SCHOOL STRIKE: Seattle Education Association picketing begins as negotiating continues; no school Thursday

(WSB photo, Sanislo Elementary)

9:54 AM: Hours after the Seattle Education Association announced a strike – authorized in a vote announced 12 hours before that – many of its members are out picketing. We stopped at three local schools in the first hour. Above, Sanislo Elementary on Puget Ridge drew TV crews because SEA announced that’s where president Jennifer Matter would be in the early going. We talked with her briefly there; she said negotiations are continuing and had been for much of the night:

The union has dubbed this the “Strike for Student Supports” because a key issue, as Matter noted, is staffing levels as the district moves special education into a more-inclusive model; one of the hand-lettered picket signs on view at Sanislo said the school has a nurse one day a week, From there we went to adjacent Chief Sealth International High School and Denny International Middle School. Sealth picketers walked along busy SW Thistle and drew frequent honks from passing drivers.

(WSB photo, Chief Sealth IHS)

To the north, Denny picketers walked a line in a mostly residential neighborhood.

(WSB photos above and below, Denny IMS)

The union says picketing will continue 7:30 am-3:30 pm daily for as long as the strike – their first one since 2015 – lasts. The two sides have been negotiating since early June. Union bargaining info is here; district info is here. We’re headed out to some other West Seattle schools shortly.

11:51 AM: Just back from four more schools. Picketing video from each of the seven schools we’ve gone to this morning is on our Twitter feed at @westseattleblog. Our fourth stop was Alki Elementary:

At Alki we talked with building strike leader Julie Calkins, a fifth-grade teacher who is in her 16th year at the school. “We are feeling unsupported,” she said.

She spoke of issues including the need to keep caseload caps. And yes, salary is an issue, she said, but primarily for the lowest-paid workers in the union, office staff and paraprofessionals – the higher-paid educators are “looking out for” them. She added, “We want to be in our building … (but) we feel we have no choice” but to strike. She encourages people to read information on the SEA website about where they stand.

Next we went to West Seattle High School:

Teacher Jennifer Hall told us she and colleagues had worked through the Labor Day weekend to set up their classrooms so things are ready to go whenever this ends.

She also spoke about the importance of keeping caselaad caps – “if caps are removed, we can’t give the students the services they need” – and the need for more support in areas such as mental health. Hall described WSHS as a “very unified school” where educators are determined to fight for respect. “This isn’t lots of fun.”

From there, to Madison Middle School:

Sixth-grade teacher Kara Kreider – who’s been teaching for 20 years – talked with us about the perception that the district isn’t supporting the priorities it has given voice to. “We’ve had so many district trainings” about inclusion, for example. But teachers feel the contract proposal doesn’t offer support for turning training into reality. Also a concern, collaborative planning time – two hours a month, Kreider said – that would be taken away. “We need inclusion to be done in a thoughtful way.” As with other schools we visited, striking educators had support from students, some there to picket with them.

Before heading back to HQ, we stopped by the West Seattle Elementary interim site at Schmitz Park:

WSES is here for a second year while the addition to their High Point building is completed. … One more photo, texted by Althea, showing the Fairmount Park Elementary strikers:

If the strike continues tomorrow, we’ll visit some of the West Seattle schools we didn’t get to today. We’re continuing to monitor for updates from the two sides regarding bargaining and day-to-day school status – no updates today yet.

4:15 PM: The district says negotiations continue but classes are officially canceled Thursday too. (We’ll have a separate update this evening.)

ST September 7, 2022 (11:31 am)

I am hoping for a quick resolution to this strike. I am fortunate enough to be in a position where I have some flexibility to work from home with young kids that should be in school today and who were excited about being in school today. I cannot imagine what it is like for parents who work in other industries (e.g., service, health care, construction) who cannot do their jobs from home and cannot find or afford outside child care. Hopefully, SPS and SEA will find some common ground soon. This is not good for students already suffering from learning deficits caused by remote/hybrid learning and working parents (especially those in service positions) who are trying to juggle child care and their jobs. Hopefully, both sides will give a little and this will resolve amicably … today.

local September 7, 2022 (1:17 pm)

I second your notion.
DR September 7, 2022 (6:53 pm)

In the lead up to the strike, the district apparently no-showed to two straight days of negotiations. They are not negotiating in good faith – they wanted this fight and now they are getting it. Teachers are not to blame here.

