Furlough math doesn’t add up

I just received an email from the Marysville School District informing me of upcoming furlough days.

The message, in part, states the following: “This Friday, October 14, is the first of seven furlough days this year. These days became necessary to include as part of our school calendar due to legislative cuts in teacher salaries of almost 2%. This legislative reduction in teacher pay has resulted in a reduction of learning time for students and teaching time for teachers.”

Reading this, I would assume a 2 percent reduction in salary should equate to 2 percent reduction in classroom days; however, seven furlough days is closer to a 4 percent reduction in actual classroom days.

My question is this: If the Legislature is responsible for 2 percent, then is the Marysville Education Association responsible for the remaining 2 percent reduction in classroom days? Hey, isn’t the MEA the same folks who brought us the 51 calendar day (36 classroom day) strike in 2003?

Good job, MEA, keep it up. Soon we won’t need any schools at all!

Bret Latlip
Marysville