Lawrence Graham, 29
Laurence Graham Ansel Herz


LAURENCE GRAHAM, 29
Arbor Heights Elementary
Teaches: 2nd grade
Salary: Approximately $52,000

What’s the biggest issue you want to see solved?

My main issue is just equity. I think it's a travesty that because of testing—and that's one of our issues, it's huge—schools on the south end of the city, especially east of us here, are getting 15 minutes of recess. And the brain research has shown that's just unacceptable and our brains don't work that way, just sitting in a classroom hour after hour after hour—without getting some rest time and some unstructured play time and some time to eat and digest your lunch. When we go to lunch, it's lunch and recess. Thirty five minutes in and out. It's tough if that's your only recess. And for some schools that are a greater population of minorities, that's all they get. They get 15 minutes in the day.

I would love to have more. We do we get two of those recesses, 15 minutes each. But that's not enough. We started out bargaining saying 45 minutes minimum. I did come from a school on the north end and we were allowed to take as many as 55 minutes. So in those populations that are mostly wealthy and primarily white, you have that luxury of taking up to 55 minutes for recess in a day. And you know what? Those test scores reflect that. Those schools get those passing grades—whatever that means, you know. Whereas other schools get failing grades because the teachers are struggling to serve students who have a lot of challenges that make it hard to learn. So we're trying to support our students by increasing that equity. Those equity teams that are part of our bargaining—we want those to be in every school and the district wants [only] six...

We just want to give all of our students a fair footing.

Can you afford to live here?

My wife and I both did grad school at UW. Got our masters in teaching, and then went into teaching. She's got a few more years on me. So she's making a few thousand more. And with the two of us, no kids, and a roommate contributing to rent: we can't afford to live in the city. We had to buy in Burien because housing prices were much, much less. So I can't live as close to my school as I want to. I would want to be right in the middle of the community within which I teach. But I can't afford to. Especially with all my loans. We bought a house that's probably at least $125,000 less than what we could find here, and this is a cheaper neighborhood than up north. There's no way we could buy in Viewridge.

What do you think will happen now?

I'm always hopeful that cooler minds will prevail. But so far it seems like our bargaining team is the only one that is bargaining in good faith. So it doesn't look like the district is willing to put their best foot forward. They do those proposals and tweaks at the 11th hour. We want to get back into the classroom and do our work... I would like to think that I can be in my classroom tomorrow morning, but that's up to the school district.


Angie Nall
Sunny Graves Ansel Herz


SUNNY GRAVES, 39
Arbor Heights Elementary
Teaches: 3rd Grade
Salary: Approximately $45,000

Why are you on the picket line today?

Primarily to be supported by the district in being paid for the time that we work. Part of what's happening right now is the district is saying, 'Well, you're not really losing time. You're giving more time to the classroom.' But what people aren't really aware of is that teachers are generally in the building for unpaid hours two hours before, and two hours after, at the least. So we already give lots and lots of hours that are off our so-called punchcard. So it's asking a lot of a group of people who already give a lot.


Angie Nall
Angie Nall Ansel Herz


ANGIE NALL, 39
Arbor Heights Elementary
Teaches: 5th Grade
Salary: Approximately $63,000

What's your main reason for striking?

It's about a fair contract. It's about what our kids need. It's about recess. A lot is being made like it's all about pay, but it isn't just about pay. I don't even know why we're having this conversation. Our support staff being supported and being compensated—they make less than $50,000 a year. A lot of our support staff are hourly. They can't afford to live in Seattle. I also have a masters. My hats are off to people who do it with a bachelors, because it's not a livable wage. It's not.

As you know, the state is unconstitutionally underfunding public schools. Has that had an impact on your school?

Oh goodness, yes! We don't have a full time nurse. We have a part -time librarian. And of course the kids are going to get sick when the nurse isn't there. Why aren't we putting our money in investing in our future? It's not about teachers being greedy and needing more money.


WP_20150909_13_58_35_Pro.jpg
There were lots of honks from drivers for this picket line in West Seattle.Ansel Herz

Incoming freshmen high school students Tristen Verdugo and Dakota Crawlay both have the day off. They were skateboarding and biking around the entrance to the school while their parents—both teachers—walked the picket line. They both said they wish they were in school, but think teachers dont get paid enough.
Incoming freshmen high school students Tristen Verdugo and Dakota Crawlay both had the day off. They were skateboarding and biking around the entrance to the school while their parents—both teachers—walked the picket line. They both said they wish they were in school, but think teachers don't get paid enough. Ansel Herz

This post has been updated.