Bellevue Teachers' Strike - Some Context

The brief note on the Bellevue School District this afternoon website pretty much says it all.

Public employee strikes are illegal in Washington, but the union has nonetheless called the strike to apply pressure on the District in collective bargaining. Negotiations continue with the assistance of a mediator from the Public Employment Relation Commission. Information about the issues in dispute and the District's contract proposals can be found on the District website.

The Seattle Times doesn't address the legal issue, but makes good substantive points about why the strike is wrong.

First, they point out the economic reality.

... the district's offer of an 8.1 percent pay raise over three years and an additional $1 million in health-care benefits? allowing a third of the teachers to pay nothing and others to pay between $6 and $62 a month? shines amid recessionary gloom. Yet, the Bellevue Education Association demands 14.1 percent raises. The district must say no.

The news story in the Times points out that compensation in the Bellevue district is already among the highest in the state. There may be - and probably is - an argument worth making about improving teacher pay in high-cost districts, but it ought to be explored in a more comprehensive conversation that includes performance pay, increased compensation for math and science teachers, and the like.

The editorial goes on to dismiss the union's demand for curriculum change.

Union cries that the curriculum imposes a one-size-fits-all standard are wrong. Parents ought to know when their children are going to learn fractions. This provides a counterbalance to education reform's emphasis on assessment. Classroom dynamics are constantly changing. Some students come to class half-asleep, others alert and ready to learn. Bellevue has said time and again that teachers can adapt the curriculum to fit individual needs...

Bellevue has spent the past five years creating the curriculum with a $2 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation? an organization known for vetting academic initiatives. Meanwhile, the district continues to be recognized nationally for its quality schools and its emphasis on getting all students into high-level classes.

Education Week provides valuable context in its examination of how teachers are faring in states hit hard by budget woes. Bellevue looks pretty good.

The episode is sadly reminiscent of the WEA's rejection of grant money to improve math and science education. In Bellevue, you have a curriculum that works. So the union demands it be changed?

High-performing schools play a critical role in our state's economic competitiveness. We hope for a swift conclusion to this disruption of student education in Bellevue.