Aside from the fact that Seattle teachers are very well-paid, with generous benefits that no one in the private sector can match, the state of Education is parlous all over Washington. In spite of their great pay packages, Seattle teachers still wait until the last moment before school starts to vote on their union packages, and for the past five years they have gone on (illegal) strike, holding children and parents hostage to their unfair and unnecessary “demands”. Add to that, the fact that the quality of instruction has plummeted all over the state, the worst in Seattle. Standardized test scores have been trending downward since I left the Seattle school system in 1967, with the trend accelerating with the increasingly Leftist curriculum neglecting basic skills like reading, writing, and math, in favor of environmentalism and Diversity.
The Democrats in Olympia passed bills recently that remove the rights of parents to control their children’s education, emphasizing acceptance of “trans kids” and LGBTQ education starting in kindergarten. Twice the people of the state have purchased citizen initiatives on the ballot to restore parents rights, and the first time it was defeated. This year, a new initiative is on the ballot, and a State Senator describes the return of the rights of Parents as “Outing Our Kids.” Yep, the elected officials are in favor of the Schools being able to “socially transition” kids with NO parental notification or consent, and encouragement of youngsters before puberty “coming out” as homosexual. The state law passed recently declares that at age 13, children may seal their own medical records from their parents, and even be referred for abortions with no parental notification or consent.
Here’s an interesting case taking place right now.
“Inclusive” Education Curriculum
Averkiev v. Lake Washington School District
A Washington State father repeatedly asked to opt his son out of LGBTQ instruction, but the Lake Washington School District refused. The district implements LGBTQ “inclusive curricula” and requirements that conflict with Konstantin Averkiev’s faith.
Washington father sues school district for denying religious opt-out from LGBTQ instruction
ADF attorneys file suit against Lake Washington School District on behalf of Kirkland parent
Sept. 9, 2026
SEATTLE – Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against the Lake Washington School District on behalf of a Washington father who has repeatedly asked to opt his son out of LGBTQ instruction only to be refused.
Konstantin Averkiev is a Christian with sincere religious beliefs about sex, gender, and marriage that he seeks to instill in his young son, who attends an elementary school in the Lake Washington School District. The district covers the cities of Kirkland and Redmond, east of Seattle. The district implements LGBTQ “inclusive curricula” and requirements that conflict with Averkiev’s faith.
“Parents have the fundamental right to direct their children’s religious upbringing and education, even at school,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson, director of the ADF Center for Parental Rights. “Washington State officials can’t force parents like Mr. Averkiev to give up that right or accept a burden on their children’s religious upbringing in exchange for the benefit of public education. Our Constitution forbids schools from indoctrinating children with the government’s views on sexuality and gender—hotly debated and sensitive topics—that substantially undermine their religious upbringing.”
In 2025, when his son began fourth grade, Averkiev met with his son’s teacher and asked that his son be excused from all LGBTQ instruction based on his religious beliefs. The teacher agreed. Yet in June of this year, Averkiev discovered that his son received a Pride Month lesson that discussed gender-change surgery. Averkiev was given no notice or opportunity to opt his son out of this lesson. So he wrote the principal, but received no response.
With his son starting fifth grade this fall, Averkiev then wrote the district with the help of ADF attorneys, requesting to opt his son out of LGBTQ-related instruction and requirements—including individual counseling sessions and the compelled use of biologically inaccurate pronouns. The district rejected nearly all of his requests. The only opt-out the district granted—for sex-education curriculum and surveys—are required by state law.
But as the lawsuit explains, Averkiev’s constitutional rights are not so limited. Under the First and 14th Amendments, they extend to every lesson or school requirement that would undermine the religious beliefs and practices he wishes to instill in his son. The district’s refusal to honor his request is unconstitutional.
ADF attorneys filed Averkiev v. Lake Washington School District in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.
—oOo—
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
What do you think the teachers were doing over the past summer?
