Thirty thousand teachers from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) picketed again today as the district has not reached a deal with the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union.

According to Jennifer Walker, resource teacher and chairman of UTLA for Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS), there were no contract negotiations between UTLA and LAUSD on the first day of the strike. Currently, UTLA is restarting negotiations with LAUSD with the help of Mayor Eric Garcetti. Nonetheless, teachers rallied in front of the California Charter Schools Association to protest “the runaway problem of unregulated corporate charter schools,” as stated on the UTLA website.

Both LAUSD and UTLA have previously discussed UTLA’s demands for a teacher salary increase, class size reductions, a budget for everyday nurses and counselors and the policy regarding charter schools. LAUSD has claimed that the demands will make the district go bankrupt.

Last Friday, district officials offered to spend $130 million on class size reduction after Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a new $80.7 billion for public education for the 2019-2020 school year but UTLA declined the proposal stating that they want more costly reductions on class size.

As the two sides continue to look for a deal, teachers will continue to strike in hopes of a better contract. Tomorrow, teachers will continue to picket outside of their schools at 7 A.M. From 10:30 A.M. to 12:30 P.M., teachers from various areas within LAUSD will rally at their local district offices. Teachers from the Valley West area will rally at 6621 Balboa Blvd. After, teachers will resume picketing outside of their school.