On Black Friday, braving freezing temperatures and rain, about twenty-five teachers and supporters rallied over a 520 overpass just a block from the Microsoft campus. The rally was to draw attention to the fact that Microsoft is one of many corporations that makes billions in profits but due to loopholes in the taxation system, pays nearly no taxes. Microsoft alone deferred more than $147 million in state sales taxes through a program for high tech businesses and research firms. Combined, the other 90 companies that qualify for the waiver deferred roughly $90 million for the same period.
The rally, put on by the Facebook Group Washington Badass Teachers (BATS), chose Black Friday to draw attention to the fact that many people were paying sales tax on the items they were buying on Black Friday while Microsoft paid next to nothing in taxes. If Microsoft and the other companies paid their taxes, we could fully fund public education.
Bill Gates funded the Common Core Curriculum, a curriculum that has been bought into by school districts across the country and endorsed by Arne Duncan. Yet it was not signed off on by any teacher. What CCC does do is demand that every child learn the same curriculum at the same pace. Schools that don’t “measure up” will subsequently be labeled failures and closed. Teachers will be fired for not adequately teaching and the tax dollars that are supposed to go toward education are going to the private, for-profit companies selling the tests. These same companies pay their CEOs upward of $20 million a year with said tax dollars. If any teacher made that kind of money there would surely be a huge outcry.
A paper mache mask of Bill Gates was worn by a participant and another participant dressed as a Bobby Cop arrested Bill on tax evasion charges.
After the rally, where light up signs were held over the guard rail over the freeway, some headed to a downtown Bellevue park right across the street from the busy Bellevue Square Mall. Here they sang songs and held up the light up signs while the paper mache Bill waved to the busy holiday shoppers.
Many people honked in approval and a couple just threw up their hands in frustration. The lack of participation in this event and the apathy of those around us is a staggering reflection on the fact that so few even bothered to cast a ballot in this past election. People just want to get on with their lives and not have to worry about the atrocities of the world until it effects them personally.
The next BAT sponsored rally will be in Olympia this coming President’s Day. If any legislators are working that day, they will be ascended upon.
– Photos property of Holly Homan all rights reserved.