MUCH WORSE THAN YOU THOUGHT
Washington Education Association (WEA) + Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
July 24, 2026
DEI is REQUIRED by state law for teacher certification/renewal.
DEI is also required for adminstrative, staff, and board members.
State government employee union classes focused on micro-aggressions this summer.
Other eligible courses took place inside Socialist Party’s HQ.
Per Trump’s executive order, this is ILLEGAL. But that never meant anything to the Washington teachers, they just do it anyway.
They hid the graduation rate for a reason.
EVERYTHING IN WA STATE IS FRAUDULENT!!
That +20.2 ELA and +24.2 math “jump” is not kids suddenly reading and calculating. OSPI moved the goalposts.
Old column = met standard (Level 3–4). New column = “foundational or above” (Level 2+3+4).
Real proficiency is still about 51% ELA and ~41–44% math. Not 71% and 63%.
Meanwhile the diploma they don’t want on the graphic:
- Class of 2023: 83.6%
- Class of 2024: 82.8%
- Class of 2025: 82.6%
Down. Two years in a row.Enrollment: −2,712 Per-pupil spend: $18,287 → $19,3474-year grad rate: not up
Class of 2026: “check back in October”
Bigger budget. Softer test label. Weaker diploma trend.
If the kids were really ahead, the graduation number would be on the poster.
OSPI Report Card + OSPI graduation measure PDF. Not a press release.
WHAT ISN’T DOWN: CHRIS REYKDAL (PAID TO FAIL & LIE)- Creepy as hell Supt. Salary 2017: $134,212 → 2026: $175,200 +$40,988 / +30.5% Mrs Creepy: WIFE KIM Reykdal –
@waOSPIDept of Grad $90k-$134k
When the Facts don’t go their way, the Left always moves the goal posts, to make it look like they are having a positive effect on whatever program. But it never works.
Here’s one important issue. Washington State and all its large cities are Sanctuaries for Illegal Aliens, who come here, take American jobs for low pay, get Medicaid at State taxpayer expense, and put their non-English-speaking kids in public schools. Maybe that is having an effect on the achievement of all students.
I read that 30% of the students in the school system of my small city are foreigners. That surely affects how teachers teach, when so many students start with a language deficit. Here’s an interesting comparison.
ARKANSAS
“Student test scores and proficiency have gone up significantly. They’ve raised the minimum teacher salary and created performance-based bonuses, and they have taken the important step of banning classroom teachings related critical race theory, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexually explicit materials.”
Q. Why can’t Washington State do THIS?
A. Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Chris Reykdal and Washington State Democrats won’t do it.
Washington State is a Trifecta, one party, Democrat-controlled totalitarian state.
Washington students are falling behind under the leadership of state Democrats.
Despite spending close to $20,000 annually per student, 4th grade reading test scores in Washington have declined every year since 2015, according to the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress. The assessment measures 4th and 8th grade reading and math proficiency.
Reading proficiency by 3rd grade is widely recognized as a critical milestone, because students who cannot read proficiently by then are far more likely to struggle across all subjects in later grades.
Meanwhile, states like Mississippi, which have adopted data-driven reforms like those proposed by Rep. Michael Keaton, R-South Hill, have seen significant gains in academic outcomes.
Mississippi went from 50th in the nation for 4th grade reading to 7th, passing Washington for the first time ever.
During the 2025 session, Rep. Keaton introduced House Bill 1832 – the Building Opportunities for Student Success (BOSS) Act – to address learning loss and declining test scores.
Needless to say, that bill didn’t make it out of committee in the Democrat-dominated legislature.
When things go badly for Washington students, the Administrators and Teachers Unions circle the wagons, and demand higher pay and smaller class sizes. Due to substandard results (even with schools spending more than $20,000 per student!), more and more parents are pulling their kids out of public schools entirely, sending them to private or parochial schools, or home-schooling them. Every year, school taxes rise, teachers are better-paid, and students suffer. This cannot go on, but Washington voters continue to vote for the Democrats who are failing their children and locking parents out.
Calling-all-RushBabes 