Ashley and Alvaro Bobadilla with Dr. Brian Cannon, History

Introduction

The Victor Valley Teachers’ Union strike was the longest in California history for many years, had very little written about it, and even fewer primary accounts taken from the actual participants. Our research not only focused on discovering what happened, but also why it happened. It juxtaposed different accounts and perspectives to create a rich historical narrative. Angry voices still drift on the breezes through the swirling desert sands in Victorville California, because the teacher’s union strike has not been forgotten and now it will be preserved for generations to come. As James Gregory of the University of Washington recently observed, the history of labor activism in the American West is a relatively new field of historical investigation and little has been written about labor activists in the field of education. Much remains to be done and this project will contribute to that scholarly endeavor.

Methodology

We researched the events of the strike and recorded the oral histories of those who lived through it. For this project, we traveled to Victorville and its surrounding cities to collect personal interviews and used a digital recorder to capture these interviews for our research later. Recording equipment was used to supplement the interviews so that the exact words and expressions the participants used will not be lost. Ashley also traveled to Burlingame, California (the location of the California Teachers Association headquarters) to do more research and gather some of their publications.

Questions to the participants were carefully crafted ahead of time to envelop the broad scope of the situation and attempt to gain a greater understanding of events past and their effects on the present. We were also sensitive to the privacy of those sharing their stories with us and gave those we interviewed the chance to attach their names to their statements or simply to be known by an ambiguous title (such as ‘teacher’, ‘administrator’, etc.). We attempted to interview as many people as possible in person but also interviewed a few of those living far away over the telephone. After much of the information was gathered, Ashley crafted a historical narrative which went through the events of the strike chronologically.

Results

We were able to put forth a written document comprising eye-witness information and other research to construct a historical account. Ashley used the document to successfully complete her honors thesis and graduate with University Honors. After the final copies are bound we will present copies of the work to the Victor Valley Teachers Union as well as the California Teachers Union. We will make this story available through a website about the strike (which we will create) so that those interested will have this resource available. We have also made plans to publish an article in the Southern California Quarterly Journal of the Historical Society of Southern California (after we have significantly condensed the information.

Discussion

While working on this project, we were able to glimpse the meaning this event holds for many of the participants. One of our interviewees had dementia, and her daughter doubted that she would be able to be of much help to us. Instead, she presented an incredible perspective of the strike, clearly recalling details and names as she passionately told us her story. Others we interviewed became so emotional they started swearing, crying, or laughing. What an amazing experience it was to listen to their perspectives and to hear their voices detail the memories which will not fade.

Conclusion

We feel thrilled that we were able to contribute something substantial to the field of Western Labor History. We did not want to just examine sources and stories that already existed in print. We found an original topic of importance and set to work putting together pieces of the puzzle. This strike drastically affected the local community and California as a whole. Dr. Cannon was a great asset in our research and together we were able to recreate some of the scenes that existed almost 30 years ago in the Victor Valley. Discovering the angry voices of the past led us to utilize a rich oral history to recreate the striking legacy of the Victor Valley Teachers Union.