The Northshore Education Association (NSEA), the teachers union for the Northshore School District (NSD), has voted in favor of a one-day walkout protest on May 6.
“It’s very simple, [fully fund] education as required by under Article 9 of our state constitution, as well as enforced by a Supreme Court decision known as the McCleary decision,” said NSEA President Tim Brittell.
According to the NSEA, none of the proposed budgets from the House or the Senate adequately address the need for fully funding the state’s public education, as required by the State Supreme Court’s McCleary decision and the voter-approved reduction in class sizes.
According to Brittell, the Northshore School Districts subsidizes, via levy money meant to enhance basic education not pay for basic education, the lack of state funding to the tune of $20 million dollars.
“I want to make it abundantly clear, we are not walking out against my school district, we are walking out against the state legislature,” Brittell said. “My school district has done as much as, and in some cases more, than other school districts in terms of trying to fill in the holes left by the state legislature. They are only able to do that through the wonderful support of the community members who pass our bonds and levies.”
However, while school district officials understand the reason, they don’t condone the actions taken by the teachers’ union.
“While I cannot endorse this action, I do empathize with the frustrations that lead teachers to take this action,” NSD Superintendent Larry Francois said in the statement. “The chronic under funding of basic education at the state level, the lack of a concrete plan to fund basic education as mandated by the State Supreme Court, and the inability of the legislature to adopt an operating budget for the next two years during their recently concluded 105-day regular session negatively impacts all of us.”
The walkout will be occurring during school hours on May 6 and an extra day of school will be added to June, with a new last day of school on June 18.
The testing for students in advanced classes, along with after school athletic activities and performances, will continue as planned, and the school buildings and district offices will be open.
“I clearly recognize that canceling school on May 6 presents a significant disruption for families, and I apologize for that,” Francois said. “It is not possible to operate schools – or provide any level of service that could be considered meaningful teaching and learning – without the 1,200 plus teachers who work with our students in our classrooms each day.”
The NSEA hopes that, while it may be an inconvenience to parents, that they will show up at the rally point in support of the teacher’s in the NSD.
“I hope that this can send a very clear message to legislature,” Brittell said. “We would encourage those parents who are at home with their children to come to our rally, join us in raising your voice to the state legislature.”
