Comments on: Opinion: Union deserves detention for threatening a teacher strike in Kent

By: Jenn Murphy

Jenn Murphy — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 18:38:56 +0000

You are misinformed about the purpose of the strike. The only pay increase on the table is the COLA that was authorized by the state. What is of bigger concern is the lack of supports that were provided last year to address the mental health needs, behavior needs, and academic needs of students in the context of post-pandemic disrupted education. Particularly at issue is the request for more counseling staff, adequately staffed special education programs, and behavioral supports that were not in place last year and are slated to continue this year. We had unsafe situations all year long due to overloaded classes and caseloads, and no relief. We have an extremely high level of immigrants, special education students, and families in poverty. You cannot put a special education teacher safely in a highly impacted and overloaded classroom without the contracted paraprofessionals to provide support – yet that is what happened regularly last year. You cannot effectively teach a class of 26 1st or 2nd graders to read when students reacting to trauma are escalating and causing an unsafe classroom. Most of our schools do not have adequate mental and behavioral support staff to help classroom teachers deal with these situations. We want to be with our students, and we want to have the supports to keep them safe and ourselves from burning out. The strike is more about staffing than about pay. This is a district that historically has been very top-heavy in central administration and stingy on extending staffing in the schools. Just this year, a new school superintendent was hired from within and given a 27% raise to the tune of over $350,000 (highest paid superintendent in the state). The district has $60 million in reserves and another $60 million available in ESSER funds yet we are told that there is no money available for our asks. Before making judgment about a situation, learn more about the issues at hand.

By: Mac

Mac — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 04:51:07 +0000

In reply to Mike. The way you have written this post is the reason why you should be supporting the teachers. Your choice of terminology is terrible! You should know when to utilize the word “went” and not “when.” You should also know to utilize the word “their” and not “there.” Don’t blame your teachers; blame yourself for not paying attention in your grammar classes!

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 27 Aug 2022 00:17:05 +0000

Remeber what happened in 2018 when just about all districts in the state when on strike because of the extra funds coming from Olympia? Remember, these are the same people that fought tooth and nail to keep schools shut down. There also the same people that have openly blamed the parents/community for the failue called “distance learning”. Now, with those contracts expiring, the unions will be back pleading for our support and money “for the kids”

Public education has given the community a poor return on it’s investment in the schools. It’s long past time for more options to K-12 education in this state