Wearing Red for Public Ed, and Acting Up

There was no school in the Highline School District Thursday.  The teachers joined a rolling one day walkout, spreading across the state,  as several districts at a time close school to protest and prod the state legislature to fully fund basic education.  

The legislature is dawdling and in contempt of a state Supreme Court ruling to get the job done.  Instead of looking at raising revenue to fund lower class size that voters asked for, pay for teacher cost of living increases, which have not increased for seven years or more, and increase funding for basic education, the Republican controlled legislature is looking for ways to just shift money around. That won't do the job.  But of course, it is always the teacher's' fault when test scores show that not everybody is on grade level.  

As retired teachers, parents of a teacher, and grandparents of students, we rallied with them on the streets today.  Tom and I are old hands at acting up when it comes to teacher union business. 

Jill was out early as one of the area captains.   We showed up later with the kids.

Here's our corner.

Of course there was a Starbucks nearby.  They allowed us the use of their restroom, and even brought out coffee for the teachers.  I bought myself a latte, of course.

 Jill and I went visiting on another corner and found some of my former colleagues. 

Isaac wasn't into it much, but Irene was a trooper. 

 Oh, I should mention the legislature just approved an 11% raise for themselves. 

 After several hours demonstrating on the street corner, and after a lunch break, we marched through town to the park next to the central high school for a rally.  

 We didn't stick around for that.  We walked back into town to the Farmer's market instead, and then home to rest and recover.  Acting up is hard work.