SEATTLE SCHOOL STRIKE: District says ‘extremely productive’ talks continue tonight

Contract talks between the striking Seattle Education Association and Seattle Public Schools continue tonight. So says a media update sent by the district, calling the weekend talks “extremely productive” so far:

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) and Seattle Education Association (SEA) are making good progress on negotiations. The bargaining teams are working late into the evening. We are optimistic an agreement will be reached so our students can begin school as soon as possible.=s and is posted to the website at: https://www.seattleschools.org/news/start-of-school-delay … We will update families and staff as early as possible on Sunday.

District updates are here; union updates are here. SEA’s contract expired August 31st, almost three months into negotiations; the strike began on what was supposed to be SPS’s first day of classes, Wednesday. This is SEA’s first walkout since 2015. That strike, like this one, started on a Wednesday; a tentative agreement was announced the following Tuesday morning.

Bill September 10, 2022 (8:58 pm)

Taking bets on what will happen first: school starting, or the bridge reopening.

Josh September 10, 2022 (11:22 pm)

How many people have read through the proposal regarding spec ed changes on SEAs website? I just did and while it’s rather dense it’s obvious this all could have been hashed out with an MOU as the changes were not to occur this year. This strike is not about spec ed like they are saying. It’s about something else and SEA are using the spec ed changes to obscure whatever it is they are really after and using our kids and working families to get.

Marianne September 11, 2022 (11:03 am)

Those changes are scheduled to start this year in K-5:

Strike is illegal September 11, 2022 (12:12 am)

Teachers strike are illegal. Go teach and stop making excuses. Don’t use students as bargaining chip. I am going to write letter to the state attorney general to check on court filing status.

K September 11, 2022 (5:32 am)

It is not illegal for a union to strike.
- H September 12, 2022 (11:31 am)
  
  https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/news/public-employee-strikes-illegal-in-washington/
Pete September 11, 2022 (6:03 am)

LOLI’d quite like my kid to go to a school which is adequately staffed. I’d quite like teachers to be paid well and to be treated with respect. Striking seems to be the only way this is going to happen.btw, I looked up how much a special Ed classroom assistant makes in Seattle, it’s like 35k or something. That’s insane.
- Special Ed teacher here September 11, 2022 (11:16 am)
  
  Not true on IA salary. There is a step system as there is with teachers. They work an 8 hour day…30 minutes unpaid lunch, 2-15 minute paid breaks…so 7.5 paid total a day.Some are making 50,000 for 180 days plus they get full benefits.The education requirements are minimal. They are not responsible for writing plans, writing IEPs but can showup and follow the format, lessons plans which are all the responsibility of the cert. Yes they work hard but I like to think that everyone in any profession works hard.
Hearmeout September 11, 2022 (6:14 am)

In over crowded classes no teaching or learning takes place. It’s turns into behavior management. When there are 30+ students in a writing class for 45 minutes and one, two, or three students have individual learning plans and are high needs, no one else in the class gets questions answered or are able to have support from the teacher. All the minutes are used to support those students who have higher needs. Getting these students started, making sure they understand directions, keeping them focused. We need instructional aides (IA’s and Para-educators) to help. The district is determined to cut funding/jobs to those supports. An educator’s workplace is a student’s learning environment.
Hearmeout September 11, 2022 (6:33 am)

“Teacher’s strikes are illegal! Go teach, stop making excuses. Don’t use students as a bargaining chip. I will write a letter to the state attorney general to determine court filing status.” ~ edited by a retired teacher Please, the teachers are doing this for the students. SPS offered pay increases that were okay. It’s not about the money. Seattle Public Schools needs to do better. The parents in the district know this to be true.
You do that! September 11, 2022 (7:11 am)

The days will be made up. Everything will be ok! In fact, my fingers are crossed that things will be better for kids and teachers.
Lauren September 11, 2022 (7:35 am)

Strikes are one of the few tools people have to get those in power to listen. Nobody WANTS to strike.

