January 15—Comrades of the International Communist Workers’ Party have walked picket lines with the striking teachers in the cold gray morning and in drenching rain. We have joined massive demonstrations in downtown LA with our communist signs and literature. Here are a few stories from the first two days of the strike:
Comrade D joined the picket line at the neighborhood school her grandchild attends. She offered her house nearby for strikers who might need to use the bathroom. “Spoke to 3 teachers who knocked on my door this morning,” she reported the next day, “about who is behind injustice on a global scale. Forgot to hand out papers.” There will be another chance!
Comrade M, a retired teacher, walked the lines at two schools with teachers she had known before and got contact information for two old friends and a new acquaintance. “Union activists were very happy to see me,” she commented. “Took Red Flag. Several said they’d been thinking about me a lot; saw me as a mentor. But this is largely based on trade unionist practice. Even though I gave a brief rap about communism any real progress will take more time on the picket line.”
Comrade O handed out hundreds of Red Flags and leaflets at two downtown rallies despite heavy rain. She commented that distributing leaflets “was harder than distributing RF. People did NOT like the title (‘No Strike Can Win the Schools We Deserve’).” This was an old version of the leaflet; the newer one said ‘Strikes Can’t Win the Schools We Deserve.’ But the comrade added that “I had to do a lot more talking …but it was useful.”
—Los Angeles comrades
Building a Base for Communism at Our Children’s Schools
The Los Angeles teachers’ strike has given us the opportunity to bring communist ideas to students, parents and teachers. Our group went to several high schools and elementary schools. Best of all, we managed to get to two elementary schools attended by a daughter of one comrade and a sister of another. These two comrades, together with a third, visited both schools.
In one of these schools we heard, “Today you will not need your backpacks.” (In other words, you won’t be doing any work.) An administrator said this over and over to parents and students who entered.
At the same school, a teacher in the picket line took Red Flag. She raised it high and told those around her, “Take the newspaper!” Many did take the leaflet and Red Flag.
A few days before the strike began, two comrades visited a high school. A young teacher approached one of them. The comrade carried in one hand a sign that said, “For the education that our students need… fight for communism” and in the other hand flyers and Red Flag.
“What is this?” asked the teacher.
“We are from the ICWP and we recognize that no strike will bring the education that working-class students need. Schools are capitalist institutions, they are part of the State and they are part of class domination.”
“Interesting,” interrupted the teacher. “These schools reproduce the relations of capitalist exploitation and that is why we need a real communist system.”
With a smile, the teacher grabbed Red Flag and the flyer and said, “I’m going to read this,” as she entered the school campus.
—ICWP schools collective
Communism on the LA Teachers’ Picket Lines
Three comrades went to a high school where we have had political work for many years.
It was the first morning of the strike, in pouring rain. Many of the teachers and students on the picket line were glad to see us.
We explained that to get the education the masses need, we need communist education and a communist society without racism, sexism or exploitation. Where everything, including education is organized to meet the masses’ needs—to produce and distribute everything the masses need.
We offered Red Flag to one teacher who refused it until another told him, “That’s the group that what’s-his-name is with.”
“Oh,” said the first teacher. He took the paper and our leaflet.
One teacher objected to communist sign being on the picket line. But more welcomed us. When we left, we said we would be back.
Two comrades did go back on the last day of the strike. We had another leaflet that explained more about communist education. It said that even if the teachers win their reform demands, education will still serve the capitalists and we need education that serves the masses.
This time, more strikers wanted to talk—about the strike, the unity it created, and the possibility of a different society and a different education system. Some agreed that the capitalists want the schools to produce loyal workers and soldiers, while they want to encourage students to learn to be critical thinkers and doers.
“What do you think education should be like?” a comrade asked a young teacher.
“I’ve never thought about it,” he admitted. He took our education pamphlet and promised to read it.
We said the unity in the strike showed the potential for revolution. Several said they would like to continue the conversation.
“These experiences helped me to feel in my bones what I already knew in my head – that masses are open to communism,” said a comrade. .
—LA Comrades
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