Screenshot from the HEA Facebook page announcing the May 21 walkout.[/caption]
All schools in Highline Public Schools will be closed on Thursday, May 21 due to a teacher walkout.
The Highline Education Association (HEA) – the teachers’ union – voted by an 88% majority Tuesday night (May 12) to participate in a one-day walkout on May 21.
According to the union’s website, “teachers and support staff have gone six years without a state cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), the Republican Senate budget only includes a small 3 percent COLA over two years and no increase in health care funding, which means teachers will take home less money next year as health care costs rise. Legislators are in line to get 11 percent raises. Several budget proposals would also unjustifiably restrict school districts’ flexibility to make local decisions about teacher compensation and staffing for student programs.”
The district said that it does not have enough substitute teachers to cover all classes that day, so school will be cancelled on May 21.
Highline will make up the school day on May 26, the district’s scheduled snow make-up day.
HEA wrote in communication with its members:
“The target of HEA’s May 21 Day of Action Walkout is the WA State Legislature, not the Highline School District.â€]]>
It would be incredibly helpful if you did a little more research to educate readers about the issues of this strike. These one-day walk-outs are happening statewide as a response the state government for not funding education and trying to reverse the voter approved initiative for smaller class-size as well as sharing the money from education levies passed in some districts to give to poorer districts, where levies did not pass.
We have added some more info to the story…thanks for your feedback.
Who pays the teachers? Where does the money initially come from to lower class size? What programs would you like to keep under state funding? What programs do you not want funded by the WA state government? How did you vote when it came to funding education? Did you vote no because you do not like the people holding office?
I’m biting my tongue, but just saw this article:
http://q13fox.com/2015/05/13/washington-lawmakers-other-state-officials-get-a-raise/
I see a 6 day weekend, my kids and I will be heading out of town. 🙂
Along with your “6 day weekend,” perhaps you could remember to tell your legislators that they should fund schools (and teachers) as they’ve been directed?
With all this advance notice and publicity as well as a make up day, It just looks like any other Holiday vs making any kind of statement!!! Geeez
Washington has the most regressive tax system in the nation. Possibly it’s time to implement a state income tax or- at the very least- capital gains tax. Repeal some of the hefty tax breaks on Boeing, Microsoft, and some of the other big corporations in this state. Voters passed I-732, giving teachers an annual cost-of-living raise, in 2000, and it has been suspended almost every year since. I’m not a teacher, but my children spend all day with teachers, and they deserve better than what this state is committing to. I will be writing my legislators, and I will be out there on May 21 supporting Highline teachers.
Sounds like a good day to go fishing.
hmm no comment from any one at the ssos
It is interesting how the teachers are the ones to take the most actions when it comes to advocating for students. This is about improving the education for all students. We don’t see the highly paid administrative staff out in the public advocating for increased funding for all students collectively. This is about improving the learning environment for students. The legislature set a path for themselves that they are not meeting. All of the mandates directed at schools are not postponed when they are not funded. It is just shoved at students and teachers regardless if there are resources to pay for the mandates. How is it that the lawmakers in this country talk the most about accountability and then demonstrate the least? Stop treating education as a child care service.
A friend said to me: “Don’t expect too much from parents on this one”, regarding the schedule change which affects 8 hours in the lives of our community. My response is that I am going to go ahead and expect a lot from my community. I am a Highline parent (3 kids, 3 different schools) as well as a Highline educator. I am connected personally with many families and parents who whole-heartedly support this ONE-DAY peaceful protest which strives to draw attention to the facts. Since there have been no cost-of-living allowances for public school employees for over seven years, why does this matter? Has the cost of basic needs gone up? Yes. How about rent? Yes. Food? Clothing? Health care? Yes, yes and YES. In fact, my W2 has reflected literally less each year due to the rising costs of health care and the salary freeze which has lasted far past the legal obligation was determined by the legislature itself. In speaking with lawmakers, one thing that always gets asked in response is, “How do we fund it?” Firstly, that is definitely your job to figure out. I mean, isn’t that their only job? Dealing with the law and how to fund it properly? Nevertheless, the answer is simple. Quit taxing the middle classes and poorest of our constituents in such a disproportionate fashion, and start taxing the richest people in Washington at an equal percentage. State income tax can work fairly if everyone is taxed at the same PERCENTAGE. Many people have no idea how vast this differential is. Educators want to work hard. they want to teach. They want to spend their time doing the things which are necessary in order to bring EVERY CHILD as far as they can possibly go every day, every year. They have worked diligently to hone their craft, the vast majority accruing thousands of dollars in student debt to do so. I believe in my community. I expect them to look past the inconvenience of one work day needing to be adjusted. I trust that they can understand how this action draws attention to the need for lawmakers in Washington state to fully fund education. We need good educators, and we need them to stay in the profession. This year alone, I have personally known five amazing teachers who have left to find employment that can offer support for their moderate lives. Great educators are great and talented workers, and many of the most gifted are abandoning public education in order to find employment which doesn’t bury them and keep them stuck in 2005. I believe in my families. I am our families. Come out on Thursday and join us. We’re standing up for your kids, and we’d love for you to do the same.
How much more of your check would you have been putting into the bond if it had passed?? Sounds like every single dollar counts to you as it should to us all. Just saying..