The battle over finding billions of additional dollars to pay for K-12 education in Washington pits Democrats who say new taxes are needed against Republicans saying schools must take priority over other government programs before asking for more revenue.

The Washington Supreme Court has diagnosed the illness correctly. But the justices must wish they could prescribe a different treatment. The court has held the Legislature in contempt of court for its failure to produce a stable, long-term funding plan for the state’s schools. The justices ruled in 2012 that lawmakers were violating their constitutional obligation to amply fund the schools – violating the rights of the state’s children, in essence.