9 days before school starts, Seattle teachers vote no on contract, yes on more negotiating

With less than a week and a half until Seattle Public Schools students are due to return to school, the district and its teachers have yet to reach agreement on a replacement for the contract that expires Saturday (August 31st). Members of the union representing teachers and some other employee groups, the Seattle Education Association, voted “nearly unanimously” against the latest proposal this afternoon, according to an update on the union’s Facebook page. It should be noted, that was NOT a strike vote – the union says they voted “to return to bargaining.” The district listed details of its offer on its website three days ago; tonight, in a statement acknowledging the union’s rejection vote, Superintendent José Banda said, “While we are disappointed that members of the Seattle Education Association did not approve our proposal, we are hopeful that we will reach an agreement that is in the best interests of students prior to the start of school.”

Disgusted August 26, 2013 (8:47 pm)

Not only is the contract still not signed, the district hasn’t had the Source up and running for families since July 11. Now the word is that a new system was being put into place, but that there are problems with it.

-Why was the existing system taken down before the new system was up and running?
-Is student data safe?
-Why can’t families access the new or the old system?
-Has transportation information been sent out?
-Have EOC (End of Course) exam results been sent out?
-Has waitlist information been sent out?

The answer to these questions is NO. Just check http://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/ for more info.

And yet no one at the district is answering any questions or communicating with families. Pathetic. I’m sure the school year is going to get off to a really smooth start. I feel terrible for families and for teachers caught in the middle.
-Disgusted

anomie25 August 26, 2013 (8:59 pm)

Have little sympathy for either side, they need to agree to something and move on. Holding education, students and the public taxpayers hostage is not the way to go.

Mike August 26, 2013 (10:32 pm)

If I was to dink around, in my job, with getting things done like the school district does, I’d be fired. Holding kids education hostage is not okay. They are all public servants, we pay taxes to pay their salaries and benefits. Maybe it’s time parents band together and sue the district. Force them to do their damn jobs.

EduFirst August 26, 2013 (10:50 pm)

What’s sad is most of the public will make ignorant comments on how the teachers and staff don’t put students first. They want what’s best for them too. And having less crowded class sizes is one of the things they fight for. The ignorantls who think the teachers wait until last minute should maybe start talking to their state politicians. They don’t provide budgets until late spring or early summer. The district and teachers won’t know what they have until then to know how to bargain their contracts appropriately.

Teacher August 26, 2013 (11:54 pm)

Disgusted- Thank you for putting the blame squarely on the district as opposed to those of us in the classroom.
We are all just as much in the dark.
It seems every year they choose these last few days of summer to make big switches in their computer system, never with good results.
It’s like H&R Block changing computer systems in the middle of tax season.

LiveBetterWorkUnion August 27, 2013 (5:21 am)

They do not have a contract with their critical maintenance employees either. Expires Aug 31st. You know, electricians, plumbers, electronics, etc. No big deal, right???

Nick August 27, 2013 (6:25 am)

Nice wait a week before school starts. Both sides are ignorant in my opinion. The proposal on the website seems fair. The district should have taken care of this months ago also. personally think a 7.5 hour workday is bs our students need more instruction time not less. Teachers also generally don’t work in the summer and seem to have a lot of planning days and early dismissal days as well that are for planning.

kayo August 27, 2013 (7:29 am)

I heard bus notices were just sent out and should be arriving in next couple of days. I hope they can come to an agreement because school really needs to start!

Mark August 27, 2013 (7:41 am)

Charter schools are starting to look not so bad now.

BMC August 27, 2013 (8:37 am)

I believe the district has proposed class sizes close to or exceeding 30 students for the mid-elementary grades. This is unreal. Think back 20+ years and this never would’ve been dreamed of. Thank you teachers for thinking of the students.

NeighborMom August 27, 2013 (9:05 am)

As the mom of a child who is starting kindergarten, this is not a good first experience with the district. I was told that without the Source system, the schools and teachers have very little information about the kids they’ll welcome next week — that is, IF there’s a contract in place by the 4th!

I am 100% for teachers. In my experience, they’re the ones who hold the kids’ needs close to their hearts.

Edufirst August 27, 2013 (9:11 am)

Nick – there’s where the ignorance lies. Teachers are not paid for their non-work during the summer. Many have to use the summer to maintain their credentials and plan for next year.
The extended day? Remember that when you are told at work that you are now required to stay at work another 2 hours a days for free.
Don’t forget about the evaluation issues the district wants. They want to unfairly pick on 4th grade and 10th grade teachers by adding extra evaluations.
Speaking of evaluations… They want to hold teachers responsible by evaluations and testing using results that make no sense or parity. How would you feel having to be accountable to keep your class students testing at an expected level, when some come in the class from other districts or private schools at a lower point than they should? What about students coming in mid-year that are not at the expected level coming in? What about students with special needs or learning disabilities? The district doesn’t care and unfairly holds us responsible with no type of fair handicapping that takes that into consideration. It doesn’t do good for us, nor your children.

