Sympathizers : Teachers, Administrators Who Are Married to Each Other Don’t Bring Strike Home

Maria and Alex Reza arrived at home in Valencia last night, each ready to talk about their experiences on the second day of the Los Angeles teachers’ strike.

But Maria’s stories were about occurrences on campus. And Alex’s took place on the picket line.

Maria Reza is finishing her first year as principal of San Fernando Junior High School. Her husband, Alex, is a striking social studies teacher at San Fernando High School. They walked the line together during the 1970 strike when both were teachers, but this time around their perspectives on the labor dispute are different.

Nevertheless, the Rezas agreed, the strike has not caused any tension in their marriage.

“There have been disagreements, but no more than usual,” Maria Reza said. “We agree on what good education is, and what it takes to improve education. It’s going to take more money, whether the public really wants to believe that or not.”

Alex Reza said “we don’t go home and argue” about the strike. “We just talk about what happened as people working in schools, who have common interests,” he said. “We don’t consider ourselves to be on opposite sides.”

“There are some very fine, hard-working, dedicated teachers on both sides of the line,” said Maria Reza, 45, as she stood on the steps of her school, looking out at picketing teachers. “I’m sure that on both sides there were some very deep feelings and they had to search their consciences as to what they were going to do.”

Alex Reza, 49, had no doubt that his place was on the picket line. He said education must be given a higher priority, including more money, if the United States is going to compete in the international marketplace.

“That’s what motivates me to be on strike,” he said. “If we can make a statement here in Los Angeles, hopefully it will send a message across the country and other districts will follow our lead.”

Thirty-six of 85 teachers showed up to teach at San Fernando Junior High School on Tuesday. About 870 of about 2,100 students--100 fewer than Monday--came to school. The campus was calm Tuesday afternoon as students whose teachers were on strike lined up quietly to find out where to go.

Alex Reza said 117 of 127 teachers were on strike at San Fernando High School on Tuesday. That was an increase of two from the day before.

The Rezas are not the only couple who find themselves on opposite sides in the strike.

Paul Swanson, 45, an assistant principal at San Fernando High School, has been kept busy attempting to keep order on campus. His wife, Irene Swanson, 45, a science teacher at Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, is on strike.

He said he did not discourage her from joining the pickets. “Philosophically, I can identify with the teachers who are out on strike,” he said.

But, in practice, he said, administrators and teachers have to see things differently.

“If you’re inside, you have to accept that responsibility of trying to maintain an educational program and making the campus safe,” he said. “You have a different perspective when you’re out on strike.”