Public education is the heartbeat of our society, and we’re failing | Opinion

I am a proud educator in Bellingham Public Schools, a Birch Bay resident, and a mother of a Blaine High School student. For 26 years I have stood at the foundation of our communities by serving as an educator, and today I am watching that foundation crumble under the weight of legislative neglect. This is not just an educator’s plea — this is a community emergency that affects every single one of us, whether we realize it or not.

The Crisis Is Real and Immediate

Once again, our state budget has betrayed public education. School districts across Washington are not making difficult decisions — they are making impossible ones. They are cutting essential services when there is nothing left to cut. They are eliminating vital programs that change lives. They are reducing personnel when schools are already stretched beyond capacity. This is not sustainable nor acceptable. This is not the Washington we deserve.

Public education is not a special interest — it is the heartbeat of our society. When that heartbeat weakens, everything suffers. According to 2026 OSPI data, 90% of all school-aged Washingtonians attend public schools. These are our future physicians, engineers, teachers, farmers, therapists, and leaders. When we underfund their education, we are quite literally defunding our own future.

Why This Matters to You — Yes, You

Perhaps you don’t have children in public schools. Perhaps your children attend private school or are homeschooled. Perhaps you’re an empty nester or have no children at all. Here’s the truth: public education still impacts your daily life. It determines the quality of your health care providers, the competence of your local services, the economic vitality of your community, and the safety of your neighborhoods. Public education is the only vehicle that ensures equity for all children — the only system that guarantees every child, regardless of zip code or family income, has access to education, enlightenment, and advancement. When public education thrives, communities thrive. When it crumbles, we all pay the price.

Your Voice Is the Solution

I am asking you — no, urging you — to act today. Our state leaders need to hear from you, not just from educators. They need to hear from business owners whose future workforce is being undermined. They need to hear from retirees whose property values depend on strong schools. They need to hear from parents, neighbors and community members who understand that a society cannot function without a strong educational foundation.

Here’s what you can do right now:

Contact your legislators immediately. Find them at leg.wa.gov/legislature. Call their offices, send emails and demand they prioritize public education funding in the state budget. Be specific: tell them you oppose cuts to essential services, programs, and personnel. Tell them you expect them to protect the 90% of Washington students who depend on public schools.

Attend school board meetings and speak during public comment. Show up and let your local leaders know you are watching and you care. Your presence matters more than you know.

Share this message with your networks. Post on social media, talk to your neighbors, discuss it at community gatherings. The more voices that join this chorus, the harder we become to ignore.

Vote for candidates who prioritize education funding. Hold your elected officials accountable at every level — local, state, and federal. Make education funding a non-negotiable issue in every election.

The Time Is Now

If the foundation falls, the entire structure collapses. We are at that breaking point. This is not hyperbole — this is reality. Our small seaside communities, our vibrant cities, and our great state depend on the strength of our public schools. We have a sacred responsibility to the 90% of Washington’s children who walk through public school doors every day. They deserve better. We deserve better. Washington deserves better.

Stand with me. Speak up. Take action. The future of our communities — and our children — depends on what we do right now.

Ruwani Brohier is the 2026 Washington State Regional Teacher of the Year for the Northwest Educational District 186.