MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — The first day of school in the Mount Vernon School District will be pushed to at least Friday, Aug. 30, as contract negotiations with the paraeducators union continues.
Class was canceled Aug. 28 and will be canceled again Aug. 29.
On Wednesday, which was supposed to be the first day of school, paraeducators backed by the teachers they work with picketed outside district offices. They will continue to picket Thursday if an agreement is not reached.
The union representing paraeducators in Mount Vernon, “Public School Employees of Washington,” said it’s been unable to reach a deal with district leadership over contract and salary – and earlier this week they voted to strike.
“Our paraeducators don’t make enough to support themselves, let alone their families. Most of us would agree that one job should be enough, but many of our paras have to work two or even three jobs to make ends meet,” said Freedom Gassoway, president of the Mount Vernon Paras Chapter. “We love our jobs, and we love working with the students, but most of us can’t afford to keep working here if we do not receive the wage increase we need to survive.”
In Washington state, a paraeducator is a district employee that usually works under the supervision of a teacher and can assist as an extra pair of hands both in and out of the classroom.
“We’re willing to jump through the hoops, we’ve done it, but now we need the pay,” said paraeducator Tammy Oommen.
Teachers, represented by the Mount Vernon Education Association are technically not on strike but did vote to not cross the picket line. On Wednesday, many stood in support of their colleagues.
“There is no way I can do what I do without paraeducators,” said Kristie Lindsay, a first grade teacher for the Mount Vernon School District.
“They wouldn’t have lunch, they wouldn’t have recess – students who require one-on-one support would not have that,” PE teacher Julie Scott added.
This school year is the first in Mount Vernon for Superintendent Dr. Victor Vergara, who previously worked for the Edmonds and Federal Way school districts.
Vergara said students will receive 180 days of instruction, which must be made up at some point in the year. As of Tuesday, the district had two emergency days built into the school calendar which can be used.
Since August 2018, paraeducators have received a 38.5% salary increase. Educators received a 6% salary increase last year. Bargaining disagreements have continued over the paraeducators' salary schedules since April, according to the union.