Let's Get Serious (Everyone but the Legislature Is)

We previously published opinions from several editorial boards from around the state, all chiding the legislature for their lack of progress on fulfilling McCleary to fully funding public education in Washington state.

The Seattle Times has finally weighed and they agree.  Choice quotes:

Team Olympia can't even punt without squabbling over details.

That's a sad, sad commentary that work is of such weak quality and yet it still gets argued over.

State lawmakers should stop rattling their partisan swords over education-funding reform, which has pushed Washington to the brink of a constitutional crisis. 

Yup and if legislators here have any questions, go ask their compatriots in the Kansas legislature about their situation.  (The Kansas Supreme Court ruled that the legislature can either find the funding for schools or there will be no school year 2016-2017.)  

Regardless of how one feels about the Supreme Court's assertiveness, nobody wants the turmoil and uncertainty that further sanctions and a showdown between branches of government would bring to Washington taxpayers, companies and families.

There's some real civic backbone in that statement and one that I am glad is being stated in clear, unequivocal terms.

"There's no ambiguity - 'by 2018' means the 2017-2018 school year, " said Tom Ahearne, the plaintiffs' attorney in the McCleary case.  He's confident the later deadline "will be shot down immediately" by the court." 

Lastly, the Times had the good grace to not even mention charter schools.  Good for them.


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