Injunction not the solution

First of all, I would like to acknowledge the difficult situation that everyone on both sides of the strike have to face and deal with. However, I want to voice my displeasure at the message which came Tuesday night to families regarding the continued strike and missed school days. In a time when teachers need the support of parents to effectively educate the children of our community, it infuriates me to receive a message that is intended to drive a wedge between parents and teachers.

That the district has decided to file an injunction this early in the game tells me that the district does not really care about the proper education of our children, but just wants to look good in the eyes of those parents who do not really know what’s best for their children, but just want free daycare. These messages should just be short and to the point; the strike is still on, no agreement has been reached and there will not be school tomorrow. This is not a time for the district to voice its opinion to the masses.

As a community member, taxpayer, homeowner, parent, former KSD student and former employee, I have seen many sides of the situation over my life. I have seen, and worked, in classrooms of 32/33 students; it is not as rare as the district tries to tell the press. I have seen the amount of meetings these teachers have to go to, and how much it cuts into their planning time.

Being in a school where there is an extreme lack of parent involvement, these teachers cannot even rely on volunteers to help with those minor things like copying and preparing items for lessons, and depend on those precious few minutes before school to do those things but can’t since they are always expected to go to another meeting.

Over the past few years, I have become increasingly disappointed in the Kent School District. I have researched the various options that I have for my children’s education, considered the possibility of homeschooling or even going to another district. The thing that has always kept me coming back to this district has always been the teachers. But, with a district that will not support its teachers, I don’t even want to think about what’s going to happen to the quality of our children’s education when these fantastic teachers decide to leave and go to another district that is going to care a little more.

The district claims that the funds are not available to make our class sizes smaller or to properly compensate our teachers; however, I can quickly think of five things the district could do that would help with finances that would not affect jobs. I do not feel that the district cares enough to make the changes that could make that difference.

I do hope that this strike can end peacefully, and also want my children back in the classroom, but this injunction is not the way to do it.

Tina Busenius

Auburn