Watertowerjim September 7, 2022 (12:30 pm)

Just drove by a Holy Rosary. Kids playing outside at recess just like they were Fall of 2020 when public schools were shuttered.Don’t go into teaching then complain about your salary. It’s been this way for decades. No excuses.

Tracey September 7, 2022 (2:57 pm)

Thank you Jim. Teaching has always been a lifestyle job. The schedule has always been a huge selling point for the profession. A M-F schedule with every holiday and summer off? For that freedom you accept lower compensation. Although, one could argue that a reasonable salary with good benefits and a guaranteed pension plan is not lower compensation at all. Everything needs to be accounted for in calculating “compensation”.
- carole September 7, 2022 (5:30 pm)
  
  My daughter-in-law is a fourth grade teacher, not in the Seattle school system but in one of the suburban schools. This idea of Monday to Friday and three to four months of summers off is a joke. She is in her classroom all day, she spends several hours each evening on grading and lesson planning, she spends at least one full weekend day in her classroom setting up and preparing for the following week. All while raising her own family. When your students are done with the school year in late June the teachers are still there wrapping up and stowing away everything for the next year up to 10 more days. That puts them pretty close to the 4th of July. She was back in her classroom in early August setting up again because all she had were empty bookcases, empty shelves, empty desks, nothing on the walls. No pencils, crayons, paper, erasers, etc., supplied. She had to rearrange desks to accommodate 28 students, had to set up the bookshelves with books that she had accumulated over past years (purchased by her or donated by friends and family), went out and spent $600 on basic supplies for her kids and a whiteboard and math, science and language learning aids to hang on the walls. She was also able to obtain additional materials through a program Amazon has selling teaching supplies at a discount so that friends and family can go to her wish list and donate things. This is absurd that any teacher has to do this. This is with a four year bachelor degree and a master’s degree and currently working to qualify for national boards. How many of these parents would take this kind of action for other people’s children? She loves her students. It’s about so much more than teacher salary. Or babysitting.
A-Red September 7, 2022 (3:28 pm)

And to think that if everyone who spent tens of thousands of dollars sending their kid to private school just to give them a leg up over those less fortunate would just put that money toward public education, maybe schools wouldn’t be under-funded, and maybe we wouldn’t have this growing separation between the haves and have-nots.Just because a problem has been around for decades doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be fixed, old-timer. Did you feel the same about slavery and segregation? Do you want to go back to a time when women couldn’t vote?
- Josh September 7, 2022 (6:15 pm)
  
  You don’t stop paying taxes when you send your kids to private school. Your argument is pointless.
- wscommuter September 7, 2022 (7:19 pm)
  
  Are you suggesting that people who send their kids to private schools should instead go to public schools and also donate “tens of thousands of dollars to public education” in addition to the tax dollars they already pay? Please clarify – don’t want to misunderstand what you’re saying.
  - A-Red September 7, 2022 (10:15 pm)
    
    I see my comment and your reply and recognize I didn’t make my point very clear. No, I don’t think that parents of private school children should instead pay tens of thousands of dollars to the public school system. On my mind though is the fact that our schools are under-funded, and often times they rely on donations from generous parents to “pay for a music teacher this year,” or “buy art supplies,” etc. These are real examples of things that the PTA funded with donations from a fund-raising auction. You’ll note that in this example, schools that have parents with means fare better than schools with lower-income families.I made a flip comment generalizing how money gets applied, mostly because I just read a flip comment from watertowerjim suggesting that everyone should just send their kids to private school. Watertowerjim must think everyone has a nice bank account like his own.But foundationally, I think the issue is that the schools are under-funded. You mention that we all pay taxes, including private school parents, that go toward public schools. It’s true, but we’re either not collecting enough taxes, or we’re not applying the taxes collected to the right priorities. I’m of the opinion it’s the former.
- Gatewood resident September 7, 2022 (7:53 pm)
  
  My kids go to private school and they were in class learning today.
Out of curiosity September 8, 2022 (5:57 pm)

Wish it was about pay there Jim. Don’t live off of what the media spoonfeeds ya. It gets all over ya and gives you indigestion.Cost of Living adjustment is on the contract but other important stuff (in class support) are getting taken away which is why teachers are holding their ground.Take things away and adding to their workload does not equal the cost that C.O.L.A will bring.District moved the start line and wonder why the teacher don’t want to run the race.

