Comment: As a Bellevue School District parent, classroom volunteer and PTA board member, I unequivocally support our wonderful teachers. I also vehemently oppose this strike.

There is no question that the strike is illegal. And there is also no question that the district has no legal obligation to bargain over the curriculum. Establishing curriculum is within the complete discretion of the district. If the Bellevue Education Association wishes to influence curriculum standards, then it should seek to change the make up of the school board by using the candidate election process.

As for compensation, I think we all agree that teachers should be better paid. Bellevue teachers are some of the best paid in the region but still deserve more. However, there is only so much money to go around and the district must balance its budget.

Rather than holding the parents and students hostage to a labor dispute, the union should lobby the Legislature to fully fund basic education. If the Legislature provided sufficient funding as required under the state Constitution, then this labor dispute would not even exist.

Jennifer S. Robertson