In person, by phone or via email, send your legislators a message today!
Support Gov. Jay Inslee’s K-12 schools budget.
Oppose the Senate Republicans’ punitive education plan.
That’s the message WEA members are sending their legislators, both in Olympia and back home in their legislative districts.
WEA members from Snohomish County braved wet weather and bad traffic to meet face-to-face with their lawmakers in Olympia Wednesday.
“I feel more connected to the issues after being here in Olympia today,” said Emily Williams, a Granite Falls Education Association member.
“I found it interesting how accessible things are in Olympia,” said Jon Thompson, another Granite Falls teacher. “You can walk in and tell your legislators what you think. That makes it easy for people to get involved.
Pilchuck UniServ is sending teams of 10 members to Olympia every week through the end of March. Council President Justin Fox-Bailey encouraged other councils and locals to do the same.
“Legislators need to hear our stories. They need to know how their decisions will affect our students,” he said.
WEA members who can’t make it to Olympia do have other options. Beginning in Snohomish on March 9, seven WEA UniServ councils are organizing back-home school funding forums for educators, parents and community members. Here’s a list with dates, times and locations.
And if you can’t attend one of those forums, or even if you can, calling the Legislative Hotline at 800-562-6000 is another way to tell lawmakers what you think.
Or, since you’re already online, email your legislators via WEA’s OurVoice cyberlobby page.
Legislative updates
- Supt. Of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal visited students at Lakes High School in Clover Park School District Wednesday. Teachers John Shelton and Greg Kepner organized the visit. Reykdal talked about school funding and the cost of higher education, among other topics. WEA-PAC supported Reykdal in last fall’s election.
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Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib announced a campaign to collect corporate donations to pay for Advanced Placement and International Bacculaureate exit exams for low-income students. Habib, who was elected with strong support from WEA members, is showing how his office can advocate for the needs of students.
Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib recently visited with WEA members.
- The House Appropriations Committee heard House Bill 1046, which would remove standardized tests as a
graduation requirement. It already passed out of the House Education Committee on a bipartisan 17-2 vote. “Please pass this bill and relieve our districts, teachers, students and parents of this over-complicated, punitive, expensive and ineffective policy,” said WEA lobbyist Wendy Rader-Konofalski.
