The Oklahoma Strike Is At a Crossroads
Oklahoma schools have been closed more than a week. But faced with Republican intransigence, the strike has now reached a critical turning point.
Thousands gather in Oklahoma City outside the state capitol building on April 4, the third day of the statewide education walkout, 2018. (Scott Heins / Getty Images)
Whatever happens in the days to come, teachers and support staff in Oklahoma have etched their imprint onto history. Since Monday, April 2, school has been shut down for the vast majority of Oklahoma’s students. The strike has not only persisted — it has opened the floodgates of a powerful working-class upsurge.
It’s remarkable how far this movement has come despite the weakness of Oklahoma’s trade unions, the lack of a living tradition of labor action, and the absence of a militant minority of influential worker-radicals. These obstacles have been offset, at least for now, by the depth of the rank-and-file upsurge, combined with the precedent-setting example of West Virginia. But in the face of a reactionary Republican state government that has refused to make any significant concessions, it remains to be seen whether the strike has the organizational capacity or political leadership necessary to win.
“People Are Coming Together”
The strike began on a cold note. Despite the huge crowds, the action at the state capitol on April 2 was surprisingly subdued. Though the frigid weather didn’t help, the roots of this mood were clearly political.
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