Kent school year started for student, whether his teachers were there or not

Perry Sobolik has been preparing his son, Thomas, for the first day of school for some time.

For Tommy, who has Asperger’s syndrome, routine is important, so even though the teachers at Kent Elementary, where Tommy, 10, will start fifth grade this year, were outside picketing, Sobolik brought his son in for the first day of school.

“This disruption can be kind of difficult for his transition to the next grade,” Sobolik said

Upon arrival, father and son were allowed to visit the library and check out a book, although because of liability reasons, the pair were not allowed to stay in the school for the day, as Sobolik had hoped.

For parents like himself, Sobolik said the strike that is keeping Kent schools on an extended summer break is a source of frustration.

“I’ve got a boy who wants to be a learner,” he said. “It’s too d–n bad there aren’t people out there who want to be teachers.”

Sobolik said while he supports the teachers, he does not support the union, which he blames for shutting down the schools as the year was about to get under way.

“I support the teachers,” he said. “The union is what I have a problem with.

“The teachers, in particular at this school, have done a fabulous job for my son,” he added. “That’s why I’m here; so he doesn’t fall back.”

While many parents across the district support the teacher strike, Sobolik said his neighborhood feels the strike is “poorly timed.”

“Every single parent I have spoken to in the past several weeks have thought this is a bad idea,” he said, adding the economy is affecting everyone, making this a bad time for teachers to be asking for more money, especially when many parents, including himself, are unemployed at the moment.

“They say it’s not about money. It’s always about money,” he said.

“I have never made $40,000 a year, let alone $54,000,” Sobolik added, citing an estimate of the average Kent teacher salary. “Everybody is hurting now. Everyone has to give a little.”

While they are asking for better compensation, union leaders have said pay isn’t the primary issue – focusing on class size and workload, and including special-education teachers in that equation.

Average class size at Kent Elementary, according to the 2009-2010 class lists posted in the hallway near the office, is 20 students for kindergarten through grade three (smallest class size is 19 with one class at 26) and 26 students for grades four to six (a range of 22-26).

Class sizes vary across the district, however.

Sobolik said he supports the efforts toward a lower class size, but said that was a state funding issue, not necessarily a district issue, and pointed to a lawsuit which will open this week in King County Superior Court in which 30 districts – including Kent – are seeking to force the Legislature to fully fund public education.

He also said that closing the schools should not have been the only option.

“Why couldn’t they negotiate while working?” he asked.

Sobolik also predicted a public relations backlash against teachers.

“If I were going to ask the union one thing, I guess I would ask if they are prepared and willing to accept the negative aspects of this for what they are hoping to gain otherwise,” he said. “Will the gains be good enough for the entire community?”

With that, Sobolik and his son gathered up their book (“How Things Work”) and headed back home for the day, but with plans to be back every morning.

“I’d like to see my kids come back in school,” he said. “I’d like to see my teachers come back to school.”

All schools in the Kent School District are closed until the Kent Education Association strike is settled. For more information check www.kentreporter.com for updates.

For further information, or to see the proposals put forth by each side, visit www.kentschools.org (KEA site) or www.kentschooldistrict.org (District site).