Jennifer September 7, 2022 (12:32 pm)

These picketing teachers should be ashamed of themselves. After all the learning our kids lost over their COVID fears, and now they’re putting paychecks above the kids. The teachers here are paid pretty well, and the schools are relatively well-funded. No system is perfect. But having 30 kids in a classroom, or shuffling special ed teachers, is still better than canceling school. And shame on the district for letting it get to this.

FYI September 7, 2022 (2:10 pm)

Since you are so ashamed of teachers why don’t you go teach in a classroom of 30 students with some having some special needs or SEL and have minimal support in your classroom. Let me know how that goes for you and the students in your class. If your successful then please share your guidance to help teachers and special education be as successful as you were.If you actually look at the bigger picture it’s also not fair to students because their learning environment also gets disrupted because the proper support isn’t there for the students who need it. This isn’t about shaming it’s the principle that we have to do better for the students and if we can’t properly support them because the caseload is too full then we are doing a disservice to not only the students who need that extra support and those students who have a disruptive learning environment.
Pigeon Point Resident September 7, 2022 (2:23 pm)

I do wish people spent even 5 minutes learning about an issue before spouting off about it in social media. The teachers are not willing to sacrifice the educations of SpEd students to vague proposals of inclusivity without any plan for actual support just to get students in the building. Support staff and paraeducators’ starting salaries are at 40% of the AMI for King County, much less Seattle.By striking they are putting their students’ needs above their paychecks. I am proud of our teachers and glad that the workers have such a strong, unified voice to speak with. That should be the case for MORE workers, not fewer.
- Jon September 7, 2022 (2:50 pm)
  
  Exactly. This comment could not have been more on point. ESPECIALLY the part about “I do wish people spent even 5 minutes learning about an issue before spouting off..”
Rhonda September 7, 2022 (4:30 pm)

I agree with you 100%, Jennifer.
Curtis September 8, 2022 (7:37 am)

Jennifer I applaud your honesty. Teacher’s Union cares about power and money, not our children. This is 3rd world stuff Seattle.

Sillygoose September 7, 2022 (12:49 pm)

This is a huge reason parochial schools are packed with a waiting list.

lg September 7, 2022 (4:56 pm)

Really? Didn’t one of our private schools just close? Where are these waitlist-having schools?

Revilo September 7, 2022 (1:47 pm)

Unfortunate for the kids and the parents. Unfortunately the parties involved cannot resolve differences over the summer, but rather wait until school starts to put the pressure on. Narcissistic leadership on both sides. Smooth

Stephanie September 7, 2022 (4:04 pm)

The union proposed that bargaining start last spring. The district put them off until the summer. The district also refused to bargain last Friday and Saturday, even though the union was willing to spend all weekend at the table.

sbone September 7, 2022 (1:48 pm)

What i don’t understand is, what the heck did these two groups do all summer to find themselves at odds, yet again, on what is supposed to be the start of the school year? Shame on both of you!

West Sea Islander September 7, 2022 (2:32 pm)

Bargaining started June 6th. This was NOT a last minute deal.
- A-Red September 7, 2022 (3:32 pm)
  
  Just a thought, but if a professional athlete signs a 5-year contract, often times they’re negotiating extensions 2 or 3 years into that contract. So I disagree with you: this is last-minute. When both parties come to an agreement (2-year cycles?), they should begin negotiating the extension after the first year. The reason they don’t is because of the perceived leverage they gain by waiting until the 11th hour.
  - TheseF*ingComments September 7, 2022 (8:13 pm)
    
    As a teacher I LOVE the analogy between professional athletes and teachers! Because their salaries are extremely comparable, right?! And professional athletes need to buy their fans supplies and concessions, and outfit the stadium, I guess, like teachers have to buy supplies for their students and classrooms? But I think most professional athletes work way fewer hours than teachers, so maybe they should be paid less than teachers? Are these parts of your argument too?
    - TheseF*ingComments September 7, 2022 (8:14 pm)
      
