MARYSVILLE – About 100 teachers showed up for the Marysville School Board meeting Monday, but it didn’t have anything to do with the ongoing union negotiations.
Instead, they were showing unity against hate.
Marysville Education Association president Randy Davis read a letter from the Pilchuck UniServe Council, which represents teachers unions not only in Marysville but also Everett, Lake Stevens, Snohomish, Mukilteo, Monroe, Granite Falls, Sultan and Skykomish. It represents 4,300 educators.
The letter addresses the state Constitution passed in 1889, which says the state will educate all children without regard to race, color, caste or sex.
The letter states, in part, “In light of the recent national controversy over racial bigotry and hate, this promise to our state’s children is as relevant and essential today as it was when codified in 1889.”
Davis read that as students head back to school they need to know education is a civil right “for all of our students, no matter where they might have been born, what language they might speak at home, what color or heritage or gender or faith (or not) or learning need or ability.”
As for hate groups: “We must oppose them absolutely. As educators we reject those abhorrent ideologies and their histories of racial genocide, slavery, oppression, violence and hatred.”
In conclusion, it says, “There is no place for hatred in our communities, our classrooms or our own hearts.”
School board president Pete Lundberg added: “We absolutely stand with you. There is no place on this earth for that business.”
In other news, finance director Mike Sullivan led discussion on the budget for the school year.
The total in the general fund is more than $151 million. Almost 60 percent of the budget will be spent on teaching activities, almost $90.37 million, up from $77.24 million two years ago.
On the revenue side, federal tax money is down, but local taxes are up about $1.5 million and state monies have increased about $12 million from two years ago.
The budget passed with four votes, but board member Chris Nation abstained because the state still has not figured out completely its portion.
“It’s a moving target,” Lundberg agreed.
Sullivan said the state doesn’t know the answers yet, but, “We have to have a budget before school starts.”
In closing comments, Nation said the state funding issues are creating more harm than good. Some districts actually are getting less money, he said.
“Budgets are so tight, and that’s harmful to kids,” Nation said, adding it’s only going to get worse.
Lundberg said as an optimist he thinks common sense will prevail.
“There’s not enough money to support struggling schools,” he said. “Everything is in flux. But school starts anyway.”
On another money topic, Sullivan predicts with so many students receiving free and reduced breakfast and lunch in the district, that program will lose about $500,000 this school year.
The program is expected to bring in $3.8 million, but food costs will be $1.8 million and labor costs $2.5 million.
