When Snohomish teachers went on strike, some were afraid of a backlash against us. However, on the first day of our strike, students were there at 7 a.m. to stand and walk with us, their signs proclaiming, “We support our teachers because they support us!”
Hundreds of motorists passed us on Avenue D honking, waving and giving us thumbs-up. Parents who lived close to the school offered to let us use their bathroom facilities; people dropped off food and water. One parent wrote our teachers’ union a $100 check.
The second day the good will and support just kept on coming – individuals as well as businesses and a local church helped out, donating coffee and tea, pizza, and the parking spaces in their lots. People brought by homemade cookies and snacks, and offered sandwiches and coupons for local businesses. We were overwhelmed with the outpouring of support.
More parents and students showed up the second and third days of the strike, with signs and their car windows emblazoned with supportive messages. Other labor unions’ representatives have shown up to marchwith us, as have people from other school districts.
I’d just like to thank the Snohomish community for its incredible support. We know the strike is an inconvenience – but with your support, especially your phone calls to the district and school board urging them to do more to support their teachers – we’ll be back in class. Snohomish schools will be stronger when they have smaller class sizes and employees who know that they are valued and respected not only by the students, parents and community, but also by the district and school board.
Snohomish High School Teacher
Everett
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