      And I completely agree—teachers should definitely have agents to bargain for them while they’re working. Full support!
    - A-Red September 7, 2022 (10:29 pm)
      
      The funny thing is I’m probably on your side, fellow anonymous commenter.I’m talking about negotiations, not equating the situations of teachers and professional athletes. I’m not casting blame on teachers–there are two parties to a negotiation. Both parties are waiting to the 11th hour so that they can get leverage. As a teacher, is there something you find disagreeable about the idea of starting the negotiation a year into a 2 year contract or do you think beginning three months prior to the start of school is sufficient? Genuine question. As a parent who has seen the start of school delayed a couple of times in a few short years, I’m of the opinion three months is not enough.
- skeeter September 7, 2022 (3:46 pm)
  
  June 6 was waaay too late to begin negotiations. Remember the Covid return to the classroom fiasco and months and months of discord? Both sides should have known it would take much longer than 3 months to sort out the issues and come to an agreement.
  - Seriouslythough September 8, 2022 (9:46 pm)
    
    The teachers’ union suggested starting bargaining last spring and the school district did not agree. The union has sent proposals that the school district didn’t look at or respond to in weeks. Negotiations end up in a strike if both sides are not coming to the table. In this case, Seattle Schools has not been bargaining in good faith.
carole September 7, 2022 (6:13 pm)

My understanding is that one reason they can’t start earlier in the year because the districts don’t get their final numbers on student state reimbursements until later in the summer once estimates of student enrollments are sorted out.

Chris K September 7, 2022 (2:13 pm)

The kids are the real losers here.

Concerned for the students September 7, 2022 (2:22 pm)

This is so typical of these school districts. Shame on both sides using these kids in their self serving agendas. These groups don’t think of the other departments within districts that have to kowtow to them. Its always about the teachers- there are a lot of other departments that make up a school district to make it run. Please take that into consideration when feeling sorry for the teachers. Other departments that were and are expected to work during a disruption like this always get the short end of the stick in a school district. SPS is chronically run by the unions and the kids of SPS and other districts are really just pawns in their twisted agendas.I have taken my student out SPS for their lack of education and plan.

Sps parent September 7, 2022 (2:32 pm)

Yesterday the district called around 4:30 pm to let us know that school would be cancelled today. Has anyone heard if there will be a set time the district will be notifying parents concerning school tomorrow (or the next day for that matter)? I stand with the teachers. Parents just need more time to arrange care than the morning of.

WSB September 7, 2022 (5:53 pm)

By 3 pm, according to their update today.

Diane Fields September 7, 2022 (2:51 pm)

They have been negotiating since June and still had to come to a strike. No one should become a teacher thinking that it is going to pay great. Not really seen that happen. Should not go in teaching that it is a perfect job. Not seen that happen. I admire the people who become teachers, but should it not be more about the kids? The district is only going to give so much. I think promises can be made and still not come to fruition. Sucks for the kids.

Regular Guy September 7, 2022 (4:25 pm)

This is a rather idiotic comment, isn’t it? Why not expect teachers to simply be volunteers, for the sake of the children?

Rara September 7, 2022 (3:31 pm)

As a parent with a kid in SPS I can’t blame these Teachers for striking. In the end they are fighting for our students. May have some make-up days but oh well.

WSmom September 7, 2022 (3:31 pm)

I’m so ashamed of SEA teachers right now. Went to Maddison School with my special Ed student- the exact student allegedly being rallied around- to gain access to the student resources set up at the front of the school. WE LITERALLY HAD TO CROSS A PICKET LINE OF TEACHERS. Shameful- taking pictures of themselves and not once helped or looked at how upset my child was getting. No one cared. One teacher went so far as to bump into my child because they wouldn’t stop walking to let us through TO THE CHILD RESOURCES. I’m done with SPS. I just walked through proof that kids are not the priority especially the special Ed kids.

Josh September 7, 2022 (3:32 pm)

If they cared about the kids they would go to work under an MOU and continue bargaining. This will last at most until the end of next week even if the district doesn’t budge because there is no way the teachers will work into July.

