Union executives in Washington state again failed in their effort to keep children from attending charter public schools.  On Friday, King County Superior Court Judge John Chun threw out the WEA union’s latest lawsuit against the popular independent public schools.

Judge Chun ruled the charter school law passed by the legislature in March 2016 is valid and constitutional.  Governor Inslee initially refused to sign the law but, under pressure from parents, he later relented and let it become law without his signature.

Washington’s charter school families, many of them low-income and marginalized, rejoiced at the news.  This was not the first time WEA union executives had sought to hurt these families.

An earlier hostile lawsuit by the union was initially successful, aided by the political leanings of today’s state supreme court, but that ruling was overturned when lawmakers of both parties passed a new charter school authorization bill last year.

Much of the union’s single-minded opposition to letting children attend charter schools is financial.  These are the only public schools in Washington where union membership for teachers is voluntary.  In seeking to drive families, and teachers, into traditional schools, union executives expect to reap a windfall in mandatory dues and fees.

Since Washington is not a right-to-work state, teachers must pay union executives a portion of their salary each month or be fired.  The financial rewards for the union are apparently irresistible.  Annual dues and fees add up to around $1,000 per year per teacher.   Each year the WEA takes about $38 million from teacher paychecks, most in the form of direct electronic transfers from public budgets to union-held bank accounts.

For the moment, the union’s self-serving legal strategy does not appear to be working.  Each time the union attacks charter school families in the courts, these dedicated families emerge stronger than ever.

In fact, the repeated attacks appear to be backfiring.  Increasingly, the union’s unpopular actions appear aggressive, mean-spirited and backward-looking.  Instead of standing up for children and high-standards of professionalism, the WEA union has taken a stand against children and expanded learning opportunities within public education.

In the meantime, charter schools continue to be popular with families.  For the coming school year, 1,600 children have enrolled, a 30 percent increase over last year. Two-thirds of charter school students are from poor, immigrant and minority families.  To meet growing demand, officials plan to open three more charter schools; in West Seattle, South Seattle and Walla Walla.  

As part of my research work, I will continue to follow the progressive efforts charter schools are making to help children.  Knowing WEA union executives as well as I do, and how much they fear charter schools, I don’t expect them to give up anytime soon.