State needs to be proactive on education issue

Adjourning on Thurs. sends wrong message to walkout participants

Given the uncertainty posed by the teacher walkouts both in Yuma and across the state this week, it is surprising that the state legislature chose to adjourn for the weekend Thursday afternoon.

According to a report in the Arizona Republic, Senate President Steve Yarbrough said, however, that work would continue on Friday and possibly through the weekend on plans to increase teacher pay.

And Friday afternoon, Gov. Doug Ducey, Yarbrough and House Speaker J.D. Mesnard announced a budget deal, releasing the following statement: “Earlier this month, we stood shoulder to shoulder, in unity with the education community, to announce a plan for a 20 percent increase in teacher pay by school year 2020. Today, we are pleased to announce that this plan is a reality. Arizona is delivering on its commitment to our students and teachers.

“We are also restoring recession-era cuts to increase funding for schools and putting more money into the classroom — flexible dollars for superintendents to use for support staff pay increases, update antiquated curriculum and improve school infrastructure — without raising taxes.”

That is good news, but what message did it send to educators when both the House and Senate adjourned on Thursday while facing a statewide crisis?

On Thursday, an estimated 1,000 people rallied in Yuma in support of the #RedforEd campaign, while an estimated 50,000 marched in Phoenix.

Statewide, more than 840,000 students were out of school due to the walkouts, the Arizona Republic reported.

The statement by Ducey, Mesnard and Yarbrough notes that a budget will be introduced early next week, with the hopes of passing it “shortly thereafter,” so the deal is not quite done.

There are a variety of issues on the table. Teachers are calling for more pay, but they are also calling for other measures, such as a restoration by the state to 2008 funding levels, smaller class sizes, no additional tax cuts and raises for support staff. Organizers say they are looking for reliable funding to meet and sustain education across the state, without robbing one fund to pay another.

The #RedforEd campaign wants to ensure that educators’ voices are heard, but given the legislature’s adjournment on Thursday, it’s questionable whether or not the entire legislature is listening.

A better approach would have been keeping the entire legislature in session, and collectively working toward a solution. Resolution might not have happened overnight, but the action would have shown educators that the legislature is taking their concerns seriously.

This statewide crisis requires the legislature’s full attention.

Hopefully, educators, the legislature and the governor have found common ground. Our students should be the number one priority, and closing schools, even temporarily, benefits no one.