King County Superior Court Judge Andrea Darvas ruled this morning the Kent Education Association’s strike was illegal.

She also ruled the Kent teachers need to be back in the classroom Tuesday.

Classes are scheduled to begin Wednesday.

“The strike by the Kent Education Association is not lawful,” Darvas said, noting the union was asking her to create new law by asking her to support its strike.

She stated that she ruled on precedent.

“I am bound by the items enacted by your state Legislature,” she said, noting that state law does not allow public employees to strike.

She also sided with the school district’s claim the strike was causing harm to the students, parents and other employees of the district.

In the court filing against union, the district argued that the strike was illegal under Washington State law and that because it has or will cause irreparable harm to the students, parents and employees of the district, the court should grant injunctive relief demanding the teachers lay down their pickets and go back to work.

The union argued the strike was not illegal and even if it were, the burden of proof for proving irreparable harm falls to the district and it hasn’t yet met that standard.

Kent Education Association has scheduled a general membership meeting today from 2:30-4:30 p.m. in the gym at the main campus of Green River Community College, 12401 S.E. 320th St., Auburn.

A blog post on the association Web site stated the union will meet and decide the next steps to take.