Public school teachers from all over the United States, especially Oklahoma and Kentucky, protested at state capitols starting on Monday, April 2, demanding better funding for classrooms and better wages.

Many schools in Oklahoma and Kentucky were closed Monday, as well as some Tuesday, as teachers went to protest on the streets. Some students were there, supporting their teachers. They carried signs in hope to persuade lawmakers to increase funding for their schools.

“We’re sending a message,” Language arts teacher Lesley Buckner said in a Fox News article. “If we continue to stay united, they cannot turn away from us, they cannot turn their backs on us.”

Teachers who aren’t receiving enough income to survive on, are having to work one or two other jobs in addition to being in a classroom teaching children for more than 7 hours a day. Jonathan Moy teaches high school algebra as well as working five other jobs to have enough money to support his family. This means that it is difficult for him to get home to spend time with his two daughters before they have to go to bed. He shared his story with CNN.

“It’s really tough when your daughters get sad because you tell them you’re not going to see them,” Moy said. “And it almost breaks your heart, because it’s not their fault. It’s not my fault. It’s the situation that we’re in.”

Public schools are increasingly suffering shortages for school necessities and broken classroom equipment such as damaged desks and chairs. Schools have to use textbooks from over ten years ago and most of them are falling apart. Teachers are primarily protesting in order to be able to provide an education that will better the futures of the students in these schools.

“We’ve been cut over 28% in the last 10 years in education funding, and our schools just can’t maintain all of the supplies, instructional materials, textbooks, even copy paper,” Oklahoma Education Association President Alicia Priest said in a CNN article. “Copies are limited in schools to maybe 30 a week.”

On April 29, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin signed legislation granting teachers $6,100 pay raises. However, many teachers in Oklahoma are still wanting more money to help their schools. According to the National Education Association, Oklahoma is ranked 47th in public school revenue per student, $3,000 below national average for the U.S..

“It’s not about teacher pay raises,” David Walls, a seventh-grade teacher in Moore, Oklahoma, said in an ABC article. “It’s not about being greedy and needing what I need. It’s me seeing what my kids need and recognizing that I can only do so much in the classroom.”

Several other states who have low funding for education, such as Arizona, are planning protests as well.