Letter from Kari Asadorian

This is what I was going to say at the SEA meeting last night but got cut off. I was in line at the microphone but never got a chance.

I am disappointed, sad and mad.

I am disappointed in the district because Nurses were left out of the contract, leaving the future health needs of students woefully understaffed.
• No caps on caseloads
• Insufficient training for our new nurses
• No extra days compensation to prepare @ larger schools

Nurses use this time to develop and implement healthcare plans, manage immunization compliance, set-up their health rooms & other beginning of school year activities. We asked for 4 days for schools with 600 - 1199 students.  And 5 days for 1200 or more students but got nothing! Two more days of preparation time denied. I have more than 775 students & over 80 health care plans. Some nurses have more than 1700 students!

I am sad. As of September 8, there are 10 schools that do not have a nurse, not even 1 day a week.
We are experiencing a nursing shortage in the district due to poor pay.

We all know who will pick up the slack when we are not around – the SAEOPS (office staff).

I am also sad because we are divided – divided amongst our disciplines, amongst our schools and zones. So different from the night of September 3 when we voted unanimously to take this journey together.

We must not let the district split us. No matter what the outcome tonight – we need to accept it and remain united.

And lastly, I am mad at the district because of the injustice and lack of respect for nursing.

We nurses cover 97 buildings, 20 of them are level B - requiring a nurse in the building at all times

I was told to exclude the following bullets because people would glaze over
• Last year EMS was called 72 times
• We Administered over 26,169 medications
• Made 736 Vision Referrals & 144 Hearing Referrals
• We successfully got the Whooping Cough incident under control. Identified by our very own Sami Hoag (a 30 year veteran). She put a plan into action and worked with the CDC
• We also dealt with the Measles Scare in Washington – 0 incidence in SPS
• We brought 11,857 students into immunization compliance - achieving a 93% compliance

Our requests are not unreasonable. They are a matter of safety.

We deserve more and so do our students and families.

Kari Asadorian

School Nurse

Letter from Rachel Faber Machacha

Dear Senators Ericksen, Rivers, Rolfes, and Billig and Representatives Sullivan, Lytton, Magendanz and Smith,

I am the mother of three daughters; the oldest two are elementary students in the Seattle Public Schools. I am writing on behalf of these members of the Class of 2025, 2028, and 2033, in the hope that you apply sensible, bi-partisan solutions for Washington state to finally fulfill its paramount duty to fully funding public education.

Our state has unparalleled natural, agricultural, intellectual, and technological resources to marshal in providing for both our most vulnerable and for our future. By not fulfilling our promise to our children, we risk bankrupting our 21st century economy. The funding shortfall means that working, middle-class families are juggling constant requests to make up the budget at school, which always competes with the budget at home.

Here are the requests we have received to provide basic academic classroom equipment or supplies since the beginning of the school year:

• Request to donate to a fund to purchase non-fiction and science books for our third-grader's classroom
• Request for $30 per student to provide basic school supplies to the classroom
• Request for a donation of snacks for 26 students to share in the classroom
• Request for additional supplies, such as plastic baggies, Kleenex, and baby wipes

In fulfilling these requests, we spent an additional $150 in the first three days of school. That is before registering for any sports, purchasing any school spirit t-shirts, or contributing to a PTA fund-raiser as we mimic a private-school funding model to make up for state shortfalls. Many families cannot continue to absorb these expenses as the cost of housing in Seattle has skyrocketed.

Since then, we've gotten notice that all of the children were exposed to chicken pox the first hour of the first day of school when I dropped the older two girls off in their classrooms. I'm especially concerned about my baby's health, and I can't help but wonder how the school's response to this is limited by not having a full-time nurse on staff. Despite the fact that my kids' school has nearly double the population of the rural town I grew up in, our school nurse is only available a few days per week. Without sufficient funding for full-time nurses in schools, our kids are on the front lines for any public health crisis without professional staff available to respond immediately.