And, to paraphrase MLK, an unjust law should be broken.
Mark eostein September 11, 2022 (7:42 am)

Cutting special ed. And multilingual services to learners is not only illegal, but also unethical.
opposite fay September 11, 2022 (7:48 am)

Not illegal. The district needs to secure their workforce without involving families, the media, or any legal or otherwise costly intervention. This is “same s***, different year”, but with the city’s fickle electorate there’s a new team screwing up every negotiation thinking they’re making their mark.

In terms of what makes a school and school district, the students need the teachers who need the administration who need the district. There’s no pitting here, families don’t want crowded classrooms and braindead curriculum either.
Lina September 11, 2022 (9:09 am)

How is your comment helpful or necessary right now? You do understand that schools with proper resources to meet the needs of students is far more damaging to the health and success of young people than missing the first few days of school. Your short sighted opinion shows zero understanding of the issues at the heart of this strike.
Sasquatch September 11, 2022 (9:44 am)

Do you hear this young prospective teachers? If you try to do the right thing for your students and the community, some in the community will want to sue you.just another example of how teachers get blamed from all sides – and another reason why there is a national teacher shortage.
Rumbles September 11, 2022 (1:28 pm)

@Strike is illegal You must be a real hoot at a cocktail party! Sheesh!
InvolvedParent September 11, 2022 (4:10 pm)

It’s obvious you do not have children yourself. Did you participate in public schools as a child? It is an epic loss when people become so jaded they forget they are part of a larger community. If you truly feel this way then living amongst the other humans is clearly not for you. Idaho perhaps? It is ludacris to state that a stike is illegal and shows that maybe you need a lesson on the rights of American citizens. Teachers are the backbone of our society and the most important part of our entire culture. The inability to see that is grossly ignorant. FULL SUPPORT FOR THE HUMANS THAT SHAPE OUR SOCIETY!!

Westie September 11, 2022 (7:18 am)

We love our teachers!! Thank you for staying strong to ensure ALL kids in your classsrooms have the resources they need to be successful!

Frankie Rodriquez September 11, 2022 (7:32 am)

Teachers spend 8hrs a day with our children not even including after school activities rather it’s tutoring, music, arts or sports. Some kids have disabilities, some are troubled acting out & some are simply inspired by teachers. It’s a tuff job. Next to actually being the parent teachers have a big influence & spend the most time with our children. Crazy how they’re fighting for education & the support they should be giving. I’m puzzled. The government spend big money on thee most ironic things but won’t take the proper precautions to make sure teachers are thriving as well. I’m impressed how they all came together to fight for a good cause. Stand for something or falling for anything…. I stand with all teachers💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽 Quick reminder a little fyi without TEACHERS we wouldn’t have degrees‼️‼️‼️

Frankie Rodriquez September 11, 2022 (7:35 am)

Stay on strike until they get it right‼️‼️‼️

Sean Haines September 11, 2022 (11:05 am)

Although I’m hoping for a quick resolve of this strike I support the teachers 100%

Concerned parent September 11, 2022 (11:43 am)

How did class sizes get so large when enrollment has dropped significantly? Definitely concerning given the $100m + projected budget shortfall in coming years, then what?

Mr J September 11, 2022 (1:54 pm)

I love how fascist people get in Seattle when they’re inconvenienced. Stay blessed.

Person September 11, 2022 (2:09 pm)

Straight to calling people who don’t agree with you and have a different perspective fascist…
Mike September 11, 2022 (2:44 pm)

This is the most ignorant comment yet. Do you even know what a fascist is?

Person September 11, 2022 (4:06 pm)

Curious. Does anyone know what the contract language for other districts with Sped inclusion programs is?

sped teacher2 September 11, 2022 (10:39 pm)

I am a sped teacher and I worked in another district before working in SPS. The smaller south puget sound district I worked in employed more IAs/paras per school. In the elementary school I work in now there is 1 IA that helps me work with 22 students. Inclusion means we work with those kids in their classroom which is impossible if they are spread across k-5 grade levels and need a lot of support. In my previous district they had an IA that worked in each grade level to help with the same number of students in 1st-5th grades. That is 4 more IAs. They also helped with reading intervention and lunch and recess duties when they were not working with sped students. That meant the school did not have to beg for parent volunteers to help with lunch and recesses or hire hourly workers for that duty. It shocked me how few IAs SPS had in elementary schools when I moved here.

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