Classrooms closed in Arizona, Colorado for second day

Teachers in Arizona and Colorado continued their walkouts Friday, forcing many schools in both states to remain closed for a second day. About 50,000 teachers marched to the Arizona Capitol in Phoenix on Thursday to demand $1 billion more in classroom funding, on top of the 20 percent pay raise proposed by Gov. Doug Ducey. Lawmakers have so far balked at the spending increases. More than 840,000 students had to stay home Thursday and Friday, forcing parents to scramble for child care. And the strike could extend into next week. One large district in Phoenix initially announced it would reopen Monday but reversed course after protest movement leaders hinted teachers might not be ready to go back to work. “We want to make sure we can gauge the membership about what they want to do,” said Derek Harris, an organizer with Arizona Educators United. During an interview on KTAR radio, Ducey, a Republican, urged teachers to be reasonable with their demands: “We’re going to get this 20 percent pay increase, we’re going to get $100 million for support staff and other needs. And then if there’s still a teacher strike, I don’t think that will make sense to parents, I don’t think that will make sense to kids.”