My friends who have kids in private school wonder why I continue to monkey around with this system when I could just write a big check and be an educational client in a private school. The reason I keep my children in public school is simple: I heartily believe that it is our great democratic institution. When they walk through those doors, they meet the world. Their educators have been as warm, professional, engaging, and intelligent as  parent could hope for. I believe that public education --  the proposition that everybody goes to school-  is the place where my daughters will engage with their dreams and learn the skills they need to build the jets, write the code, write the business plans, open the gallery exhibit, and reap the harvest that the 21st century will require.

As a member of the McCleary workgroup, I believe you have an historic opportunity to fulfill Washington's potential. I urge you to consider which state you wish to live in: a state of contempt or a state of care? A state of inadequacy or a state of equity?

Act now. The class of 2025 can't wait.

Sincerely,
Rachel Faber Machacha

Letter from Summer Stinson

Dear Senators Ericksen, Rivers, Rolfes, and Billig and Representatives Sullivan, Lytton, Magendanz and Smith:

I am a voter in Washington and the parent of a child in Seattle’s public schools.  I urge the State to take speedy and decisive action to give all our children the amply funded education they deserve.  As you know, Washington’s State Constitution mandates “it is the paramount duty of the State to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders.”  In the McCleary case, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that our State is violating that Constitutional right, and that paramount duty means “the State must amply provide for the education of all Washington children as the State’s first and highest priority before any other State programs or operations.”  The Supreme Court ordered the legislature to provide full ample funding by no later than the 2017-2018 school year.

I expect our elected officials, citizens, and students in our state to obey the law.  Obeying the law means that State officials must fully fund education.  Therefore, I urge you that our State must promptly and fully comply with the Supreme Court’s orders in the McCleary case

Regards,
Summer Stinson

Letter from Amy Hamblin

Dear Legislators,

I think we can agree that Our Children are our Future….and that All Children deserve equal and guaranteed access to Washington State public school services and opportunities.  We at Washington’s Paramount Duty are saddened, frustrated, and ashamed that our State is not honoring its Constitutional obligations to its children. We assume that you share our frustration and shame, too.
As citizens of Washington State, we join you in honoring our State Constitution, which imposes one, and only one, paramount duty upon the State: “to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders, without distinction or preference on account of race, color, caste, or sex.  (WASH CONST Article IX, section 1).  However, since 1975, the legislature has reacted to periodic downturns in revenue by freezing and/or cutting educational funding, without making up the cuts as the economy recovered.

Below is a synopsis of the State’s longstanding Constitutional provision at hand, as well as our Supreme Court’s say on the matter.  If you are already aware of our State’s paramount duty, and the McCleary decision’s implications, WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG FOR YOU TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM and amply fund schools in our state?

The WA Supreme Court’s unanimous 2012 decision in McCleary stated that the State had failed to meet its duty under Article IX, section 1 of the Constitution, by consistently providing school districts with a level of resources that falls short of the actual costs of the basic education program, and that the Legislature “must fully fund that program through regular and dependable tax sources.”  The WA State Legislature was ordered to develop a “phase-in plan for achieving the State’s mandate to fully fund basic education and demonstrate that its budget meets its plan” in five years. By August 2015, after two years without plan nor action by the Legislature, the Court found it in contempt of Court, and ordered it to be fined $100,000 per day until obligations to phase in and provide full funding are met. So, Today, in 2015, we are all paying the price of 40 years of chronically underfunded public education in our State.

Washington’s Paramount Duty is an ad hoc parent-driven organization that formed following the 2015 Teacher’s Strike, out of the realization that many problems with WA schools are symptoms of this long term, chronic underfunding. Membership is exploding (2000 within the 1st 4 days, and growing.) We are united in the belief that education in our state is sub-standard because it has been chronically underfunded for decades, and that it is the Constitutional obligation of our State Legislature to remedy this situation, without delay, by developing a regular, dependable, State-wide funding source.

