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Kent Teachers' Strike: Grow Up. All of You.
Way over yonder, in South King County, lies Kent, where nothing noteworthy ever happens.
Until this week, that is.
The circus is in town! We've got tigers, elephants and—a teacher strike. Oh, my!
Last week, the Kent Education Association voted to walk out. And, on August 27, walk they did—all 1,700 of 'em.
With the first three days of school under the bus, the Kent School District got fed up and filed an injunction in King County Superior Court—a case that was heard at 3:00 this afternoon. It'll be up to Superior Court Judge Andrea Darvas to decide whether the teachers must go back to work.
The district asserts that it is illegal for public employees to strike in Washington State—an argument for which there is already legal precedent .
The teachers, who want higher pay and smaller classroom sizes, say the district isn't negotiating in good faith.
My own sister and very bestest friend is a teacher; my mother is a professor; and my grandfather was a pioneer in education in Seattle. I myself worked in education for 10 years. I get it.
I’m also a mom. I know what it's like to just want your kids to be able to go back to school. That does not mean that I think teachers should be forced to go back to work—do we want teachers in the classroom who are feeling resentful about being in the classroom?
On top of that the circus is, literally, in town. Yes, Barnum and Bailey's has pulled into Kent for a few shows at the new ShoWare center and wherever there is the a circus, there is PETA , who promises to picket tomorrow night's opening show.
PETA has been pretty creative with its efforts, so who knows what they've got planned for Kent. Something tells me nudity, fake animal blood, cages and whips might have something to do with it.
SoulNerd blogs at The Sable Verity , where today, she writes about mayoral candidate Mike McGinn .
Until this week, that is.
The circus is in town! We've got tigers, elephants and—a teacher strike. Oh, my!
Last week, the Kent Education Association voted to walk out. And, on August 27, walk they did—all 1,700 of 'em.
With the first three days of school under the bus, the Kent School District got fed up and filed an injunction in King County Superior Court—a case that was heard at 3:00 this afternoon. It'll be up to Superior Court Judge Andrea Darvas to decide whether the teachers must go back to work.
The district asserts that it is illegal for public employees to strike in Washington State—an argument for which there is already legal precedent .
The teachers, who want higher pay and smaller classroom sizes, say the district isn't negotiating in good faith.
My own sister and very bestest friend is a teacher; my mother is a professor; and my grandfather was a pioneer in education in Seattle. I myself worked in education for 10 years. I get it.
I’m also a mom. I know what it's like to just want your kids to be able to go back to school. That does not mean that I think teachers should be forced to go back to work—do we want teachers in the classroom who are feeling resentful about being in the classroom?
On the other hand, do we want the district to take on false bravado and think just because the strike itself is ruled illegal (I’ll be shocked if it’s not) that they don’t have to work their butts off to get teachers what they deserve? Both sides need to grow up and prove they are more mature than a fifth grader.
On top of that the circus is, literally, in town. Yes, Barnum and Bailey's has pulled into Kent for a few shows at the new ShoWare center and wherever there is the a circus, there is PETA , who promises to picket tomorrow night's opening show.
PETA has been pretty creative with its efforts, so who knows what they've got planned for Kent. Something tells me nudity, fake animal blood, cages and whips might have something to do with it.
SoulNerd blogs at The Sable Verity , where today, she writes about mayoral candidate Mike McGinn .
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