Trickycoolj August 27, 2013 (9:35 am)

@BMC in 1996 my 6th grade class had 36 students. From January to June we got one new student a month from the new housing developments in Spanaway. We had 1 teachers’ aide for the boy that couldnt read (by 6th grade). My elementary school had 600-700 kids and 8 portables. It was more than common 20 years ago. We almost went to year round school. SPS doesn’t realize how good they have it. By junior high the school couldn’t buy white paper for our worksheets. There was only 30 history books per teacher. Teach 5 history classes? Too bad, students can’t take books home. 5 students assigned to a book, 1 per class period. We made do. I learned more there than I did in high school.

Lina Rose August 27, 2013 (9:36 am)

Thank you teachers for your hard work and incredible dedication in this time of hard budget cuts and near constant change. There many teachers in my life right now and you know where they have been all week, in their classrooms, getting ready for school to start, ON THEIR OWN TIME. That’s right, not compensated for all the time they put in at school last week and much of this week.

@Nick, when would you propose that teachers write lesson plans, do report cards, grade work etc. if teaching time is increased? At home? After dinner with their own families? Actually, that happens already – every week. Clearly, you must not have any teachers in your close circle of friends or family or else you would know that what you have written is not an accurate portrayal of the job of teaching our children. And, if you think the proposal is fair, why don’t you walk into a classroom of 30 students and try to hold it together with minimal resources day after day. I think you would emerge with a little more gratitude and a lot less judgment about the incredible feats our teachers perform in our community.

Let’s show some support for our teachers, they are working so hard with an incredible amount of pressure and judgement put upon them. They spend more time with our kids each week then we do at home, isn’t it about time we gave them they support they deserve?

kayo August 27, 2013 (10:33 am)

Amen Lina Rose! I am amazed at the dedication and hard work of the teachers I know and all this without a pay raise in years. It is one of the toughest jobs out there. Having watched my Special Ed teacher sister jump through all sorts of hoops to get a master’s degree, certification, etc, all on her own dime and in her “time-off” (and while parenting young children), I have nothing but respect and admiration for the dedication it must take to stick with it. And all that for a job that is very hard and not very well compensated, although incredibly important.

SPS Teacher August 27, 2013 (4:37 pm)

@Nick As a teacher, it really sadden me and almost brought tears to my eyes reading your comment. My entire summer this year was spent working on school related stuff. I was in my classroom at least once a week in July and 4 days in the month of August. I am not complaining because this is what I love to do. I want to just clarify your misunderstanding that teachers do not work during summer because we do indeed. I just hope you realize that we want what is best for our kids and your kids.

add August 27, 2013 (4:57 pm)

Just received via email from SPS:
Families,
The Seattle Education Association (SEA), which represents teachers, rejected the district’s latest contract proposal. They plan to meet again on September 3 to vote on whatever the proposal is at that time.
With the start of school on September 4, we are encouraging families to develop back up plans should Seattle Public Schools not open on time.
We realize the impact a labor strike would have on our families. We are working with child care providers and the City of Seattle to develop options for your students in the event school is not in session on September 4. Those resources, along with other information, will be posted tomorrow at http://www.seattleschools.org. We will send you additional messages as new information is available.
Again, we are working to reach an agreement with teachers, but it is possible that school will not start on September 4. Please visit http://www.seattleschools.org for additional information.
Thank you for your patience and support during this time.
Seattle Public Schools
Office of Public Affairs

SPS Teacher Too August 28, 2013 (6:29 am)

“Teachers employed full time worked 24 fewer minutes per weekday and 42 fewer minutes per Saturday than other full-time professionals. On Sundays, teachers and other professionals worked, on average, about the same amount of time.”

Teachers may work during summer, but they work far less than other professionals. I loved returning to meetings yesterday and hearing teachers complain about having to get up early again after two and a half months of sleeping in.

And for those who claim Seattle teachers don’t make enough, average teacher pay with benefits in the district is about $92,000.

http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2008/03/art4full.pdf

http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/facts/key-facts-about-seattle-public-schools

SPS Teacher Too August 28, 2013 (6:38 am)

SPS Teacher, I was in my classroom since the last week of July, and daily since the first week of August, but you and I are outliers (although your eight days of work this summer may not be that exceptional) In my building, I saw only one other teacher in his or her classroom before we were contractually obligated to return. With a staff of about 50, that means about 4% worked in their room in August. Yes, some went to some brief PD, but the Bureau of Labor and Statistics has found that reality differs from the mythology of overworked teacher:
“Teachers employed full time worked 24 fewer minutes per weekday and 42 fewer minutes per Saturday than other full-time professionals. On Sundays, teachers and other professionals worked, on average, about the same amount of time.”
Teachers may work during summer, but they work far less than other professionals. I loved returning to meetings yesterday and hearing teachers complain about having to get up early again after two and a half months of sleeping in.
And for those who claim Seattle teachers don’t make enough, average teacher pay with benefits in the district is about $92,000.
http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2008/03/art4full.pdf

phil dirt August 28, 2013 (7:51 am)

When I was a public school student, 30-35 students in the classroom was the norm. Of course, things were different then. Teachers actually had some control over discipline, but most importantly, the typical student knew who his father was, spoke English and parents expected their child to act like a student. When I acted up and disturbed the learning environment, the “board of education” was vigorously applied to my rear end. After I arrived home, I got another application of the same treatment from my father. Today, 20 students in a class can often be a real challenge. If I was a teacher today, I would tell parents to send their children to a private school, if possible.

Sorry, comment time is over.