Anonymous September 7, 2022 (3:35 pm)

The SEA started negotiations way before summer started. SPS has not shown up. Teachers picketing and walking all day long in the sun with no where to go to the bathroom do not want to be doing so. Teachers all want to be working with students. Teachers are fighting for students/children to get the basic services they need. Stand with SEA.

Anonymous September 7, 2022 (3:38 pm)

Please do proper research on what SEA is asking for. It’s bare minimum. SPS needs to step up.

Wow September 7, 2022 (3:49 pm)

Glad the posters on here don’t represent the support we are seeing in the community. The trolls are in the minority. I support kids and teachers. Lot of armchair qbs here who think they know what is going on. Educate yourselves before you blast off those cake holes of yours!

Non-picketing SPED teacher September 7, 2022 (3:54 pm)

I am a SPS SPED teacher and voted against striking. Here are some of the simplified whys:1. I believe we had enough agreement to reach a TA, return to school and continue to negotiate with a mediator the few sticky points.2. Much of the SPED concerns are the school board to make policy. The union is to represent teachers not students. It is a teachers union.3. It is illegal for WA ST teachers to strike.4. Work to Rule is a legal alternative: school starting on time, teachers working to the letter of their contract, continuing negotiations, reduced stress for all.5. Most instances I have observed when inclusion has not worked well is, the student is not ready for inclusion, the SPED teacher and gen ed teacher have not planned well together, the lack of principal support, lack of the SPED site supervisor’s support..6. The I in IEP is for individualized. No one contract can address all the “I’s”. There is no magic number of service minutes, ratios, support staff. I could continue but will end with asking leadership on both sides to check their egos at the door and return us to school.PS teachers salaries are very confusing based upon degrees, years of service, 180 days of work. You can find the salaries of all school staff in WA ST, including all the above info. Just google Kitsap Sun teacher salaries. They are now showing the 2019-2020 school year data.Cheers

Josh September 7, 2022 (6:21 pm)

Thank you for your highly qualified perspective. Clearly school should have started on time and negotiating could still continue.
Bob September 7, 2022 (7:57 pm)

Thank you for this. As a parent of a Sped kid plus a pre-covid sub in Sped I agree with your take. FAPE in the LRE have to continue to be prioritized with the emphasis on Individualized and designed at the team level.
CAM September 7, 2022 (8:13 pm)

This “teacher” is advocating work to rule for teachers to encourage better contracts from SPS. Work to rule is a ridiculous notion in a classroom environment. What this teacher is proposing is that schools open but that teachers only work until they have completed the tasks they are contractually obligated to perform. That means that if 50% of the students tests or papers or whatever have not been graded at the end of the day, so be it, they go home. That means that if their lesson plans are only complete through 1 pm the following day, so be it, they go home. They don’t take work home, they don’t come in early, they don’t buy their own supplies, they don’t call parents in their free time or during lunches to accommodate parents schedules. That is what you get when you propose teachers returning to work under work to rule. Or maybe you could support your fellow educators and get the bargaining done and everyone goes back to work fully, including the unpaid OT that every teacher puts in every day of the school year.
- Taylor September 7, 2022 (10:52 pm)
  
  Sounds like “quiet quitting”… which does not seem like a possibility in the education sector.

staffing? September 7, 2022 (4:03 pm)

From what I understand the sticking point is the number of support staff needed to give special ed and esl kids the extra support they need in an inclusive classroom. Does anyone know how many extra staff the union is asking for? I ask because hiring anyone is extremely difficult right now, let alone dozens or hundreds of qualified staff. It seems to me this inclusionary push is a good idea, but something to be phased in over time as resources allow. There just aren’t a lot of qualified people sitting around available to hire right now. And before someone says “higher pay will attract candidates”, firstly that won’t happen overnight, and secondly, that would just rob neighboring districts and harm the kids in those districts.

CAM September 7, 2022 (8:17 pm)

The negotiations aren’t going to be that SPS has to hire or fill all these positions before schools can open. It is that they must create the positions with a plan that class sizes reflect appropriate allotments of support to students and plan for classes in that manner.
- Staffing? September 7, 2022 (10:12 pm)
  
  Thank you for that clarification, CAM. Appreciate you taking the time to enlighten me.

