SEATTLE SCHOOL STRIKE: No classes Tuesday; district says ‘several key proposals’ resolved

As striking Seattle Education Association members picketed for a fourth day, those from schools around north West Seattle joined for one big noontime march starting outside West Seattle High School. At this point, it appears Tuesday will be a fifth day of picketing – Seattle Public Schools has officially canceled classes for the day, while citing progress in a statement this afternoon:

While Seattle Public Schools (SPS) and Seattle Education Association (SEA) have not yet reached a final agreement, they have come to a resolution on several key proposals. Negotiations continue, and we hope to have a full tentative agreement soon. There will be no school on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

No progress report from the union yet; we’ll update this story if/when there’s one.

BACKGROUND: 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, last 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.

Frustrated Parent September 12, 2022 (6:42 pm)

Well, so much for the consistency the kids require, especially special needs kids. My former partner’s son (late teenager) is autistic and epileptic. He was telling me how badly it’s going. It’s not just throwing off his son’s schedule, it’s created a massive gap between the support teams in his school (most of them are on the picket line and not conducting care) and in-home care. They can’t even get Finn’s behavior assistant to help because she’s completely overwhelmed by parents who desperately need her at their homes as well. Four seizures from the stress, the fears, the anxiety in a week. It’s usually maybe four in six months. Oh, and dad can’t work at the hospital – he’s staying home with the boy and THAT union is on his a$$ about taking the time off. My kids are beyond frustrated and we’re going to help with my ex’s son tomorrow thanks to YET ANOTHER DAY that is usually a lifeline for us working parents, especially special needs kids. How is this helping them? SPS has always been strapped for services and help, but we’ve made it work as parents to the best of our ability.

We are BROKEN.

My rent is astronomical. Food is way up. Gas is a necessity to commute to and from a job that is in production and doesn’t have the luxury of working from home..Who’s going to pay for OUR lost wages? OUR lost apartments and bills? Every parent I know in our schools is living paycheck to paycheck and now most of us have a half paycheck coming instead.

The Strike is punishing US and our kids, not the SEA or SPS or anyone it’s supposed to intimidate OR support.

These are our last two years and I bet 10-1 this is going to happen again these last two fricken years.

Parents, start sending invoices for lost wages, wage theft, and bills for daycare to the SEA and SPS and the teachers. We’re DONE.

It’s our turn to strike.

Quiz September 12, 2022 (7:06 pm)

Could not agree more.
Jennifer September 12, 2022 (7:29 pm)

Well said. Both sides need to get over themselves and stop this.
Another teacher September 12, 2022 (7:37 pm)

I’m so sorry for your situation. You are definitely not alone. The strike is putting many families in really tough situations. Mine included. I know that many families blame teachers in addition to SPS, which is understandable. As a public school teacher and parent, I don’t understand why either side couldn’t get this done over the summer. Both teachers and the district got into this career for the same reasons, to do good things for people. Both sides have their hearts in the right place. The incompetence and seemingly glacial pace of negotiations are extremely stressful and frustrating . Makes me want to quit teaching altogether and look for another career.
Al King September 12, 2022 (8:08 pm)

Frustrated Parent. I hear and feel your frustration. However…going after teachers-sending them bills “wage theft” PLEASE PLEASE tell us how that will make this situation better. Is going after teachers and other school employees with your scorn and derision going to make your childs education better?? I don’t think so. What you and the other “teachers are now our enemy” parents will simply drive away the good ones. The joke will be on your kids.

s September 12, 2022 (6:55 pm)

Salary data for Seattle Elementary Homeroom Teachers: 37% made between $100-130k. 25% made $80-100k. 38% made 60-80k. This is public information posted by WA State at a website that you can find by Googling: Seattle teacher salary lookup. Filter the data by district (Seattle) and duty assignment (Elem. Homeroom Teacher).

Amy September 12, 2022 (7:50 pm)

and your point? Show me one teacher that got into it for the money.
- JJ September 12, 2022 (8:08 pm)
  
  Salary isn’t the main sticking point at the bargaining table. It’s supports for students that educators are pushing for.
  - Smoosh September 12, 2022 (8:41 pm)
    
    Supports like building in FTEs for social workers that don’t exist (you can put in a contract that each at risk school gets a 0.5 FTE SW but there aren’t any SWs to hire so what’s the point?), and building a new inclusive pathway for Spec Ed kids starting next year at the earliest. And also wanting to pay for all that and an outsized raise with money that doesn’t exist. But yeah, this is all for our own good. All good reasons to force working families to spend money and time they don’t have on emergency childcare.
- Scarlett September 12, 2022 (8:24 pm)
  
  Are you arguing that teachers don’t look at these healthy salaries, the good retirement benefits, the days off, and the summers off, and don’t factor all of this into becoming a teacher? I’m sure without these attractive benefits, many would have thought twice about becoming a teacher. Don’t play naive, please.
- S September 12, 2022 (8:30 pm)
  
  I’m just providing some data. Make of it what you will. Higher salaries is one of the things that the teachers are trying to get. I do totally support the special needs aspects of what the teachers are fighting for.
  - AMC September 12, 2022 (9:11 pm)
    
    It wasn’t for higher teacher salaries, it was for the very low-paid IAs and paraeducators who provide vital special Ed support.
wsresident September 12, 2022 (7:58 pm)

Have you googled the amount the instructional assistants and office staff make?
Marianne September 12, 2022 (8:08 pm)

You do understand those numbers include benefits, right? I have a Master’s Degree and have been teaching for 25 years. Curious how much money you think I should make?
- Bill September 13, 2022 (7:17 am)
  
  With that much experience in your field, I truly hope you are making somewhere north of 150k. Sadly we as a society don’t value your work as much as we do professional athletes, entertainers, stock brokers, and other roles, so I think it unlikely you are making 150k
- S September 13, 2022 (7:42 am)
  
  No, the numbers I showed are only for salaries, not including benefits.