D.C. families deserve to know that every public school in this city is a good one—a place where educators want to work, parents want to send their kids, and students can truly thrive. But the reality is that in too many schools across our community, students are struggling because their teachers can’t get the time, tools or respect they need from the district and the city to do their jobs well.

There is a debilitating teacher shortage, which means class sizes are too big and specialized services aren’t available to kids who need them. And a chronic lack of funding means that technology and up-to-date textbooks just aren’t there.

But the money is. The money to provide all those things for our kids—from teachers, nurses and social workers, to books, tablets and other supplies—is there.

Politics are getting in the way. After three years, Mayor Muriel Bowser still won’t agree to a contract with Washington teachers. In some cases, her office has taken months to respond to teachers’ requests to improve teaching and learning conditions in our schools. And when she has, her responses suggest little interest in coming to the table and working with teachers on solutions—just more of the same status quo.

The members of the Washington Teachers’ Union want what kids need. Smaller classes, quality support services and schools full of technology, books and teachers who will help our kids thrive. Join us in telling Mayor Bowser to agree to a contract with the WTU that gives D.C.’s kids the public schools they need to do well.