In the Loop

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  KEA & KSD Joint Communication re: COVID-19

  KEA and KSD are working together to navigate the unprecedented situation that has been presented to us by the COVID-19 crisis. We have a responsibility to continue to serve our students and the greater KSD community. We also must be mindful that this is a difficult time for students and staff alike. As such, we have collaborated to establish expectations for how classroom teachers and support staff will engage our students during this phase of remote learning, effective through April 24.
  
  The highlights of the MOU we have agreed to, which
  you can access by using the "read more" link below, are as follows:
  
  • Classroom teachers will have two choices for established office hours on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday beginning on April 13.
  
  • The remainder of the day on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday will be used by employees to support educational opportunities for students. Any required meetings for compliance purposes and to support student safety and welfare should be scheduled during this time.
  
  • Wednesdays will consist of both principal/district directed time and employee directed time. Any required staff meetings should be held during principal directed time.
  
  We thank everyone for their patience as we worked through this process. These are challenging times and it will take the entire KSD community to provide the support our students and families need. Thank you for your continued commitment to KSD students and families.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Christie Padilla, Kent Education Association President
  Timothy Reynolds, Interim Chief Human Resources Officer

  Read More
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  No Room for Racism in Our Schools

  The expectation of our Kent School District students, parents, staff, and community members is that our schools provide a safe and caring environment where all students are treated with respect. In addition, every school must be staffed with loving, caring adults who value the individual differences in all our students. Unfortunately, sometimes our system is faced with incidences where this is not the case – especially with looking through a racial bias lens.
  
  To address this complicated issue of racism in our schools, we cannot ignore the history of public education. The American public education system in this country from the Mayflower to this very moment never achieved an equitable education system. The structure was designed for centuries to ensure that SOME kids got an excellent education. SOME kids got a fair education. And SOME kids got an education that was an insult to the word “education”. This racist practice goes against our ideals of freedom and equality; and it is our responsibility to fight it.
  
  As union members and educators, we stand united in our support for diversity in our public schools and ensuring that all students are welcomed and supported. The Kent Education Association opposes racism everywhere, including in our classrooms, in our schools, and on social media. We strongly oppose and condemn the racist and bigoted comments recently made on social media by a Kent educator.
  
  It is every educator’s responsibility to deal with incidents such as name-calling, racial slurs and jokes and social media seriously. It is every educator’s responsibility to encourage extracurricular activities where students can explore and celebrate their cultural heritage and backgrounds and individual differences. And it is the responsibility of every educator to call out racism when they see or experience it. Only then will we see improvement towards equality for all.