Riverside Teachers Schedule Strike Vote Union Seeks 80 Percent Approval Rate In Monday Balloting

Fed up with Riverside School District Superintendent Jerry Wilson, teachers have now raised “the hammer” and will vote Monday whether to go on strike.

“It’s time to draw the line and say we’ve had enough,” said Riverside High School teacher Marvin Sather, who is spokesman for the Riverside Education Association. “This raises the hammer.”

A total of 78 Riverside teachers who met Friday afternoon at a Colbert church voted unanimously to hold a secret-ballot election Monday on whether to strike.

Sather, who is Washington state’s Teacher of the Year, said the union is seeking an 80 percent approval rate among the district’s 125 teachers to authorize a strike.

If teachers vote in favor of a strike, they could walk out before school lets out June 13, or when school resumes in the fall.

The strike vote culminates years of frustration among teachers, who accuse Wilson of poor leadership, ignoring teachers’ concerns and failing to have a vision for the district’s educational needs.

Teachers gave Wilson a vote of no confidence in 1997. Last month, 99 teachers signed a petition demanding that Wilson resign as superintendent.

Teachers were jubilant following their vote Friday, a stark contrast to their mood Thursday night after a vacancy on the Riverside School Board was filled during a public meeting.

The Educational Service District 101 board of directors appointed Rande Kummer, a friend and neighbor of Wilson, to the school board.

Many teachers left the meeting in tears, fearing that the 2-2 split on the school board is weighted in Wilson’s favor now. However, Kummer has stressed that he can separate business and friendship, and will strive to bring harmony to the board and work on behalf of students’ best interests.

After Thursday night’s drama, Friday’s vote - a loud chorus of “yeahs” that rang out at St. Joseph’s Church - appeared to be cathartic for many teachers.

“It exploded from our mouths,” said elementary school teacher Kathy Headstrom. “It felt so good.”

“The time has come and we will do what we need to do,” said Steven Queener, a counselor at Riverside Middle School. “Enough is enough. We are tired of living under Jerry Wilson’s banana republic.”

Wilson could not be reached for comment Friday.

However, he has said teacher contract issues are being dealt with at the bargaining table.

Teachers have been working without a contract since their old one expired last August.

Terry Weinmann, Riverside’s assistant superintendent, said he hopes a strike can be avoided.

“You certainly want to do anything you can to avoid that situation,” he said. “I assume we will have an opportunity to discuss it and pursue some solutions to it Monday.”