Kent Teachers in the Kent Education Association (KEA) are officially on strike and are picketing as of Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022, delaying the first day of school.
KEA members voted overwhelmingly on Monday night to go on strike if union leadership couldn’t come to an agreement with the Kent School District by Wednesday. Bargaining between teachers and the district broke down earlier in the spring.
Members are asking for increased mental health supports for students, lowering class-sizes and increasing overload supports, as well as competitive salaries to match neighboring districts and align with the state’s 5.5% living increase.
The Kent School District said that high school and middle school offices and the district central office will remain open.
In addition, families can continue to register their children through the district website.
The district is continuing high school sports programs, but all elementary and middle school activities are postponed until further notice. Meal service will resume when school begins.
“We are negotiating with our labor partners and remain committed to reaching an agreement and starting school as soon as possible,” the district added.
The start of school is delayed due to a strike/work stoppage by the Kent Education Association (KEA). We are negotiating with our labor partners and remain committed to reaching an agreement and starting school as soon as possible.
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— Kent School District (@KentSchools415) August 25, 2022
I have supported Kent teachers for far too long. The KSD teaching staff has failed my children and those of my friends and neighbors. They have not improved in over 30 years. They are so ill-equipped, both professionally and through the district, that children go years without diagnosis on learning disabilities or challenges. Asking for smaller class sizes and higher wages is getting paid more for less work. If neighboring districts are paying more, and there is a teacher shortage, the teachers should apply for the openings. You might just be qualified enough to be hired. People should work where they can get the best financial reward.
KSD is refusing to negotiate at all! Every attempt by the KEA to negotiate is met with a stone wall of silence and a flat No by the district. There is never a counter proposal. KEA is showing how much they “care about kids.” Which is to say, they don’t. Mr. Vela got a 27% raise over the salary of the former Superintendant however the Kent School District hasn’t spent a dime of the Covid relief funds allocated for mental health for the kids by the state, and they’re refusing to pass along the 5.5% cost of living wage increase to the teachers that the state voted on and approved. What are they doing with that money and why are they just sitting on it? They have over $60 million dollars in the bank and yet they claim that isn’t enough. But our classrooms are overflowing, kids are crying out for help in so many ways and the district is refusing to budge.