LETTER: Support our teachers and students

To the Editor, 

There was a buzz in the air that something special was going to happen at the ML school board meeting Sept. 18. I decided to go. 

As I pulled into the Columbia Basin Tech driveway, I was surprised to see so many people and cars. What’s going on?  I parked and went in and took a seat at the board meeting. A few moments later, many people in red shirts streamed in. Well over a hundred. Ah — all the buzz was on point. 

The board business proceeded — many deserving groups were recognized, then came the nitty-gritty.  

I soon learned that all those wearing red shirts were our teachers, requesting that some very important changes be made at the 10 elementary schools to benefit our kids. Things in place — long ago, regarding school library, music, PE — particulars I’m not quite sure of.  

Must be really important to the teachers. Wasn’t the bond issue what this was about? 

In June, everyone assumed that when school started in August, the start time would go to the old time of years gone by. The high school and middle school did. But not so with the elementary schools. Should be 9 a.m., but it’s 9:30 a.m. That half-hour may not seem like much, but totaled it’s about 74 hours of missed classroom time. It has been requested that the start time be 9 a.m. The teachers are not asking for any compensation for that appropriate change.  

Consequently, I have written my letter to the school board, supporting the position of our teachers. I hand-delivered it to the main office at 1620 S. Pioneer Way, Moses Lake.  

While there, I requested the website of the school district where comments to the school board could be submitted. Here it is: 

ML School District website, mlsd161.org > About school board > Submit comments here >  

Please support our teachers and kids. 

Joan Green
AKA: Grandma Green
Moses Lake