High school students from throughout Tacoma marched Thursday around the school district’s downtown administration building. Meanwhile, in the Hilltop neighborhood, students of all ages studied, played and went through the motions of a normal school day.
These were just some of the ways students coped on the third day of a teachers’ strike that many thought would end after two days.
Foss High School junior Gus Wimberger helped organize the student march via Facebook. He said he wants the district to bargain fairly with teachers.
“Last night, I was really frustrated with what was going on,” Wimberger explained. “We are supporting our teachers.”
One student carried a sign that read, “Dumbledore’s Army for Teachers’ Rights,” a reference to a Harry Potter character.
Students later marched outside a teacher meeting at the Tacoma Dome, where members of the teachers’ union voted to continue their strike. As teachers left the Dome, lines of students cheered them on.
But Tyler Patterson, a School of the Arts senior and student representative to the Tacoma School Board, said he disagreed with the student march.
“I feel like the students (downtown) really don’t know the situation,” he said in an email. “Many students, including myself, were disappointed to wake up and hear school was canceled Thursday. Many of my peers, much like myself, regardless of our opinions, were ready to hit the books today.
We are running out of things to do, and are ready for the school year to continue.”
Allison Hakanson, a student from the two-year-old Science and Math Institute, said she sides with teachers. At a small high school like SAMI, she said, “we get to know our teachers really well. We love our teachers.”
Payton Mayfield, a junior at another small high school – the School of the Arts – echoed her feelings: “We are supporting our teachers because we love them to death.”
Ransom Hatch, a senior at Lincoln High and president of the school’s Associated Student Body, said he’s worried how the strike will impact graduation times. But he hopes Thursday’s show of student support for teachers will help end the strike.
“I feel like both sides need to compromise,” he said. “But we are behind the teachers 100 percent.”
In the Hilltop neighborhood, Peace Community Center is providing a place during the strike for 80 to 100 students to play and study from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Executive Director Bill Hanawalt said the center is trying to reproduce the school day and assure parents that their kids are in a safe place.
At the center Thursday, Chevelle Thompson said she’s confused why her teachers are not in classrooms.
“I know they’re on strike, but I don’t know why,” said the 8-year-old who attends Stanley Elementary. “It makes me sad.”
Daviana Reed, another Stanley 8-year-old, said she wants to go back to class. When the family found out it was canceled for the third day in a row, Daviana’s mother, Helga, asked Daviana if she wanted to drive past her school. She did, and they honked their horn to support the teachers.
“It kind of makes me feel like the teachers are sad because they don’t get the money they deserve,” Daviana said.
Siblings Autumn, Crimson and Coralee Gray moved to Tacoma three months ago from California and said they were just getting used to being in school and making new friends when teachers voted to strike.
“It makes me feel frustrated because I just made friends at the school,” said Crimson, a fifth-grader at Sheridan Elementary. “I was just getting into the rhythm.”
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.