Reporter staff
Claiming fiscal mismanagement and planned layoffs, which have since been called off, Kent School District teachers voted unanimously Wednesday night on a resolution calling for the resignations or terminations of Superintendent Calvin Watts and the school district’s chief human resources officer.
Kent Education Association members voted on the resolution following a meeting at Kent-Meridian High School.
The teachers’ union action comes on a day parents and supporters rallied in the rain at school district headquarters along Southeast 256th Street on the East Hill, protesting the district’s warning to lay off 127 employees, including teachers, and program cuts prior to the 2018-19 school year. The district is working to close a budget gap.
The district avoided the reduction in force after it received a $75 million windfall from the state last week for the next school year. Despite the windfall, cuts have been made.
In February, the district announced the elimination of 45 central administration positions, nine school-based administrator jobs and the reduction of some employee benefits for the 2018-19 year. The district also will reduce 60 positions through attrition next school year.
The district ended the 2016-17 school year with a $5.6 million deficit.
Melissa Laramie, director of communications for the school district, understands the frustration and toll the district’s budget plight has had on employees and families.
“We know it’s real personal to the staff impacted by this,” she said.
The long-range plan is to make the school district financially sound, Laramie said.
Entering the 2017-18 school year as part of its budget recovery plan, the district made planned budget reductions and budgeting efficiencies. With these efforts, KSD is projected to end August with a positive fund balance, according to Watts.
“We’re still making changes, we’re still going through reductions and redesign to make sure we’re fiscally solvent, not just for (20)18-19 or (20)17-18 but for years to come,” Laramie said.
The union claims the budget crisis in Kent is because of poor budget decisions made by administrators, including Watts and Moriah Martin, the district’s chief human resources officer.
Kent educators and parents oppose laying off teachers because it would result in larger class sizes. The overcrowded class sizes also jeopardize student and staff safety, they said.
“Educators and parents stood up for students and staff because we know there are better solutions. Laying off teachers would have been a step backward and wipes out the progress our schools have made,” said Christie Padilla, a teacher and president of the KEA.
“Washington has a teacher shortage, and the uncertainty with job security in Kent means many of our teachers will leave the district to go teach in neighboring districts that are more secure and pay more,” Padilla said. “We are going to lose quality teachers because there is a profound lack of trust in district leadership.”
The union claims:
- Administrators over-estimated student enrollment, which means the district received less funding than they planned on.
- Administrators overspent their budget.
- Administrators are trying to balance the budget at the expense of teachers and their students.
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