Association) have estimated that public educators will pay $820 out of their own individual pockets on school supplies and expenses each year, these being necessary for teachers to do their jobs. For this reason and also due to inflation, and cost of living increases, teachers are demanding an increase to their annual salaries to meet these needs.

The local teachers union, ASTA (Anaheim Secondary Teachers Association) organization, entered negotiations that demanded an 8% increase to the teachers salary scale across the board. Until an agreement was reached teachers would continue to wear red to show their unity.

In our district, no strike was needed, as our school board agreed with our teachers and an agreeable decision was reached.