Anatomy of Arizona's teachers walkout

Seattle teacher Darrin Hoop wrote an analysis for SocialistWorker.org on how an initially small network of rank-and-file educators built a group that eventually spread across the Grand Canyon State and led the walkout of some 60,000 Arizona educators:

"Last year, Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy found that Arizona had the lowest-paid elementary school teachers in the country when factoring in the cost of living, and that high school teachers ranked 48th out of 50.

"With the support of the state's main teachers' union, the Arizona Education Association, they united teachers, counselors, librarians, school bus drivers, school psychologists, office staff, academic coaches and other staff to fight for higher pay for all school workers and increased funding for the whole public education system.

"When the dust had settled, they didn't win all their demands but clearly won the first battle in the war to fully fund education in the state.

"The governor and state legislature agreed to a $240 million increase in funding to schools. With this money, school boards are expected to increase teacher pay by 10 percent."