In times of stress, people sometimes do things out of character. On Thursday that concept manifested itself in a reversal of roles by the state’s political parties.

The setting was Senate debate on House Bill 2261, which begins a process to reform the state’s public schools. On one side were Democrats pushing for changes that were passionately opposed by the leadership of the state teachers union but just-as-passionately supported by district administrators, business groups and parent organizations.

On the other side were Republicans opposing the bill and even using some of the rhetoric used for months by the Washington Education Association.

It was all rather disorienting. Democrats have always been more likely to side with the we-just-need-more-money side of the education reform debate. Republicans have favored increased accountability.

Yet Democrats – pushed by Gov. Chris Gregoire – decided it was time to begin to change the status quo. In return for a gradual yet significant increase in state support for local school districts, the bill contains the first moves to address teacher quality and compensation and to create a mechanism to fix failing schools.

To do so, the party’s legislative leaders had to stand up to one of the most influential members of the Democratic coalition, a move made easier by the union’s refusal to take a constructive part in discussions on the bill.

So with the WEA on the ropes – temporarily for sure – what did the Republicans do? Did they take advantage of the intersection of their ideologically and their politics? Did they support issues that have long been part of the GOP agenda and help take a longtime foe down a notch?

Nope. Senate Republicans helped the union by attacking the bill and misrepresenting what it does.

“We’re talking about empty promises. This is why the education association is opposed to this bill,” said Sen. Cheryl Pflug, R-Maple Valley.

Only one Republican voted yes – Sen. Pam Roach of Auburn. Six Democrats voted no, and Republicans may have calculated that each GOP yes vote would have allowed another Democrat to vote no and stay in the good graces of the teachers union.

Still, Thursday’s floor action demonstrated that for legislative Republicans, being against the Democrats takes precedence over policy changes they have long supported.

They even attacked 1993’s House Bill 1209, the last significant reform that – among many other things – created the WASL. Even WASL opponents acknowledge that 1209 forced schools to deal with failing kids, not just pass them along. That reform was never allowed to work fully because accountability measures that were a vital part were blocked by teachers, directors and superintendents.

The current bill finally gets the state back on track to hold the adults as accountable as we hold the kids.

It is worth noting that two of the leaders of school reform – Sens. Fred Jarrett of Mercer Island and Rodney Tom of Medina – are former Republicans who switched parties because they wanted to solve problems, not just complain about them.

House Republicans still have some education advocates such as Skip Priest of Federal Way and Glenn Anderson of Fall City who won’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Lots remains to be done if the House agrees to Senate changes, as expected. A batch of work groups will delve into the details on levies and finance. The state Board of Education will create an accountability system. We’ll finally start collecting data to show what is working and what isn’t.

Despite the rhetoric, the bill gives the state a defense against a lawsuit set for trial in August that claims – quite accurately – that the state violates its constitutional duty to amply fund the education of all students.

State schools chief Randy Dorn described what happens next this way: “We put the framework in place and then hold each other accountable.”

Peter Callaghan: 253-597-8657

peter.callaghan@thenewstribune.com

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