The Strike

Marysville School District: "Schools will remain closed at least for the remainder of this week. Due to the teachers’ strike, the district’s proposal is no longer a valid offer. ... the board and superintendent must continue to explore all options, including opening schools or filing a court injunction in order to get our students and staff back in the classroom."

The Herald: "Marysville School District leaders say a 2-day-old teachers strike is illegal, but getting a court order forcing them back into the classroom is by no means guaranteed, a state attorney said Wednesday."

Marysville Education Association: "Instead of offering Marysville teachers a fair contract, the Marysville School Board has hired private uniformed security guards at several schools. By all accounts, the security people seem to be nice people who are just trying to earn a living. But it's further proof that the Marysville School Board has misplaced priorities. It is unclear how many thousands of dollars the School Board plans to spend on security."

And also, from a teacher's article: "If you live in Marysville, you received two separate mailings by the school district... One of these mailings was a 22-page, 8-1/2 x 11-inch color booklet that cost more than $20,000 (by the district’s own estimate) to produce and mail."

And lastly: "In the past, school districts were not restricted as to what they could pay teachers. About 25 years ago, the Legislature approved a statewide salary model. At that time, districts such as Marysville, Everett, Seattle and Tacoma paid more than the state model, so they were grandfathered in to receive a higher amount of state funding. Marysville receives 5.2 percent more in state funding than those on the state schedule."

I want to point out that all teachers in the state, according to the statewide salary model, were to receive the same pay regardless of the local cost of living. One reason some districts were grandfathered in was to help the teachers that lived in more expensive places. Marysville is trying to take that away, and in the meantime is spending bundles of money on PR and security guards. This is fiscally responsible? This is bargaining in good faith? No wonder the teachers are so upset!