Doing What's Best For Kids

Yesterday, we got an interesting brochure from the school district we live in. See, after the Marysville strike (which I covered first-hand, unfortunately), no school district in the state wants a strike. But there are definite problems in Northshore, which is where we live. Unlike Marysville, where both sides stopped listening to one another and the administration took a hardline stance early on and refused to negotiate, the Superintendent of Northshore got together with the President of the Teacher's Union, and they wrote this article which they then sent to everyone in the district. And I'm impressed.

"Many of us watched last fall’s strike in the Marysville School District with interest, sorrow and frustration. We recognize that what happened in Marysville could happen in any number of districts across our state. In Northshore, both district officials and union leaders are working hard to avoid a conflict of that magnitude."

It's a crying shame that Marysville, which had never had a strike before last Fall's fiasco, is now the standard for disfunctional school districts in Washington state. But there we have it. In Marysville at this time last year, the union and the administration were going loggerheads about the make-up day for the teacher day-of-action in Olympia (in which virtually every teacher in the state marched on the capitol). Negotiations for the next year were nowhere to be seen. It's a good sign that Northshore is already starting to work on next year's contract. Marysville administration waited until late summer before dealing with the problems, which led to the long strike.

"Representatives of our school district administration and our teachers’ union leadership have written this pamphlet cooperatively and jointly. We apologize for its length. Realistically, there is no quick and easy way to help you understand the complexity of the problem without explaining the issues."

They are honest. They explain the problems. They admit there are no quick and easy solutions. If there is a strike in Northshore, it won't be nearly as bitter as the Marysville one.

"How did we create an environment with such high levels of mistrust? Most administrators were once teachers themselves. When did “us” become “them”? What are the underlying, systemic factors that fuel this conflict? And what steps can we all take together to improve understanding, communication, mutual respect, and focus on long-term, sustainable educational improvements?"

Bravo, Northshore! I suddenly wish (again) that Eric had found a place here instead of in Marysville. An administration willing to listen to parents and teachers makes all the difference.

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