Washington Teachers Show Strike Support
OLYMPIA, Wash. — An estimated 13,000 teachers seeking increased education funding flocked to the steps of the state Capitol Friday in a show of strength for their strike which has halted schooling for 300,000 students.
The crowd estimate, provided by the State Patrol, made the rally by far the largest ever in Olympia.
Inside the Capitol, lawmakers were considering taking legal steps to shorten the school year for 32 struck districts, all in the populous western portion of the state.
With both sides seemingly hardening in their positions on the strike’s second day, no one could answer the big question: How long will it last?
“I’m not optimistic,†Gov. Booth Gardner said hours before the huge teachers’ rally. “We’re taking it a day at a time. Positions have hardened substantially since the strike began. This is a sad day in the state.â€
The teachers have been lobbying for more than a year for higher pay, reduced class sizes and significantly greater spending for such items as books and supplies.
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