All I want for Christmas is a smaller classroom
Editor, The Times:
After stonewalling through the summer and most of the 18-day teacher’s strike, Kent School District administrators have what they fought so hard to maintain: classes that remain larger than neighboring districts.
The School Board might think that’s an acceptable solution, but here’s the on-the-ground perspective: step into a Kent kindergarten class, and there are 30 students enrolled, even though the district told the community the cap would be 29.
For some, English is their second language. One of every six in the room is a special-needs student, draining additional time the teacher can spend with his or her other students.
A few miles down the road in Tahoma, a typical kindergarten class is 22. With typical absences, there could be only 18 students in the room. Discipline issues are fewer because misbehaving students can’t feed off each others’ antics. The teacher has time to redirect students immediately and can spend time teaching.
Tahoma is not alone in understanding teachers teach better when classrooms aren’t packed: Auburn and Shoreline limit their primary grades to 23, Edmonds and Northshore to 24.
These are districts that face similar financial constraints and which also suffered from state budget cuts this year. Instead of making excuses they found solutions and put more money into teachers’ salaries.
The teachers’ song in Kent is still the same as during the strike: District spending choices are about priorities. Kent has kept more administrators on the payroll with salaries higher than neighboring districts. The superintendent’s $240,000 salary is more than the vice president of the United States.
We suffered through the strike and came to a solution, but it is not working. Parents and community members need to continue putting pressure on the district to follow through on their promises.
Change takes time, so if not for Christmas, maybe the gift of smaller classes could come in the New Year.
— Jody Lee Collins, Renton
The Grinch who stole a Christmas tree
I note that someone stole a rare conifer from the arboretum, rather than pay for a Christmas tree [“Tree-steeling Scrooge,” Opinion, editorial, Dec. 14].
What’s next for this person?
Slaughter a Palawan peacock pheasant from the Woodland Park Zoo rather than pay for a chicken at QFC?
— Ivan Wright, Seattle
Chocolate ferryboats gone afloat?
Since moving here 20 years ago, I have sent Seattle Chocolate Company chocolates in their iconic ferryboat boxes to far-flung family members and friends, along with the promise of a ferryboat ride across Puget Sound if they come this way.
I went to get some this year for young relatives in Arizona. Unable to find them, I went online to e-mail the company to find the nearest outlet that carries them.
I recently got their reply: The ferryboat boxes were discontinued almost a year ago.
Another Seattle icon gone quietly into the night. Sigh.
— Adelaide W. Loges, Bothell