Seattle teachers closed the schools on September 7, for three days now and counting, on strike. But...
This hurts the kids. They have been hurt by time out of school and away from their friends due to covid. Hurt both in academia and socially. Why choose to hurt them more?
Every teacher who walks out of school on strike is violating Washington law. Why are there no consequences to this violation?
When there is a illegal strike the school district can go to court for an injunction to apply penalties unless the schools open. The district always wins and the strike always ends. But the teachers union leaders say “No injunction to end a strike has ever been upheld on appeal.” That is true because the union has never appealed! Is that a self-fulfilling prophecy? … the equivalent.
Does Gov. Inslee support this strike? He didn’t say he opposes it in his appearance on Thursday 9/8, so it appears he supports this illegal strike.
Logic test: If there are fewer students do you need fewer school employees? Seems obvious. Obvious!! Fewer kids, fewer teachers!! But Seattle teachers demand the district hire more! And are keeping the kids out of class for it.
Educators have found that kids were significantly set back by schools being closed or “on line.” The US Department of Education found that 9-year-olds lost average 5 points, from 220 to 215, on reading tests. That’s the average. They found that it was worse for “virtual” schooling and keeping the kids out of the classroom. It will take years for them to catch up and … tragically some probably never will. And, of course, poorer reading skills affects all other subjects. In Tennessee they are making large, expensive effort to help those kids who need the most help. But in Seattle the teachers closed the classroom doors on the kids. Newstalkers & WSJ
See also Liv Finne of Washington Policy Center writing in the Spokane Spokesman-Review.
