Teachers Strike
Posted September 1, 2017 at 11:29 am by Tim Dustrude
Teachers on strike, march from the school to downtown Friday Harbor – SJ Update photo
San Juan Island teachers are on strike today. According to one of the teachers who prefers to remain anonymous, this is the last chance they have to negotiate locally – because of recent state legislation, the state will take control starting next year and give out 3% pay increases based on current pay. They feel the school district is spending money too far away from the classroom and that that money could be better spent on:
- Equal Pay
- Smaller Classroom sizes
- Allocation of resources back to teacher control
- and better resources for special needs students, to name a few…
Teachers on strike in downtown Friday Harbor – SJ Update photo
They would love for you to show your support by showing up at their meeting today at the high school library. The meeting is at 2:00, but they suggest arriving at 1:45.
In a phone interview with SJISD Superintendent Dr. Danna Diaz and School Board Chair Ralph Hahn, the school district stated that “The board’s goal is to reach an agreement that fairly addresses teachers’ concerns and is fiscally responsible and sustainable.”
Dr. Diaz also added, “History proves that this will come to an an end and when it does, we will turn our attention to our shared mission of educating San Juan Island students.”
More info was posted last night on this press release from the School District.
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Categories: Education, Schools
One comment:
One comment...
Negotiations are the hard-fought right of teachers to improve their working conditions and salaries. “Pay teachers first!” is a chant that has been heard in school districts for the past 20 years, and unfortunately, still goes unheeded. A strike is a disruption of school that does not end well and has lasting effects. Families in San Juan Island deserve clean, safe, and happy classes with teachers who are not worried about their ability to make ends meet. Are both sides just tinkering around the edges, or are they working toward a secure, long-term, dynamic future? We are an island, and we must depend on ourselves to solve problems with bold solutions.
Ruth McKenna
• Candidate for San Juan Island School District Director
• [email protected]
• 360-378-6192
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