Correction: School funding lawsuit oral arguments scheduled for June 28 at state supreme court

NEWS - Network for Excellent in Washington Schools - filed suit against the state of Washington in 2007 for not adequately funding public education.  NEWS currently has 354 member organizations, including 171 school districts representing 83% of Washington's public school students.  Included in the membership is the Shoreline School District and the Shoreline Education Association.

Reprinted from the NEWS website

"The most significant court action in a generation on behalf of Washington's public school students reaches the Washington State Supreme Court on June 28.

"NEWS filed the suit in January 2007 on behalf of the McCleary and Venema families. What's become known as McCleary v. State was heard in a seven-week trial in King County Superior Court in the fall of 2009. The trial judge issued the court's final ruling in February 2010 - holding that NEWS had proven its case on virtually every point. The court declared that the State of Washington was in violation of its constitutionally mandated "paramount duty" to amply provide for the education of all children in our State.

"The State promptly appealed and has taken the position that it does not have to comply with the court's ruling until the Washington Supreme Court rules on the appeal. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the appeal on Thursday, June 28, at 1:30 p.m., in the Temple of Justice in Olympia.

"Although the courtroom can accommodate only a small group of spectators - which will include the McCleary and Venema families and several school children - you can still watch the proceedings without traveling to Olympia. TVW plans to broadcast the hearing live. Just visit the TVW website and click on Live TV. NEWS also will send out a 'News from NEWS' e-report on the hearing later that day.

"America's founding fathers established a separate judicial branch to assure that the courts would require the government to obey the Constitution if the legislative or executive branches failed to do so," says Mike Blair, president of NEWS and former superintendent of the Chimacum School District. "We are confident that our Supreme Court will do exactly that: Order the Legislature to live up to the State's paramount duty under the Washington Constitution to provide ample funding to educate all children. No more drastic budget cuts, no more struggles to give Washington children the education they deserve."

"When the State Supreme Court firmly upholds this landmark ruling, it will change the way Washington funds K-12 public education forever," added Thomas Ahearne, lead attorney for NEWS."