Radical Teacher's Unionists Join Oakland General Strike

President Obama continues to push a bailout for teacher’s union but it seems clear that in Oakland, there are at least 15% too many teacher’s.  How else could 300 teachers, about 15% of all teacher’s, take a day off and join a general strike organized by the radical Occupy Oakland crowd?

Gretchen Bailey, a kindergarten teacher at Global Family School in Oakland for 15 years, said she took the day off without pay to protest both local budget cuts and the national goals of the Occupy Wall Street movement.  “I think we need new tax laws,” she said. “We all need to share more of the burden.”

Eric Robertson, a first-grade teacher who gave the district notice he was planning to join the protest, said he was frustrated with governmental divestment in local government and schools.  “I’d like to see responsible capitalism,” he said. “I think it is a good model but you have to have restrictions on it.”  It is time people started paying government for what they expect of government, he said.  “I am tired of smelling piss on the street,” he said. “We want responsibility.”

Later that day, masked Occupiers shattered windows, set fires and caused destruction throughout the city.  We can’t help but wonder if this is the responsibility these teachers are demanding?   If these are the people teaching our children, the future is indeed bleak