By Jeremiah Poff in The Washington Times
A group of conservative parent activists slammed the Minneapolis teachers union for its ongoing strike, saying the labor dispute proves teachers unions take little interest in the well-being of students.
The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers authorized a strike Tuesday to demand the Minneapolis school district provide higher wages for teachers and school support staff, smaller class sizes, and mental health resources. The city contends that meeting the union’s demands would put the district over $160 million over budget.
The union claimed Wednesday the city doesn’t have a “budget crisis” but rather “a values and priorities crisis” by failing to meet the union’s demands. Negotiations between the city and the union are expected to continue through the weekend.
“Unfortunately, the reality is we’re resource-limited,” said Minneapolis Superintendent Ed Graff in a Wednesday news conference. “The finances we have are not enough to provide the support we need to provide.”
Laura Zorc, a parent activist and executive director of Building Education for Students Together, told the Washington Examiner that “every year, teachers unions want more money,” and “every year, districts say they do not have it to give.”
