Nov. 1 (UPI) -- Portland Public Schools educators went on strike Wednesday morning, forcing the closure of schools across Oregon's largest school district after the teachers and district leaders failed to come to a last-minute deal.
The union said Tuesday night that it would take to the picket lines after the latest talks did not yield a tentative agreement. The teachers have said they wanted to see improvements in wages, class sizes and planning.
"The Portland Association of Teachers bargaining team has negotiated for months in an attempt to reach an agreement, but PPS continues to ignore the voices within our community and invest in our schools in a way that will improve outcomes for our students and make important changes in the lives of our educators," a statement on the Portland Association of Teachers website said.
"Our students deserve more one-on-one attention from dedicated and well-qualified educators. They deserve modern classrooms and culturally relevant curriculum that prepares them for our increasingly diverse and interdependent world."
The school district has complained that it has lost students but has increased the number of educators, which along with inflation is limiting what it can do.
"During our last three-year contract with the Portland Association of Teachers, we served fewer students with more educators, and the costs associated with those educators increased three times as much," the district said in a statement on its website.
"But our costs have also increased because we're supporting our students as they recover from pandemic-related learning losses."
The strike is the first strike by teachers in the history of Portland Public Schools. Portland Public Schools serves more than 45,000 students. District officials said they expect schools to be closed on Thursday as well.
"Our students deserve more one-on-one attention from dedicated and well-qualified educators. They deserve modern classrooms and culturally relevant curriculum that prepares them for our increasingly diverse and interdependent world."
The school district has complained that it has lost students but has increased the number of educators, which along with inflation is limiting what it can do.
"During our last three-year contract with the Portland Association of Teachers, we served fewer students with more educators, and the costs associated with those educators increased three times as much," the district said in a statement on its website.
"But our costs have also increased because we're supporting our students as they recover from pandemic-related learning losses."
The strike is the first strike by teachers in the history of Portland Public Schools. Portland Public Schools serves more than 45,000 students. District officials said they expect schools to be closed on Thursday as well.
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