LCHS Teacher Lectures Legislators

At the House Education Committee hearing for the teacher career ladder today:

Derek Kohles, a Lake City High School teacher and president of the Coeur d’Alene Education Association, said, “The real problem is a shortage of educators willing to work in this state … because they don’t think they can make it here.” He said, “They are voting with their feet. We are seeing it.” Kohles said the state of Washington’s new push to lower class sizes likely means it will hire about 1,000 more teachers, and it pays more than Idaho. “We’re right across the line in Coeur d’Alene,” Kohles said. “Spokane will probably get some of our teachers.” He called the bill “a disincentive to teaching in the state,” due to strings attached to its pay provisions. “Let teachers teach, let administrators run their buildings, let superintendents manage their districts,” he said. “You’ve heard versions of this multiple times today. Increase the resources to schools, let go of the reins and give educators the ability to do their jobs”/ Betsy Russell , Eye on Boise. More here.

Question: Do legislators listen when educators speak?