The Kent School District teachers' strike should be so over

TEACHERS in the Kent School District risk squandering money and the public's goodwill if they do not return to the classroom.

A King County judge who first ruled the strike was illegal and ordered teachers back to work, has now rightly called for fines of $200 a day if classes don't resume on Monday. The Kent Education Association, which represents the 1,700 teachers, would also be fined $1,500 a day.

Costs will mount on both sides. About 1,100 employees in the district are unable to work because of the strike and are seeking unemployment benefits.

Teachers should choose a long-term view over any short-term gain. Inequities in public-education funding will not be resolved by this strike.

Union leaders in Kent and at their parent organization, the Washington Education Association, may view the strike as an opportunity to flex political muscle. State Attorney General Rob McKenna has said state law providing for collective bargaining does not allow strikes but union leaders have long ignored the law, perhaps wanting to test the state's resolve. This game between adults comes at the expense of school children. It is time McKenna or Gov. Chris Gregoire step in.

Much has been made of the district's $21 million in reserves. A healthy cushion, but $12.5 million — 5 percent of the district's operating budget — is required by law and the rest by a kind of prudence necessary during a recession.

The district should not use its savings to pay for ongoing expenses such as lowering class sizes. Once the reserves are spent — and no one should expect a repeat of the federal stimulus that helped districts cushion budget cuts this year — Kent would be in financial trouble.

The union should call this strike over.