School is finally back in session following an extra seven days of summer break for students in the Camas School District (CSD) thanks to the first-ever strike in district history.
On August 28, 2023, the Camas Education Association (CEA) educators walked the picket lines instead of the school hallways, effectively postponing the first day of school throughout the CSD. The strike came after CEA and district leaders could not agree on a finalized contract for the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. Students did not return to class until Friday, September 8, after educators voted on a tentative agreement the day before.
Photo courtesy: CEA Facebook
Teachers organized protests by picketing and marching during the strike, in which all supporters could join. Students and families walked the picket line with teachers, sometimes out in front of Camas High School (CHS) or at the district headquarters by Doc Harris.
Now that school is back in session, teachers and administrators are excited to start the year at CHS. Still, students need clarification on the causes and outcome of the strike after many misconceptions.
An experienced union member, Mark Gardner, teaches at Hayes Freedom High School (HFHS) after working at CHS for 11 years. He addressed the confusion while detailing an educator’s point of view toward the strike.
“Students need to know that [missed] days will be made up … Students will still get their full experience and opportunity to take all their classes,” Gardner said.
As for how the CSD plans to make up the days, CSD Superintendent John Anzalone and the CEA union thought ahead to ensure all CSD students get their promised educational hours.
“We’ll work to utilize makeup days embedded in the school year as opposed to adding days to the end of the year in June,” Anzalone said. “This approach aims to reclaim instructional days without impacting graduation.”
Parents and students alike shared some confusion about the union’s goals during the strike, which Gardner further explained.
“We weren’t asking for more money. We were asking to make kindergarten and other classes smaller. [The compensation teachers make for oversized classes] is very minimal. We want to make a better environment for students,” Gardner said.
Many community members worried about the district’s comments that teachers asked for more than the CSD could afford.
In a message sent to parents and students over ParentSquare, Anzalone said, “CEA’s current monetary demands are unsustainable. Their demands would exhaust all state and local revenue sources and deplete all current reserves in the second year of the contract.”
However, the consensus from the union was that a poor district was impossible.
“There’s misconceptions out there that we’re going to bankrupt the school, but the only way that would happen is basically a zombie apocalypse. The district would only be bankrupt in 18 months if the state of Washington stops paying for public schools,” Gardner said.
Following the ratification of the tentative agreement, there are smaller classes, new funding for programs, and a teacher pay increase.
Now that everyone has returned to work, staff and students are excited to get back in the groove of the school routine.
“I’m excited to have everybody back in the building and get day one rolling,” CHS Dean of Students Darci Jones said. “It’s been great to see everybody’s faces and get the 2023-2024 school year going.”
“I know we all want the same thing: students in the building and learning as soon as possible,” CHS Associate Principal Owen Sanford said. I know everybody did and is doing the best they can given their role and job.”
Looking back on the teacher strike, staff members believe the negotiations went well and are happy with the outcome.
“The teachers were very organized and did a great job,” CHS Principal Kelly O’Rourke said. “No one likes a strike, but it was long enough for the teachers to stand in solidarity for what they wanted. I think it went much better than it could have.”
Some teachers said that while they did not want to be on strike, the experience had some silver linings.
“It was so nice to feel like we have colleagues and hear what other people experienced in their jobs.” CHS Choir teacher Ethan Chessin said, “I feel much more connected and together with the staff.”
Despite the delay of the first day, the Camas community seems relieved to be back to normality and is excited to see what the 2023-2024 school year brings.