Rep. Tina Orwall’s statement on the teachers’ strike in the Kent School District

 

September 9, 2009

As a mother, I am aware of the hardships every parent is going through. They want their kids in school getting the best education possible; and they’re wondering when the first day of school will actually start.

As an advocate for education, I recognize the need for smaller class sizes and I understand where the teachers are coming from. This recession hit every school district with budget cuts, which has put a burden on teachers statewide.

And as a lawmaker, I assert my commitment to reform our education system. We need to work together to find new ways of doing things -- new ways to fund education, to look past the old divisions between rich school districts and poor, between teachers and districts. We are all trying to get to the same result: a world-class education for every child in this state.

I hope both sides carry out round-the-clock talks to reach a compromise as soon as possible for the sake of the children—the ones suffering most under the current circumstances.

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