Editor,

This is an open letter to the Oak Harbor Education Association (teachers’ union):

As I sit here attempting to answer my children’s questions as to why the teachers’ union insists on punishing students and surrendering a once-noble profession to the customary greed and tired extortion tactics of old-fashioned union politics, I am at a loss.

Regardless of what distraction tactics are used, the thin veil of this current scheme cannot hide the attempt to reinvigorate union gravitas by threatening our most vulnerable citizens, our children.

Not only does this scheme punish the children, it also punishes the single parent struggling to make ends meet, the Navy spouse trying to make it through another deployment alone, the nonunion school staff person who cannot work when school is closed and countless caregivers whose stories aren’t so familiar but no less significant.

Shame on the union.

As a parent and taxpayer, I would like to see the attendance sheets from the supposed protesting teachers. If the union leadership chooses to mandate their members play hooky, I and a large number of parents would like to know why this could not happen on a Saturday?

A union-mandated teacher skip day solves nothing but drives a deeper wedge between parents and teachers.

Oak Harbor is blessed with many dedicated, considerate, driven educators who excel in the classroom. Our community is better because of them and their gifts. It would be a shame if they were painted with the same filthy brush that regularly recoats the union.

If the union and its leadership truly care about the students and their needs, they would have collaborated with parents and initiated their call to action before the 11th hour. They would also avoid playing another game of political brinksmanship on the backs of our kids. Not to mention the fact many teachers fear union leadership and will not speak out for fear of retribution.

I would also like to call attention to the orchestrated “vote” that artificially skewed the results as many teachers were previously occupied with after-school activities. Once again, strong-arm tactics by the union leadership would make Al Capone smile.

I call out to parents, educators and support staff to remind the OHEA that they cannot hold our children hostage. I would like to applaud the Anacortes School District for their choice to express their rights without affecting the students or parents.

To express your opinion of this situation, please contact OHEA and state union leaders at the following addresses with your concerns: ohea98277@gmail.com, www.ohea98277.org or www.ourvoicewashingtonea.org

Initially, I hesitated writing this for concern of retribution against my children. I have to have faith in the honorability and nobility of our teachers that this will not happen.

DJ Kowalski

Oak Harbor