Vicky Jensen: Let parents, educators decide their schools’ funding needs

Spokane-area educators believe local voters should have the freedom to make decisions about their local public schools, especially when it comes to funding the unique needs of the children in their community.

In a recent op-ed, a lobbyist and school board member from Western Washington argued the opposite (“Why schools don’t need another tax hike,” March 7, 2019) – he wants politicians in Olympia to restrict how much Eastern Washington communities can invest in their local schools. Centralia School Board member Jami Lund – who lives 350 miles away – believes school levies in Spokane, Central Valley and other local districts should be limited to the same level as those in his district.

He’s wrong.

Parents, educators and voters know what their students need to be successful. Students in Spokane have different needs than the students in Centralia.

The state Supreme Court’s McCleary decision increased state funding for public schools. However, state funding still falls short on meeting all the needs of our students. Local voter-approved school levies fund additional teachers, librarians, school nurses, early learning, music, art and many other student needs beyond the basic education funded by the state. Local levies give our school districts the autonomy and freedom to tailor our programs and services to fit the needs of our students, including attracting and keeping qualified, caring teachers and support staff.

And despite what Lund misleadingly suggests, voters have the final say on local school funding – all levies must be approved by voters.

Unfortunately, the Legislature voted to dramatically restrict local school levies. We agree with administrators and school boards who say the levy restrictions went too far, and there are several bills in Olympia that would help restore levy flexibility.

One size doesn’t fit all – especially when it comes to our students. So why does someone like Lund advocate against giving voters the ability to support their students as they see fit? Because Lund and his employer, the misnamed Freedom Foundation, actually do not care about Spokane students or their teachers and support staff.

Their real agenda? They want to limit investment in public education. They oppose paying teachers competitive, professional salaries. They fight against smaller class sizes for our students. Lund also opposes making it easier to approve school construction bonds, which fund safe and modern school buildings.

Lund often lobbies in the Legislature against increased state funding for public schools, despite language in the state Constitution that says education is the state’s “paramount duty.”

Fortunately, Lund’s misguided efforts to undermine school funding aren’t working. Along with many school boards and administrators, Washington Education Association members are working in Olympia to restore local levy flexibility this year, which will allow local voters to continue passing levies that meet the needs of their students. We urge our local legislators to support this important priority.

As educators and proud union members, we will continue to advocate for our students regardless of Jami Lund or the so-called Freedom Foundation’s off-base attacks. Unlike them, we put students at the center of everything we do. Thank you for supporting our local public schools.

Vicky Jensen is a Central Valley teacher and president of WEA-Eastern Washington, which represents thousands of public school educators from the Canadian border down to Pullman.