Picket signs and umbrellas filled the hands of more than 30,000 Los Angeles Unified School District teachers on a rainy Monday morning, affecting almost 600,000 students around Los Angeles.

What are they fighting for? More teachers, nurses, and counselors, class size reduction, and better salaries for the teachers.

In the average classroom there are around 45-50 students, according to a teacher who was quoted in a recent CNN article. For one teacher to teach and keep so many children under control is a daunting task.

The teachers’ union and the school district are on the same page when it comes to these requests, according to reports. However, the reason for the dispute is about the funding. The LA school district has come out and said that they can only afford hiring nurses, counselors, and lowering class size for one year. The strike continues as both sides work toward an agreement.

There is also talk of a new system called “community schools.” Community schools, described in a Los Angeles Times article, integrate,“social services, recreation programs, a rich curriculum and meaningful involvement by parents and teachers” into students’ daily routines. This type of school would be accepted by both sides, the union and the school district agreed.