Lesley September 7, 2022 (4:12 pm)

Thank you to all of the teachers and staff for sacrificing their livelihoods for better conditions for our children. I stand in solidarity with you all. Thank you will never be enough for all the teachers do everyday for these kids. Stay strong.

zark00 September 7, 2022 (4:41 pm)

Teachers are paid for the days they work. Any days skipped because of the strike have to be made up to meet the state requirements for education days. Teachers will be paid for every day of their contract that they work. They are not sacrificing a penny of their livelihood by striking. They are delaying their next paycheck, so I doubt it’s fun or not a burden, but it’s not really a sacrifice and not remotely close to ‘sacrificing their livelihood’. The kids are sacrificing. The missed days push into an already late end date. Returning after a strike is not the start to school that was planned, days are wasted trying to reset to the new botched start. Programs are cancelled. Drama and music are good examples – if the strike goes on much longer school plays and concerts will be cancelled. Kids applying to college this year will be negatively impacted as they will literally be behind their peers when they apply. Hopefully it wont be too severe, but if this strike went on say a month – that will totally impact kids who needed to get things accomplished to put on that application. Needed senior year jazz band to get that music scholarship? Sorry, not gonna happen this year, good luck. If you want to thank someone, thank the kids for taking the hit again. The additional burden we have imposed on our kids after the mess that was SPS remote learning through covid is shameful. Doesn’t matter if you support the strike or not, It’s been a rough few years for SPS students, and this strike is making it worse. It may be absolutely critical and must happen, but thank the kids, they’re the ones losing out here.

Jenny H September 7, 2022 (4:23 pm)

A huge thanks to our teachers for all they do for our kids. My school-aged son & I were out marching with the Genesee Hill teachers this morning. These teachers love their students and are striking for them. The most vulnerable students—Special Ed kids & those who are English language learners—are not protected under the district’s current plan. Even though this strike is a huge inconvenience for students & parents, I support it. (And every parent who had to oversee online learning just awhile ago—remember how incredibly hard that was? Teachers deserve every dollar!)

Mj September 7, 2022 (5:23 pm)

Nice to see that fall sports practices are still happening for the students.

Avid September 7, 2022 (5:50 pm)

Both sides at the negotiating table seem to be playing their hands to the hilt instead of coming to an amicable agreement over the summer. I’m a little disappointed that the administration and teacher relationship is so adversarial. I don’t think it bodes well for the future.

Every teacher I know September 7, 2022 (6:00 pm)

For all the haters. This is not about pay raises. This is about special education supports so students get the help they need to be successful. This is about school counselors so students get the mental health support they so desperately need. This is about school nurses in every building every day. This is about Ell students getting more than a sliver of what they need to be successful while they struggle to learn a new language in addition to the rest of the curriculum. This is not about pay raises. The offered raise is not the sticking point. So for all of you who are pretending to care so much about students, maybe you should take a moment and actually click the links in the article above so you can see what this strike is really about. We are the ones fighting for students mental, physical and academic health. Your anger and myopic view of this strike is doing nothing to help students. And by the way, they will get to make up all the missed days so they aren’t actually missing anything.

Josh September 7, 2022 (6:24 pm)

Then agree to a smaller raise so that the ratios can be implemented. All contracts are about a number and about how that number will be allocated. If it’s not about the raises then accept the 10.5% in exchange for ratios. This is how negotiations work, not crying until you get something that doesn’t exist.
Josh September 7, 2022 (6:25 pm)

Then agree to a smaller raise so that the ratios can be implemented. All contracts are about a number and about how that number will be allocated. If it’s not about the raises then accept the 10.5% in exchange for ratios. This is how negotiations work, not crying until you get something that doesn’t exist. The teachers won’t lose money and kids won’t lose days but working families lose money and days having to figure out childcare on the fly when negotiations can happen while work happens.
- Every teacher I know September 7, 2022 (7:17 pm)
  
  Great logic Josh. It’s a teacher’s job to subsidize education. How about you forgo your next raise and donate it to SPS. I also love how it’s now all about the families, since your fake concern for students has been invalidated. Those families you pretend to care about actually support us in our fight for a better education for their kids. Yes it is difficult on families, but it will be worth It in the future when their kids a getting the support they deserve.
- Lesley September 7, 2022 (7:58 pm)
  
