Regardless of which side you are on, American teachers have undoubtedly made their voices heard across the nation. They have made so much noise that they might have power as a political bloc outside of their core competencies during the mid terms, say many experts.
Much of the protest around the nation is focused in red states such as Arizona and Oklahoma. In these states, teachers have formed very tight coalitions that are finding an ear in local legislatures. Teachers in Oklahoma have already been able to win some concessions after a walkout that lasted nine days. These victories are creating momentum in formerly quiet states such as Kentucky. Additionally, West Virginia raised pay for its teachers across the board after teachers organized a strike that stretched across the state.
Whether you like it or not, education is now a leading issue that connects many midterm elections this year. This is especially true in the South and the West, two districts that are more red than blue.
Many experts place the original onus of the nationwide upheaval in Arizona. Hundreds of students and parents ended up joining teachers outside of many schools in the area. Arizona is facing a great deal of progressive activism in preparation for the mid terms. Some political experts are hypothesizing that Democrats have something to do with the protests. However, even the most hardcore conservatives have to admit that education has been a problem in the state for quite some time. This may just have been the spark that set it off.
Conservative voters in the state of Arizona have been polled by institutions on both sides of the fence. Many of them say that they are willing to jump the fence over the single issue of education. They also say that local Republicans were not living up to their promises in past elections.
Both Democrats and Republicans in conservative areas such as Arizona view the unrest around the issue as a symptom of a bigger cause. The budgets in these states have been cut by local governments in past years. Democrats accuse Republicans of causing these budget cuts through tax cuts – tax cuts that were overwhelmingly popular.
Gov. Doug Ducey of Arizona was one of the first to give teachers a raise without a subsequent rise in taxes. Teachers recently received a 20% raise in salaries under pressure of the walkout. However, many teachers in the area continue to say that this is not enough. They say that a salary increase does not give them the resources that they need to teach properly.
Democrats are using the incredibly complex nature of this issue to generate a great deal of unrest in conservative states like Arizona and Oklahoma. Arizona in particular is in trouble of falling to backwards progressive tactics. Other states that may fall include Oklahoma, as mentioned before, and Kansas. In Kansas, some of the so called service reductions that were implemented were criticized by progressive entities.
Republicans are divided about what to do. In Oklahoma, state auditor and Republican candidate for governor Gary Jones has expressed disdain at the tax plan of the state. It is true that some school districts in Oklahoma have a four day week. However, it is not apparent that this has happened based totally on budget cuts.
Do we follow the advice of these in state Republicans, or do we look further beneath to see the progressive influence here? Jones may have a point if you look at the wider issues that education is bringing up. However, most Republicans agree that Jones and those like him are creating a great deal of upheaval and division in conservative states, perhaps for the wrong reasons.
As conservatives, we have to look at education like the populist issue that it is. We are not a populist party. By definition, we are the people who look to spend government money wisely, refusing to waste it. Education is a bigger issue. It lives in the space where efficiency meets revenues. Progressives have absolutely nothing to say about this, and we should not give over our franchise states to them without a discussion about this.
~ Liberty Planet
