Phoenix Union board support for #RedForEd is unanimous
The Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board unanimously passed a resolution Thursday supporting Arizona’s teacher-led #RedForEd movement demanding more state funding for education.
Phoenix Union is the second school district in the state — and the largest, so far — to pass such a resolution.
The Pendergast Elementary School District Governing Board passed a resolution supporting the #RedForEd movement on Tuesday.
While the resolutions are largely
symbolic, they come as Arizona educators are trying to gather support from administrators and their communities to follow through on their threat to potentially strike if state leaders don’t act on their demands for 20 percent pay raises and an additional $1 billion state investment in education.
A packed crowd of educators — some of them who brought their kids — cheered the school board after they approved the resolution.
“This is a small step,” said Ian Danley, president of the Phoenix Union school board. “We will continue to do what we can as a board to stand behind this movement, and this resolution is a visible demonstration of that.”
Last week, organizers with the grassroots Arizona Educators United group fueling Arizona’s #RedForEd movement demanded Gov. Doug Ducey and the Arizona Legislature give teachers 20 percent pay raises and restore about $1 billion in cuts to education funding over the past decade.
Organizers have said they would push to go on strike if Ducey and state legislators do not address their demands.
Thousands of teachers across Arizona are expected to participate in non-disruptive school “walk-ins” Wednesday, which Arizona Educators United organizers are using to gauge support for a potential strike.
Karina Rascon, an English teacher at Phoenix Union’s Maryvale High School, said she was “very happy” by the board’s public support.
Rascon brought her three daughters, each of them wearing red, to Thursday night’s board meeting.
“If it has to be done, now is the time,” Rascon said of the possibility of a strike.
“I have two children in school and I have a soon-to-be preschooler, and as a parent I am concerned for their education,” Rascon said. “But as a teacher, I also know the need. So I see both sides, and if (a strike) has to happen, it has to happen.”
Rascon said she hopes it does not have to come down to a walkout or strike. She empathizes with parents’ concerns over how a teacher strike could impact their kids’ education. Rascon said teachers’ activism “is also going to bring improvement for that same education.”
“If we have parents’ support and the public’s support, we may not need to strike,” Rascon said. “If we have the support, eventually the governor will have to listen.”
Stanford Prescott, a Phoenix Union board member, said prior to Thursday night’s meeting that he hoped Ducey and state lawmakers would address educators’ demands.
But if the state leaders don’t act and teachers decide to strike, “I will happily join them on the picket line,” Prescott said.
Arizona school boards are officially nonpartisan, though the Phoenix Union board touts itself as one of the state’s most progressive.
The Phoenix Union district enrolls more than 27,000 students in 18 campuses across Phoenix.
Full text of resolution supporting #RedForEd
“Whereas the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board recognizes that the funding for schools in Arizona is a billion dollars below 2008 levels; and
“Whereas the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board is witness to the consequences of this chronic underfunding and sees the negative impact to teachers, staff, students, families, our community and our state; and
“Whereas the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board has supported and worked for solutions to fund teacher & support professionals pay raises and other educational needs, only to see the Arizona Legislature fail to stop enacting tax cuts that run counter to our efforts; and
“Whereas no one has worked harder nor waited longer for raises and restoring the money for resources for their classrooms and schools nor sacrificed more than our educators; and
“Whereas on behalf of our students and families, we cannot allow this crisis to continue without a plan to address these issues, we support our school employees as they make their demands known for the necessary funding for a meaningful teacher & support professionals pay raise and education funding;
“Whereas we are confident our community, including parents, families, caregivers, business leaders, support professionals, school district administrators, neighbors, and friends, will support our educators as they participate in #RedforED advocating for what they need to educate our children and secure the future of Arizona.
“Be it resolved that the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board is in full support of our educators and stands ready to take steps necessary to improve salaries and working conditions for our school employees.
“The Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board urges the Arizona State Legislature to work urgently on behalf of the children and families in our State to take swift and meaningful action to develop a viable plan to pay teachers & support professionals the professional salaries they deserve.”