No teacher strikes in our town

While teachers in school districts across Washington were staging one-day walkouts to demonstrate their frustration with the level of state funding for education, La Conner educators took a different path.

Instead of giving kids a day off and disrupting family schedules, the La Conner teachers took their message directly to the legislators, who might be able to do something about their concerns.

Shortly after school was out on Friday afternoon, teachers and a scattering of students and community members gathered in the high school library, where State Sen. Barbara Bailey, R-Oak Harbor, Dave Hayes, R-Camano Island, and Kelley Hays, aide to Rep. Norma Smith, R-Clinton, came to listen to them.

Teacher pay was the top concern — the Legislature is under orders to fully fund education in the state, which includes “ample” pay for the people doing the educating.

Music instructor Brian Fraser opened the discussion, asking the lawmakers whether they had any idea what he gets paid and what the state considered an ample salary for teachers. His thought was echoed by several other educators, including math teacher Eric Adam, who noted that since teaching is a profession, it makes sense teachers would get professional pay.

Hayes said he believes that teacher salaries start at around $45,000 to $50,000 per year. He and Bailey both asked the group to give them an idea of what they considered “ample.”

There wasn’t a ready answer. Teachers are quick to admit they’re not in it for the money. “We do this job because we love kids,” Adam said.

Mostly, Friday’s discussion came down to teachers wanting to feel valued. That segued into the other major concern, voiced by veteran math teacher Jan Auman — linking teacher performance to student testing.

“I feel like we’re always hitting the bull’s-eye at the wrong target,” she said. With emphasis on testing, teachers end up teaching kids how to pass the test, rather than to love what they’re learning.

Bailey and Hayes said a lot of the testing requirements come from the federal government and are tied to federal funding. While the state Legislature has been working to address student testing, in order to make big changes, “we need to seek help from the federal level,” Bailey said.

The state Legislature is in an extended session, and the final budget is still being negotiated.

Bailey said the “majority coalition” has 47 percent of the Washington budget earmarked for education, which is the largest share in decades. But there will be more negotiation before the final budget emerges.

The teachers asked what could be more important than children’s education.

Schools compete with transportation, social programs, health care, and many other costly programs that have various lawmakers fighting for them, Hayes and Bailey noted.