In a resounding victory, 99 percent of Tacoma, Wash., teachers
voted on Sept. 22 to end a 10-day strike. The agreement negotiated with the
Tacoma School district, the third largest in the state, protects existing class sizes,
salary scheduling and transfer policies, with teacher input into a future
transfer policy. The battle was heated; a judge ordered the teachers back into
the classrooms Sept. 14. The teachers responded defiantly by voting by
93 percent to remain on strike.
“We stood strong, we stood united and we stood for what was
right,” said Andy Coons, Tacoma Education Association president. (weteachtacoma.org)
In the last year, there have been many attacks on the rights of
public workers such as teachers. Although hundreds of billions of dollars are
being spent on a bloated military budget and bloody wars, education is denied
essential funds. Education is a right; one of the best things we can teach our
children is to stand up proudly for workers’ rights.
