Better Paid Family Leave For Cal State Faculty (And Other Headlines)

Happy Wednesday! Today, we’re talking all things education, aka Education Wednesday here at LAist.

The need for expanded family leave

California State University faculty, including counselors, librarians, and coaches recently voted to authorize a strike. One of their demands is better paid family leave.

Currently, the Cal State University system offers 30 days of paid leave. Union members of the California Faculty Association are demanding a full semester of parental leave, or 16 weeks, in negotiations with management.

My colleague Elly Yu talked to faculty members about their experiences. Benikia Kressler, an associate professor of special education at Cal State Fullerton, had her first child in January 2020 and tried to put together a plan using her sick and vacation days to take the semester off. But it wasn’t enough to cover the full semester and ultimately, she had to return for the last two weeks of the semester.

“It’s just a lot of confusion trying to figure out how I can stretch it to the semester that I need so that I can truly breastfeed and bond and also still pay my bills,” Kressler said.

Read the rest of the story. And if you are looking for advice on family leave, check out our guide.

For more Education Wednesday stories, visit LAist.com or you can see all of our stories here.

Stay safe and cool, L.A. There’s more news below — just keep reading.

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Wait... one more thing

Baby giraffe makes his debut

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The Los Angeles Zoo’s newest furry addition, a six-week-old male Masai giraffe, made his public debut on Monday. I always love some cool animal facts, so here’s one:

The L.A. Zoo likely won’t be his forever home, but for now, the calf is healthy and figuring out his life there. Oh, and he’s still in need of a name. Read the story here.