This afternoon, Wenatchee School District’s teachers will vote for or against a district-wide walkout in an effort to band together with other districts in the state and encourage the legislature to fully fund basic education.

The voting for staff will be held from 3:30 to 6 p.m. today at Washington Elementary School.

“Many teachers across the state are trying to find a way to catch the legislature’s attention,” WHS English teacher and Wenatchee Education Association lead negotiator Chris Cloke said. “Almost every teacher has lost pay or has had their pay stagnated. A teacher who has been teaching in the district has lost over $30,000 over the last six years. A teacher who is new in the district has lost about $18,000 in the six-year period of time. Writing to the legislature, going to meetings with the people who represent us, and writing letters to them has been ineffective.”

So far, the Wenatchee Education Association Executive Board and Rep Council groups have voted in favor of the walkout, but now it’s up to the entire membership to decide. Of the voting members, 60 percent or more of those voting must vote in favor in order to initiate the walkout, according to English teacher and WenEA high school rep Neil Zobel.

“At present, there have been more than 10 local unions that have done this in the state and each has received support from their administration,” Zobel said. “We have had two state votes that show that the voters say Washington state needs to fully fund education. We have a Supreme Court decision that tells the legislature they need to fully fund education. At this point in time, the legislature is not fully funding education.”

Districts across the state are considering, if not already voting, on a walkout, including Tri-Cities, Eastmont, Moses Lake, Ephrata, Spokane, and others. The walkouts are being called “rolling walkouts,” so each district can plan accordingly and show support to the legislature.

“There is movement to decide about participating in Eastern Washington, so that’s exciting,” WenEA President Kris Cameron said.

If teachers vote for the walkout, the missed day would be made up similarly to a snow day, meaning that school would end on June 12 instead of June 11. If approved, Cameron said the union will work hard in conjunction with Wenatchee School District to provide enough advance notice to the community to plan for a day of canceled classes. Activities would be planned for teachers and classified staff to participate in.