The Washington Education Association Political Action Committee (WEA-PAC) has awarded its first-ever Best Educator Outside of the Classroom Award to the Washington Supreme Court.

At its annual meeting in Bellevue, WEA-PAC recognized the Supreme Court for its role in supporting public education through its McCleary school funding decision in 2012. In McCleary, the court found the Legislature is failing to fully fund K-12 education, which is its paramount duty under the Washington Constitution.

“The Supreme Court’s McCleary decision stands as a significant lesson to every student in our state that our Constitution matters, said Mary Lindquist, WEA president. “A constitutional mandate is a mandate – not a suggestion.“

Justices were not invited to accept the award, nor were they notified about it ahead of time.