I am joined by more than 40 of my co-workers in writing that, as striking teachers in the Snohomish School District we would like to take this opportunity to directly address our impacted community with some of our concerns. We would like to explain why we feel it is absolutely necessary for us to be carrying out this action at this time.
Members of this community may or may not be aware that in contract negotiations last year Snohomish teachers agreed, for a number of reasons, to a one-year contract that essentially postponed addressing our major concerns. One of those reasons was the teachers’ continuing recognition of the district’s tenuous financial position. A large percentage of our staff suffered through the worst of this district’s recent budgetary crisis, in many cases making substantial concessions in compensation and in all cases making do with reduced levels of materials and maintenance.
Others accepted positions in the district during this difficult time, in the belief that with hard work and a positive attitude, they could be involved in helping to turn our situation around. This has in fact since happened, due in no small part to the sacrifices made by these teachers. One would think this demonstrated idealism and commitment to students and community would be valued by our board. Those who displayed it certainly do not now deserve to be characterized as selfish, greedy or irresponsible.
The Snohomish School District now has a substantial operating surplus and its own projections indicate that this will increase. There is nothing to prevent them from using these monies to fairly compensate teachers, except their self-declared “policy.” We believe that surplus should be used, in part, to increase compensation for teachers to levels which will keep Snohomish salaries comparable and competitive with other districts in the region. Our board of directors refuses to consider this. We would like to know why. We would also like to know why our school board has seen fit to conduct multiple mass mailings to district parents that misrepresent the teachers’ position on negotiation and salary issues, especially at a time when they complain of their financial constraints.
As a group, Snohomish teachers believe we are operating on good faith; we would like to believe the same is true of our school board.
Snohomish
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