'The wheels are falling off the bus.' Parents scrambling as LAUSD strike date nears
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For one group of moms, the threatened Los Angeles Unified School District strike that would shutter campuses next week is provoking outright fear.“I don’t know what I will do,” one woman said in Spanish on Wednesday afternoon, crying.She is a street vendor from East Hollywood who barely makes ends meet in this expensive city.
She is a single mom to a 14- and a 17-year old.And she is an undocumented immigrant.
Her children depend upon school meals.But she likely wouldn’t go to district-organized food distribution centers because she is terrified that immigration agents will target the sites.
“I pray to God that the school district and the teachers come to an agreement so the strike doesn’t happen,” said another mother, who also works as an East Hollywood street vendor.“We don’t have a voice or vote on this decision, and the kids are the most affected.” The historic LAUSD employee walkout — which for the first time would involve three major unions representing teachers, most nonteaching staff and school administrators, including principals — is set to begin Tuesday if the unions do not reach agreements.Families of the district’s more than 390,000 students are reeling with the prospect of life routines thrown into days of uncertainty.
They are scrambling for daycare, worrying about food, fretting about their ability to work.On Thursday the district said on their website that they continue to meet with union leaders and are “committed to reaching agreements.” They posted lists of food distribution sites and community-based “child supervision” sites that could take in a limited number of children.
As both sides prepare for a potential strike, many parents are voicing strong support for the unions’ goals of providing better pay for educators, administrators and school staff.On Thursday, a coalition of parent groups supportive of the unions gather...