  Teachers sacrifice their own money and personal time for their classes, consistently everyday. They should at least be paid a livable wage. Everyone wins when teachers get more resources to do their jobs because the children they teach, are our future.
- CAM September 7, 2022 (8:25 pm)
  
  Do you know what “sticking point” and negotiations mean, Josh? They can’t take the raises off the table because that is the bargaining chip. You keep all your cards on the table and negotiate with the other side which are the ones that most matter as the others fall away (the sticking points). It would appear that SPS is not offering on what they need to be not that SEA is insisting on all or nothing.
- Every teacher I know September 7, 2022 (8:52 pm)
  
  Nice logic josh, it’s a teachers job to subsidize education. If you care so much why don’t you donate you’re next raise to SPS. I also like how you have shifted your concern to families since your pretend concern for students has been invalidated. Yes families are adversely impacted by this but they support us because they know this fight will result in a better education for their kids.

Every teacher I know September 7, 2022 (6:52 pm)

For all the haters. This is not about pay raises. This is about special education supports so students get the help they need to be successful. This is about school counselors so students get the mental health support they so desperately need. This is about school nurses in every building every day. This is about Ell students getting more than a sliver of what they need to be successful while they struggle to learn a new language in addition to the rest of the curriculum. This is not about pay raises. They offered raise is not the sticking point. So for all of you who are pretending to care so much about students, maybe you should take a moment and actually click the links in the article above so you can see what this strike is really about. We are the ones fighting for students mental, physical and academic health. Your anger and myopic view of this strike is doing nothing to help students. And by the way, they will get to make up all the missed days so they aren’t actually missing anything.

Thd3 September 7, 2022 (6:53 pm)

I’m going to get skewered by someone but Seattle Public Schools pay these teachers now what you saved not turning lights on in these buildings for 2 years and also why couldn’t you use some project management skills and bargain with urgency during June July instead of our kids who already feel so much ambiguity being your pawns. I’m so frustrated.

TheseF*ingComments September 7, 2022 (7:01 pm)

Good lord. I can’t even with some of these incredibly offensive comments. Where were you all with all your outrage and concern for the last 3+ years? We sure could’ve used your “expertise” and for you to volunteer in our classrooms. I’m impressed that you apparently know how schools function (or don’t function) simply because you drop your child off in the car loop or at the bus stop. Or because you once sat in a classroom 20 years ago. Sarcasm aside, for those of you haters in the heath care field, I support you in your labor actions such as this one https://mnnurses.org/15000-nurses-to-strike-as-they-fight-for-fair-contracts-that-put-patients-before-profits/ because I believe that people like nurses do indeed have their patients’ best interests in mind. Why WHY is the same grace not extended to teachers? You can’t effectively play both sides of the argument —“oh you knew it was a low paying job” and “you’re only in it for the money. Seriously? Do you even hear yourself? And these confusions/misunderstandings/ willful ignorance about how unions work. Omg. It’s almost like you’re the product of a gutted public Ed system and have had football coaches for “history teachers” your entire lives. Or maybe that’s a bit too spot on.There’s a huge gulf between this inconvenience you may be experiencing as a parent and the absolute dramatic end of the world as we know it speeches that you’re forming (often poorly) in the comments here. These comments make me sick. You’re talking about real people who sacrifice to do what’s right by YOUR children. Grow up, educate yourselves, and support our teachers. Xo, a teacher in another district who’s just glad to have a contact and not be on strike (because it is AWFUL for teachers too)

Thanks! September 7, 2022 (7:49 pm)

Better than I could have ever said. So spot on! Thank you from a parent and teacher on strike.
The King September 7, 2022 (7:56 pm)

I agree with everything you said except the football coach-history teacher remark. Growing up my football coach was the history and physics teacher. Smart guy, had a way with kids that has impacted us a lot of years later.
Math Teacher September 7, 2022 (8:46 pm)

I don’t believe they are really health workers, or that they live in Seattle. I believe they are professional anti-union agitators who watch for union discussions anywhere in the country and chime in with fake-personal anti-union perspective. The “tell” was the “tenured” teacher the other day.
- Special Ed teacher here September 8, 2022 (6:34 am)
  
