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Teachers and the Tacoma School District continue to spar, gender-divided classrooms get the axe at Jason Lee Middle School and more

A look back at the last week in Tacoma and Pierce County

Free to be you and me at Jason Lee. Photo credit: tacoma.k12.wa.us

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Still No Contract

Tacoma teachers continue to work and teach without a new contract, and consequently the teacher's union spent yet another week pressuring the Tacoma School District to get one done.

Teachers again demonstrated outside a Tacoma School Board meeting this week, urging the district to come to terms with their union. In return, the school board took time at Thursday's meeting to respond to alleged anti-school district rumors and accuse teachers of lacking clarity and specifics in their understanding of certain aspects the bargaining situation and the policies in question. Board President Kurt Miller read a two-and-half page statement (available here), assuring people that the Tacoma School District is working on the public's behalf while subtly zinging Tacoma teachers and their union.

Contrary to popular belief, teacher pay is not the "hot-button" issue in these negations. According to a News Tribune feature by Debbie Cafazzo, the central point of contention is a new proposal by the Tacoma School District to change the way teachers are moved around within the district.

Cafazzo reports this week that the district proposed "a list of 10 criteria that would be considered, in addition to seniority, in the case of involuntary transfers," and that "the union objects to six of the 10, saying they are too subjective and could lead to abuses."

Union members will meet Monday and will again have the opportunity to approve a strike - or, if an agreement is reached by then, a new contract.

Meet and Greet Postponed

I'm admittedly late announcing this, but was nonetheless disappointed to learn that this week's meet and greet with internal candidate for Superintendent of Tacoma Public Schools Carla Santorno had been postponed. The event was scheduled for Wednesday, but at the time of scheduling the School District was probably hopeful contract negotiations would be over. No word yet on when the event will be rescheduled. When I know, you'll know (that Friday, at least).

Gender-Divided Classes in Tacoma Get the Boot

In a creative effort to improve performance and classroom learning culture last year Jason Lee Middle School started a program that separated sixth graders by gender in the core academic subjects: math, science and the humanities. The school's leaders were planning to expand the model to sixth and seventh graders this school year, before being notified in early August that Washington's education regulations limit gender based separation to certain types of classes. Only classes like physical education, sex-ed and choir can be divided by gender in Washington.

The news came as a disappointment to Jason Lee's Principal, John Kellett, who told the News Tribune he'd followed a model set by other schools in Washington in the past and had made sure Jason Lee's gender-divided classrooms were in compliance with federal law.

Not so disappointed about the news: sixth and seventh grade boys at Jason Lee Middle School.

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