The recent catastrophic power blackout in the Northeast is a useful allegory regarding the need to invest in public education. Just as demand for electric power has grown exponentially in recent years, lawmakers in Olympia and Washington D.C., have established extraordinary new expectations for schools over the past decade. And just as policy makers have ignored the need to pay for necessary improvements in the power lines, so too have lawmakers failed in their responsibility to provide the resources students and their teachers need to succeed.
In 1993 our Legislature mandated that all students meet rigorous "internationally competitive" academic standards, and since that time, they have significantly reduced per-pupil funding.
More recently Congress imposed a massive, 1,100-page set of new federal requirements and constraints on schools through the so-called No Child Left Behind Act. Congress’s own watchdog agency, the General Accounting Office, estimates federal funding to implement the new law falls $2 billion to $5 billion short.
The negative consequences of legislative irresponsibility are as inevitable as the collapse of the power grid: student achievement is compromised. And, as we are particularly aware at this time of year, the neglect of school funding also makes it extremely difficult for school employees and local districts to reach fair contract settlements.
The Herald’s editorial board recently criticized the Washington Education Association for challenging the latest illegal attempt by lawmakers to evade their constitutional responsibility to schools. Shouldn’t legislators be expected to abide by the law? While the Herald calls our plans for a lawsuit "vindictive" and "out of touch," educators can’t imagine not standing up for school funding and the state constitution.
The Herald was also critical of the WEA for stating the obvious, that by enacting the largest cuts to public schools in the history of the state, the 2003 Legislature has increased the probability of strikes. We were accused of "beating the drum of labor unrest."
Some perspective is in order. Teacher strikes in Washington are exceedingly rare. They are only ever employed as a last resort. WEA members take pride in our record of settling contract talks and starting school on time, year after year in district after district; it is a record more worthy of praise than criticism from editorial writers.
We believe our responsibility to our students and schools goes beyond the classroom. As educators and WEA members, we are proud to be the leading advocates for public education both in Olympia and at the local level. We have an obligation to stand up for our profession and our students, even if it leads to criticism in the press or conflict at the bargaining table.
The Herald editorial cautioned that with our advocacy, WEA members risk jeopardizing the support of voters. Experience has shown that the opposite is true: voters value Washington teachers and they support our efforts to improve public schools. In the absence of legislative leadership, the public recognizes our role in advocating for the highly qualified staff, the academically rigorous programs and the safe, modern schools our students need to succeed.
Last January, we organized the biggest rally ever held in Olympia, a day dedicated to protecting our investment in good schools. More than 30,000 school supporters rallied in Spokane, the Tri-Cities and the state capital on that day. Regrettably, despite our efforts and a clear mandate from voters, the Legislature overturned two education initiatives as part of $600 million in funding cuts for public schools, the largest cuts in the history of the state.
As a result, Washington will again be enrolled in the third-most-crowded classrooms in country. The K-12 portion of the state budget will continue its 20-year decline. Washington will invest less per pupil than 43 other states. And, because teacher pay here is significantly below competing states, the effects of high rates of teacher attrition will persist in Washington schools. It is these setbacks we seek to mitigate through collective bargaining with local districts. Ultimately, locally elected school board members are responsible for the quality of education in their local schools. They are the employers, and hiring and keeping dedicated, well-qualified teachers and education support professionals must be a top priority in every school district.
Our state faces serious economic difficulties. Teachers see the impact of the faltering economy on our own families, and we see the impact on the children we serve. Those students deserve the best opportunity our state can provide for a quality public education and a better future. The WEA remains committed to ensuring that the system doesn’t falter and that the lights stay on for Washington students.
Washington Education Association President Charles Hasse is on leave from his job as a fourth-grade teacher.
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