DON BRUNELL, for The Columbian

Last year, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed legislation delaying the math portion of the WASL (Washington Assessment of Student Learning) until 2013, saying the education system needed more time to get its act together and find enough qualified math and science teachers. That is what teachers union leaders and many public school administrators wanted, and that’s what they got.

Math and science education is limping along as it is. Now, our state’s stiff collective-bargaining laws have killed a proposal that would have improved students’ math and science skills, as well as teacher training programs. 

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