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Saturday, March 2nd, 2013
Education supporters agree: Restoration of majority rule is an opportunity
People from who care about kids are celebrating Thursday’s Washington Supreme Court ruling striking down the provision at the heart of Tim Eyman’s I‑601 clones. Parents, teachers and other advocates for great public schools agree that simply cutting funding from other vital public services and reallocating the money to education — the only option on the table before Thursday’s ruling — will never ensure that we are meeting our paramount duty as a state.
To provide the $1.4 billion needed this biennium to meet the state Supreme Court’s mandate to fund K‑12 education, Washington needs to raise more revenue.
The Washington State PTA welcomed the ruling. WSPTA is the largest volunteer organization in the state, with over 140,000 members, both Democrats and Republicans. Members of both parties can see that we have a problem: Washington consistently ranks at the bottom nationally in per pupil spending relative to the income of state residents. From WSPTA:
The League of Education Voters was the lead plaintiff in the case and we thank them for fighting in court for our kids. The League is ready for the legislature to seize this opportunity and better fund our schools:
The state teachers union has seen its members’ salaries shrivel through years of state budget cuts. Teachers have also seen the impacts of reduced funding in their schools and overcrowded classrooms: school librarians, nurses and counselors have vanished, textbooks are outdated and buildings are under-maintained. From Washington Education Association President Mary Lindquist:
Thursday’s momentous Supreme Court decision created an opportunity for the legislature. But will they use their new power to provide the high-quality education that our kids deserve, or will they be paralyzed by their fear of “the voters’ will?” We need to let our legislators know that we want them to act. Bring back the librarians, fix the leaks, buy the books, and ensure our teachers have the resources they need to help all of our kids realize their full potential in life.
# Written by Kathleen Reynolds :: 11:55 PM
Categories: Education
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