ASHA Guidance: School Walkouts or Strikes

ASHA strongly supports members' advocacy efforts to meet the needs of our professions and those whom we serve.

We will continue to work to achieve equitable salaries, benefits, and other resources that appropriately value and support our members.

We want to ensure that members have answers to some common questions we have received about participating in a walkout or strike. The information below is general guidance to help you navigate this difficult and stressful process. You should seek specific guidance from your state speech and hearing association, state licensing board, union representative, and local school and school district leaders.

Notification Responsibilities

If schools close as a result of a walkout or strike, school districts are responsible for notifying families.

Ethical and Legal Obligations

Not all situations are the same, so ASHA members should read the ASHA Code of Ethics to inform their understanding of what constitutes an ethical violation.

If you are concerned or unclear about the legal obligations in your employment contract, consider seeking an attorney with expertise in employment issues.

Making Up Missed Sessions

If there are missed sessions during the walkout or strike, parents may ask for those services to be made up or to receive compensatory services. While the school district is responsible for addressing those concerns, audiologists or speech-language pathologists (SLPs) may be asked to provide services for missed sessions. Consult this ASHA resource on missed sessions in schools for more information.

More resources on issues that may be the focus of a walkout or strike: