A Brief History Teachers and Labor in the US with Dr. Jon Shelton

Dr. Jon Shelton, Associate Professor of Democracy and Justice at UW-Green Bay, joins Mike for a special Labor Day edition where we dive into the history of Labor and Education in the US on today’s show.

Jon walks us through the history of the Labor Day holiday, expanding beyond barbecues and rules about when it’s okay to wear white. From there, we delve into the long history of collective action among educators and other workers over the years. We draw parallels to the recent actions in the NBA and other sports leagues as we explore how Teachers and Teachers Unions have extended the focus of their actions to include acting in service of what’s right not just for themselves as workers, but also for what is right for their students and communities.

Today’s episode will give you plenty to chew on beyond what you might get at your holiday barbecue. Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy!