A portrait of Paul Mullin by photographer Cory Gustason in 2008.
A portrait of Paul Mullin by photographer Cory Gustason in 2008. Cory Gustason

Paul Mullin, who won a Stranger Genius Award in 2008, just sent an email to the school board. He cc'd to state legislators and a variety of local media. The bolds are his.

Dear Seattle School Board:

You are on notice.

Seattle public school parents support the teachers in this strike.

Any support you perceive as having from the moneyed powers-that-be, including the perennially blinkered Seattle Times Editorial Board, and shallow, myopic television coverage avails you not, because…

Seattle public school parents support the teachers.

This will not change. We support them until you agree to fairly fund and support them for the superb jobs they do teaching and caring for our children.

We are now in day 4 of the SEA strike for Seattle Public Schools. During the past months representatives of the district have consistently shown up to bargaining meetings late and unprepared. Anyone in the private sector acting in this manner would be fired! Change your ways and show our educators and children the courtesy, respect and professionalism they deserve as you work to negotiate a contract.

I stand with teachers for as long as it takes to reach an equitable and fair contract.

Dig deep. Show leadership. Resist the temptation to solace yourself with the truth that you will not be in your current position for much longer. Avoid the example of Michael “Heckuva-job-Brownie” Brown during the Katrina catastrophe, who has never lived down his ineptitude. Instead, join the forward progression of history, and CUT THE DEAL.

These messages will continue until you CUT THE DEAL.

Our support for the teachers will not waver and will continue until you CUT THE DEAL.

The pressure on you will only increase until you CUT THE DEAL.

So really, your options are now limited to one. And I trust you can figure out what that option is, but in case you need a clue, it’s…

CUT THE DEAL.

Sincerely,

Paul Mullin
Parent of two sons in the Seattle Public School System