Pasco Schools Announce Make-Up Day for 5-21 Teacher Walkout

Tuesday, the Pasco School District released details about the make-up day for students, due to the teacher walkout coming Thursday.

According to the District:

May 19, 2015
PASCO SCHOOLS MAKE UP DAY JUNE 10
The Pasco Association of Educators and the Pasco School District have reached an agreement that June 10 will be the make-up day for the teacher walkout scheduled for May 21. Students will now be in school for a full day on June 9, and a half-day on June 10.

Although teacher strikes are illegal by law in Washington state, a walkout does not qualify for a strike, because it is one day.

However students will have to make up the day as if it were, for example, a snow day.  Kennewick and Richland also experiencing walkout Thursday, we will pass on additional make-up information.

The WEA, Washington Education Association, the teacher's union, is protesting the lack of funding for I-1351 approved by voters last fall.  However, the WEA did not push the fact that the bill contained no funding provisions to pay for it.  Reducing class sizes, as mandated by I-1351, will cost over $4 billion dollars for the life of the initiative.

The legislature has said because of requirements for funding billions due to the McCleary Decision from the State Supreme Court, they don't have the fundings.  Some legislators have been pushing for a series of taxes to provide the necessary money.