The 1,800-member Evergreen Education Association has voted to hold a one-day strike in Evergreen Public Schools on May 13, and teachers in several other districts are considering joining in.
The strike was approved Friday by 92 percent of the association’s members.
May 13 is an early-release day for elementary schools in the district. High schools are already on a two-hour late start that day. Evergreen Public Schools, the largest district in Clark County, has almost 27,000 students.
A news release from the union said the strike is in protest of state budget plans that fail to fully fund smaller K-12 classes and professional, competitive pay and benefits for teachers and school employees. The strike is in protest of the Legislature’s failure to adhere to the state constitutional mandate to fully fund public education, which is known as the McCleary decision.
Members will picket in multiple locations in the Vancouver area in the morning and will assemble at a central community location for a rally. Specific locations will be announced next week. Teachers will not picket in front of schools, Lutz said.
Teachers are protesting legislative budget proposals that increase class sizes in grades 4-12 and in high-poverty schools, mandate the use of state test scores in teacher evaluations, and shortchange teacher pay and benefits.
“This is not an action against our local community,” said Rob Lutz, union president. “Our action is against the Washington Legislature, which is failing our students. This is a conversation-starter with our local friends, family and neighbors about the need to invest in our kids’ education.”
Other teachers unions are discussing joining EEA members in the May 13 walkout. Next week, the Camas Education Association (393 teachers), the Battle Ground Education Association (746 teachers), the Vancouver Education Association (1,250 teachers), the Vancouver Association of Educational Support Professionals (582 educators) and the Washougal Association of Educators (189 teachers) will have emergency membership meetings or otherwise vote to determine if they will strike May 13.
The 104 members of Ridgefield Education Association will not participate in the strike, said Joe Thayer, union president.
“We aren’t thinking the May 13 walkout is right for our district right now, but we support those who are choosing to participate,” Thayer said.
Read an updated list of one-day strikes in Washington at www.OurVoiceWashingtonEA.org.