Washington citizens feel the burden of 40 years of chronically underfunded WA public education.
• Growing discontent with the current system and its lack of resources led twice to teacher strikes in the spring of 1991, and Fall 2015, further stressing the importance of instituting comprehensive reforms. Disruptions in school schedules hurt families, employers, and communities. Insufficient salaries demoralize great educators and lead to high turnover in schools and District offices. We continue to lose some of the best minds in the profession.
• Access to educational materials, adequate classroom space, and reasonable class sizes is inconsistent across schools, typically reflecting the relative wealth of the community each school serves, thereby creating inequitable educational services and opportunities. This increases the achievement gap between kids of color and white kids across the state, and widens the divide between rich and poor. At our current rate of progress it would take over a century to close the gap. (Center on Education Policy (2010) Slow and Uneven Progress in Narrowing Gaps downloaded on January 22, 2013; http://www.cep-dc.org/publications/index.cfm?selectedYear=2010)
• Cuts in nursing and psychological counseling staff unsafely reduce their ability to detect and intervene before physical or mental health issues create real risk or harm to students and others. (note, Ballard has 100 homeless students. with a counselor ratio of 1-400)  
• Classrooms are filled to overflowing; hallways and aged-out temporary structures are classrooms, while facilities (food service, bathrooms, gymnasiums, etc.) are inadequate for the numbers of kids served.
• $100,000 per day is a hefty fine, dollars that could be better used in the schools.

We all want the best for our citizens, our communities, and our State.    Our Kids are our Future
AND I TRUST THAT YOU KNOW WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR, AND CALLING OUT, ANY ATTEMPTS – RHETORIC OR ACTION - TO TRY TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER REFORM EFFORTS BY TAKING RESOURCES FROM ONE VULNERABLE GROUP TO FUND ANOTHER.

I look forward to seeing swift action and leadership to right this wrong.

Thank you,
Amy S. Hamblin
Seattle Parent

Letter from Betsy Payn

Dear Senators Ericksen, Rivers, Rolfes, and Billig and Representatives Sullivan, Lytton, Magendanz and Smith,

As a mother of an 8th grader this year, I am happy that yesterday the Seattle educators ratified their new contract. However, I think it is important for you to understand that many people, including me, believe that the educators in Seattle voted yes for a contract that is less than they deserve and less than they desired.  I also believe that the SEA union came to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith.  They demonstrated that by accepting a contract that moved from their original proposal of a 21% increase in wages over 3 years to just over 9%. Given that they have not had a raise in 6 years, and that their contribution to their benefits was increased, this is unacceptable to me.  The teachers and parents know that the bigger problem is with how our state funds education.

I understand that you have been assigned the momentous task of bringing Washington in line with our state's constitutional commitment to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within our borders.  Until the worst school in Washington is one that you would choose for your child or grandchild, our work is not done.  

I want to encourage you not just to meet the goals set out by the Supreme Court in the McCleary decision but to work creatively to propose a permanent and substantive revenue stream for education in Washington. This is NOT a partisan issue. Every parent of a public school student across the state expects you to do your paramount duty. Every business in the state wants a well-educated workforce.  Our regressive tax system needs to be addressed as a part of this task.  I know the solution will likely involve paying more taxes as an individual and also forcing our large corporations to do their fair share. This is not easy but we elected you to make these difficult decisions, demonstrate to your constituents and businesses that this is important for them and for the future of our state. Our state is in contempt of court for 2 years now, and over 20 years late in providing adequate funding for education. The time is now.

I have copied my representatives in the 46th district, so they understand my feelings surrounding this issue as well.

Thank you for your consideration,
Betsy Payn

Letter from Michael Muto

Dear Legislators in the education funding workgroup, 

Yesterday the Seattle School District ratified their new contract. The district and teachers were very far a part when they began and the teachers showed remarkable flexibility. They moved from their original proposal of 21% increase in wages over 3 years and settled for just over 9%. The district moved just 2% off their initial proposal. The teachers and parents know that the bigger problem is with how our state funds education. As a parent of 2 elementary school children in Seattle this strike raised my awareness of just how broken the system is in Washington. The levy system is unfair and puts the burden on progressive districts who constantly approve levies to fund those districts that reject them. This needs to change now. 

I want to encourage you not just to meet the goals set out by the Supreme Court in the McCleary decision but to work creatively to propose a permanent and substantive revenue stream for education in Washington. This is NOT a partisan issue. Every parent of a public school student across the state expects you to do your paramount duty. Every business in the state wants a well educated workforce. Every business, non-profit, educational and research institution seeks to attract and retain the best and the brightest from around the world. Our regressive tax system and our criminal underfunding of education makes this a much harder task. 


