According to our state Constitution, one of our paramount duties is to support and fund education. For going on four years now, the Legislature has not fully funded education, despite the McCleary decision by the state Supreme Court that ordered them to do so. Voters statewide also approved the class size initiative this past fall. It is up to the Legislature, not citizens, to determine where the money comes from. Standardized testing, while necessary and important, sincerely needs to be reevaluated in terms of the high stakes attached to them. Since the Legislature is currently in special session, it is time to send a stronger message that we are united in supporting our students’ right to a better education.
In addition, teachers are the only state employees who have not received a COLA for six years. In light of the Legislature earning an 11.2 percent raise for all the hard work they do, I hope they remember that others work just as hard serving young citizens. One of the many things I appreciate about my district is the letter they wrote to parents about a potential walkout, clearly explaining the issues and that the purpose of the walkout is not to protest against the district, but rather the Legislature for not fully funding education. The letter encouraged everyone who wants to have a say to contact his/her state representatives, which is really what all of us, teachers and community members alike, should be doing to model democracy in action for the students we are seeking to support. Now we hope they listen and do the job voters sent them to Olympia to do.
Michelle Spivey
Everett
Monroe teacher
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