Community views on the Bellingham teachers' strike vary, with some people showing support for the teachers and others saying they don't deserve more than the school district is offering.

Those who submitted their views on the subject in response to a Bellingham Herald solicit were about equally split, though they often gave different reasons.

Here are some of the responses received:

'WE ARE ALL OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID'

For the teachers to claim they are victims of injustice is pitiful.

First, the teachers here do not rate very high across the country. They blame the parents if kids don't do well in school. There is very little accountability on their part. Last year, my fourth-grade daughter received "2's" on her first report card in the math section. When I wrote a letter to her teacher asking what was going on, she replied in short "we haven't gone over that yet."

Second, teachers will probably get smaller class size or laid off as more parents wake up and either enroll their kid in home school, private school, job corps or Internet school.

Third, this lifelong Dem will have no choice but to vote Rep to put a stop to this kind of nonsense at an inappropriate time. We are all overworked, underpaid and take work home with us one way or the other. But we tough it out for our kids. Unlike our "kid-loving teachers" who demand time off for "staff learning time." I have a college degree and will be thrilled to do their job for half the pay and enjoy myself thoroughly. Don't worry, I will never go tea party.

— Frank Cirillo

STUDENT WILL STAND BY TEACHERS

As an incoming 10th-grade student at Squalicum High School, I am directly affected by the teacher strike at a level only slightly below the teachers themselves. To be quite frank, it's appalling to me that parents and school district officials are as blind as they are to the plethora of problems that the teachers are facing.

I'm not pro-strike because there's a possibility I'll be given a few extra days off from school, I'm pro-strike because teachers provide the most essential of all civil services, yet class sizes have ballooned, material fees have skyrocketed, and teaching resources have shrunk due to a lack of respect from state legislators and administration. Teachers have been given the short end of the stick for decades now, and whenever they use their collective bargaining rights, I'll be standing by their decision because I feel they've been pushed around for far too long.

- Duncan Ogg

'WRONG TIME TO ASK FOR MORE MONEY'

I am the parent of a third-grade student at Roosevelt Elementary. I am also a former public school teacher, having taught in Seattle and Issaquah public schools prior to having kids. I have been on strike once, in Issaquah. I have a unique perspective on this situation, I think. My take on it is that this is the wrong time for teachers to be asking for more money. They are already getting, via our local levies, the state pay cut added back in to their salary. They should be grateful for that alone and not be asking for any kind of raise. They should feel lucky they have jobs when so many teachers statewide have lost their jobs. This community has done a lot for them, in terms of agreeing to fund two levies. It is selfish and ungrateful of the teachers to be asking for more than they are already getting when they are getting so much more than most school teachers around the country.

I also think the cuts to the parent-teacher conference schedule are fine. Teachers could be creative and use a few of their Wednesday half days to meet with each parent at least once in the year. It does not have to be done only the last week of November. Again, I think the teachers are asking for too much and I am upset that they voted to go on strike.

- Kathy Hennessy

PARENT: TEACHERS 'DESERVE A FAIR CONTRACT'

I have two boys in the Bellingham School district; a sixth-grader at Kulshan Middle School and a fourth-grader at Northern Heights Elementary School. I fully support and respect our teachers' decision in deciding to strike. Our teachers need and deserve to have their conference planning time restored. I know how hard they work both in the classroom and during their personal time for our children and I feel it's only fair that they receive what they are asking for.

My oldest son's class size was on the large side last year with 28 students and his teacher had to work extra hard to try and meet the needs of all of her students. She did a phenomenal job! I do feel though that had she had a smaller class it could have made her work load lighter. She took work home a lot.

I have my fingers crossed that the district will approve a fair contact for our teachers soon. If, however, this strike last for several weeks I will fully support it and plan to picket alongside our teachers. Our Bellingham teachers are amazing and deserve a fair contract and the community's support.

-Lily Salas, PTA vice president, Northern Heights Elementary

TEACHERS 'HAVE NOT DONE THEIR HOMEWORK'

Thankfully, my grandson is a fourth-grader in the Mount Baker district, and he is enjoying school today. This morning I encountered a group of teachers strolling around Fairhaven with picket signs and I asked them what they felt the issues were. No one stopped to help me understand their position. As they passed me by, one young woman with a sign in her hand offered the following curt response:

"We just don't have a firm contract."

Is this how they respond to our children?

Do they even understand what their union is negotiating? I recently worked for three years with no increase in pay yet I still voted to support funding schools. If these "educators" had taken one moment to help me understand I may have spent my morning standing beside them before working my scheduled shift.

After the encounter described above, I am wondering if that 1.9 percent (if it is accessible) would be better spent in ways that would provide materials, specialists or just one more teacher here and there to better serve students.

We all know teachers who are brilliant dedicated professionals who work to empower children. Many take dramatic cuts in pay to teach in the private sector where class size is more manageable and the academic achievements of their students is the only criteria for success.

Since the teachers I encountered would not discuss their reasons for picketing, I have to assume one of two things:

1. The teachers I encountered have not done their homework, which makes the "picket parade" I encountered just a nice walk with friends.

2. The teachers I encountered just want a pay increase in an economy that leaves many individuals, who are just as valuable to our community, unemployed.

- Carol Adams

'LOOK AT WHAT TEACHERS DO FOR KIDS'

My daughter, Cosette (age 8), attends Parkview Elementary School. She is developmentally delayed. As a mother, yes, I'm eager to get school under way. In my home, routine is an absolute must. If routine gets broken, all hell breaks loose. It's not an easy thing to deal with when it comes to children like her.

However, speaking as someone who once dreamed of becoming a teacher, and being related to two teachers (one is retired), I am backing the teachers 100 percent on this strike.

I understand where they are coming from and why they are doing this. I do hope that this situation does get resolved quickly, our children's education is at stake here, but so is the integrity and devotion of our teachers. Our teachers, growing up, fought for us. Now it's time for us to fight for them. Sure, money has always been a big issue.

But, seriously, look at what they DO for their kids!! They take money out of their own pockets to stock up on school supplies and books, toys, etc., depending on what grade they are teaching. Kindergarten-age children, it's mostly toys, arts and crafts, and things like that. The older grades, it all depends on that year's curriculum. They deserve every penny they are given and more.

- Terra Fitzhugh