I know the solution will likely involve paying more taxes as an individual and also forcing our large corporations to do their share. This is not easy but we elected you to make these difficult decisions, demonstrate to your constituents and businesses that this is important for them and for the future of our state. You are over 2 years in contempt of court, over 20 years late in providing adequate funding for education. The time is now. 


Thank you for your consideration,
Michael Muto

Seattle, WA

Letter from Melissa Taylor, Seattle Public School Parent

Dear Senators Ericksen, Rivers, Rolfes, and Billig and Representatives Sullivan, Lytton, Magendanz and Smith,

Thank you for undertaking the momentous task of bringing Washington in line with our state's constitutional commitment to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within our borders.  Until the worst school in Washington is one that you would choose for your child or grandchild, our work is not done.  As a parent to a current 1st grader, it is imperative to our family that you do this work quickly and effectively so that our daughter can achieve her full potential.

I am a native Seattleite who grew up in our Catholic school system, first Blessed Sacrament, St. Benedict's and then Holy Names Academy.  That educational foundation enabled me to go to Rice University on scholarship where I earned a BA in Economics and went on to earn an MBA from Columbia University.  I was fortunate to have parents who believed in education and schools that fostered my creative and curious spirit.  We are fortunate now that private school is an option for our daughter but my preference would be to be part of the public school solution.  I want to raise my daughter and grow old in a community where all children receive the educational support they need to thrive.  I believe that you all want this as well.  From my perspective, this is good economic investment as well as the morally correct path.

On September 24, you will begin the difficult task of determining how best to achieve our common aims.  Many options lie in front of you.  None are easy, which is why we are so delinquent in doing our duty by our children.  The people of Washington and the 1 million children in public schools across our state need you to be courageous and bold.  We need you to demonstrate the exemplary leadership necessary to consider all options thoroughly, negotiate in good faith and be relentless in pursuing solutions until you can bring a compelling, long-term solution to the table.

The band-aid approach has long since worn thin.  Every year we graduate students who are less prepared than they could be if Washington were fulfilling its paramount duty.  Every year, teachers, counselors and nurses leave our schools because they can no longer afford to do the work that they love, that they trained to do.  If you do not act swiftly and decisively, these results are your responsibility.  As a voter, I will hold you accountable and work tirelessly to ensure that voters across the state do as well.

I cannot imagine a realistic, long-term solution that does not involve raising new revenues.  I am embarrassed that Washington State has the most regressive tax system in the country.  I do not know how anyone can reconcile that with what seems to be a widely shared progressive ideology.  Even though it would certainly mean that I will pay more taxes, I ask you to consider what it would mean for Washington to move towards being one of the least regressive states.  That is the type of state that I would like to raise my daughter in and grow old in.  I would be happy to pay more taxes to live in that type of state.  Please let me know what you need from me and other parents to make that future possible.

Best regards,
Melissa Taylor
Seattle Public School Parent


Sent to:
Senator Doug Ericksen (http://dougericksen.src.wastateleg.org/, doug.ericksen@leg.wa.gov)
Senator Ann Rivers (http://annrivers.src.wastateleg.org/, ann.rivers@leg.wa.gov)
Senator Andy Billig (http://sdc.wastateleg.org/billig/, andy.billig@leg.wa.gov)
Senator Christine Rolfes (http://sdc.wastateleg.org/rolfes/, christine.rolfes@leg.wa.gov)
Representative Norma Smith (http://houserepublicans.wa.gov/norma-smith/, norma.smith@leg.wa.gov)
Representative Chad Magendanz (http://houserepublicans.wa.gov/chad-magendanz/, chad.magendanz@leg.wa.gov)
Representative Pat Sullivan (http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/roster/rep-pat-sullivan/, pat.sullivan@leg.wa.gov)
Representative Kristine Lytton (http://housedemocrats.wa.gov/roster/rep-kristine-lytton/, kristine.lytton@leg.wa.gov)