  Math Teacher,Do not speak of what you do not know.I’ve been teaching in Seattle over 20 years and am a tenured teacher as is granted to those who are granted such:The probationary period for teachers in Washington is three years. At a district’s discretion, a teacher may be granted tenure after the second year if he or she receives one of the top two evaluation ratings.I am not anti-union but certainly anti this strike believing we could be working with a TA while negotiations continue.
  - Math Teacher September 8, 2022 (11:34 am)
    
    But you are quoting a fringe right-wing DC-based group who advocates for teacher evaluation and compensation to be based primarily on students’ scores on standardized tests. NCTQ calls it tenure when continuing teachers are not evaluated on student test scores, but that is not what the word generally means.But in Washington state, teachers are not tenured. Unsatisfactory teachers can be dismissed. Districts usually have some sort of teacher-improvement pathway in which experienced teachers receiving low evaluations would receive supportive coaching or mentoring instead of immediate dismissal, but that isn’t tenure.

Melissa Westbrook September 8, 2022 (9:21 am)

WS Mom, the teachers are on strike and picketing. That’s normal. But what SPS did was to FORCE your kid through those lines instead of putting the food at community centers. SPS WANTED this to happen to your child.Josh, if the teachers signed the MOU, it would have been a war of attrition and the district would have won. ” It seems to me this inclusionary push is a good idea, but something to be phased in over time as resources allow. ” Have you heard of FAPE? Free Appropriate Public Education? It’s a law and saying you can “phase it in over time as resources allow?” Nope. Sped kids have waited and waited. “And before someone says “higher pay will attract candidates”, firstly that won’t happen overnight, and secondly, that would just rob neighboring districts and harm the kids in those districts.”Uh, it’s called competition, not robbery.My take is that: 1) the optics for a teacher raise are not good, 2) the optics for demanding resources if the district is putting many more Sped students in Gen Ed classrooms is VERY good. (And fyi, they are going to return ALL HCC kids to their home schools for the same reason so the teacher has to go from very high to very challenging plus it will change school boundaries.) 3) I see from Kent School District’s teachers’ strike that the teachers did get a raise but not all the supports they had asked for especially around mental health. If, in the end, SEA gets raises for teachers and little else, it’s not gonna look good.

Josh September 8, 2022 (4:14 pm)

It’s almost like using the Kent strike as an example the teachers are being disingenuous about this being about the speced and multilingual students and are using them as a smokescreen and PR when if they get their 18% they will agree to sign something with no class size protections. This is my whole point. The district can’t agree to a contract that costs more than what they have. The teachers have to pick either a 18% raise or a 10.5% raise and class limits.

Gunner September 8, 2022 (9:59 am)

Why do government workers need a union for? Are taxpayers that evil? What taxpayer doesn’t want the best of our teachers? Wouldn’t teachers keep more money if they didn’t have to pay union dues?So here is a timeline recap -Kids missed a year of in person learning (2020-2021)Taxpayers voted to increase levy for schools. (Over 17k per kid)Now a strike?How do kids benefit from all of this? How bout we get rid of all the middleman and give parents the $17k and we all put our kids in private school.

Melissa Westbrook September 8, 2022 (2:55 pm)

Gunnar,Taxpayers aren’t evil but some electeds in the legislature are. Union dues are paid to represent the teacher in many ways, not just for a contract. As for the SPS levy, you’d have to ask the Superintendent and school board just where all that money goes. They tend to be less than transparent on that. Teachers want more supports and resources for kids in classes; that’s how kids benefit. No, we aren’t getting vouchers. Vouchers would allow public dollars to go to religious training. Nope. Vouchers would mean less accountability (ask me about Arizona’s new law). Nope. And vouchers would allow public dollars to go to schools that openly discriminate against LGBTQ kids and their families. Nope.

Gunner September 10, 2022 (9:08 am)

There are no solutions, only tradeoffs.Let people choose for themselves. If you don’t believe in something should you be forced to do it anyway? Should you force your beliefs on others?Free market Competition would be a net benefit to kids. Yes, there will be some cons but overall it would be a net benefit. Over the last couple years I learned that central planning just doesn’t work.

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