A tale of two bills:
The first bill was sponsored by Rep. John McCoy. It still required all the federal mandated testing, but suspended all other tests that are currently extra and we impose. This small change would have given back a minimum of four days of classroom instruction to teachers, and saved more than $80 million.
Instead of praise and congratulations by other legislators, McCoy, parents, and teachers alike were mocked and jeered. Rep. Bruce Dammeier even compared the extra testing to his routine colonoscopy. And even suggested parents should explain this example to kids as young as 7! This bill missed getting out of committee by one vote. Now the other bill, sponsored by a Senator Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. This bill will require a state takeover of all K-12 employees’ health insurance. Instead of saving the state money, it would cost a minimum of $30 million in new taxpayer startup costs and an additional $7 million a year to maintain. Currently, my health care is mostly affordable, but if this bill were to pass, my health care would cost so much, I would not be able to use it. Many of my co-workers would be in the same situation.
This bill creates more bureaucracy and does not help to fully fund public education, and more importantly, does nothing to lower class size. Instead of criticism, many legislators think this bill is nifty and even helpful. Many newspaper op-eds encourage the passage of this bill.
Which bill do you choose!?
Melissa Metzger
Teacher, Snohomish High School
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