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Teachers walk out over lack of funding
Elliot Bailey, A&E Editor
Originally published May 22, 2015
Aiden Sheckler
Educators, students, parents and politicians marched through downtown streets this Tuesday, expressing their concern over several issues related to education funding. These concerns were directed at the state legislature, whose failure to provide ample school funding according to the McCleary Decision has led the State Supreme Court to hold them in contempt.
Ballard educators were joined by thousands from the Seattle district and beyond this Tuesday as public education employees marched through downtown in protest of several issues regarding education funding.
Some of these issues include the lack of living wage raises for teachers in the last six years, the proposed cutting back of teacher benefits, and the failure of the state legislature to fully fund education according to their constitutional responsibility, even after being held in contempt by the Washington State Supreme Court.
Picketing was held at many high schools before teachers met at Seattle Center to begin their march. Protest activity began at 8 a.m. for many teachers, students and other public education employees at the intersection of 15th Avenue and 65th Street. School administration did not have the day off; however, Vice Principal Dr. Barbara Casey briefly appeared to show support.
“My being here is about solidarity,” Dr. Casey said.
Some community members rooted for picketers by honking their horns.
“I’m not surprised,” Elizabeth Dawson, B.F. Day kindergarten teacher, said in response to the community support. “People love their students and they love their children and so if they weren’t on our side it wouldn’t make any sense because then they wouldn’t be on their own side.”
Picketers moved down to Market Street for about an hour before buses took all involved to Seattle Center, where they were joined by educators from across the district, as well as from Issaquah and Mercer Island districts.
Marchers weaved their way through downtown, settling at Westlake Center for speeches by teachers, parents, politicians and activists.
