FOLLOWUP: Seattle educators vote to authorize a strike – but that doesn’t mean one’s inevitable

As noted here last night, the educators’ union Seattle Education Association had a general membership meeting tonight. The union took a strike authorization vote, and reports tonight that 91 percent voted yes. But that just means they have voted to authorize a strike if they feel it’s necessary; in the meantime, they’ll continue the talks that date back to June: “We are ready to keep working toward an agreement that gives educators the conditions we need to support every student and build the thriving schools our community deserves.” Tonight’s announcement also says that “Special Education supports, respectful pay, and easing pressurization on educators (are) the major sticking points.”

Rob August 26, 2026 (11:34 pm)

Teacher strikes are illegal in Washington, so why do they keep happening?

Actualperson August 27, 2026 (5:47 am)

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Probably because they’re tired of only being thought of as babysitters.
Mike August 27, 2026 (5:48 am)

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Because the people who are bound to uphold the law won’t do it.
SunriseHeights August 27, 2026 (7:32 am)

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Rob: Before you call out ICE on teachers, read up. Public employee strikes are not “illegal”. But they are not “legally protected”. That’s a big difference. Here’s text from the State Attorney General’s website (https://www.atg.wa.gov/ago-opinions/right-teachers-and-other-employees-strike):1. State and local public employees, including teachers, have no legally protected right to strike.2. State statute establishes no specific penalties for unlawful public employee strikes; in some cases, courts may grant injunctive relief to prevent or end unlawful strikes.3. The Legislature could enact laws establishing penalties for unlawful public employee strikes, provided that such laws are consistent with protected free speech and other state and federal constitutional rights.“Unlawful” does not mean “illegal” or punishable by law. It means there is no automatic legal protection or statute that recognizes it as a right. However, as #3 indicates, were lawmaking bodies to attempt to create automatic legal penalties, they would have to reckon with the rights of free speech, assembly, and other things that are protected by the law. Government agencies can petition the courts to intervene in a public employee strike — and have, with different results. But public school teachers on strike are not criminals, nor are they breaking the law.I know it’s just a comment board, but words matter. Actually, they matter more.
- Rob August 27, 2026 (8:37 am)
  
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  Didn’t mean to pull your ice trigger, but I appreciate your explanation- I thought unlawful was a synonym of illegal.
- Helen August 27, 2026 (10:24 am)
  
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  Thanks for doing this work.

Been there done this…. August 26, 2026 (11:38 pm)

The central issue is Special Education. Raising ratios & combining service programs. There is a joint task force that has worked for years advocating for getting kids in neighborhood schools and in to get to the current model. This is a slap in the face and isn’t what is best for students. I was on that task force for 4 years it took a lot of push and advocacy to get to where we are! It’s not perfect but way better than special education models in 2010. Let’s not go back! Parents please stand with the special education and support the current model with the current ratios!!!

Special Ed Parent August 27, 2026 (5:51 am)

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Thank you SPS teachers for holding the line for the kids who need the most support! It’s stressful hearing the district talk about moving your kid to a new school because your neighborhood school doesn’t have the right resources, and then they do have the resources so we can stay, and now the district is trying to create a new level of instability for these kids. Our child (and many others, i’m sure) have therapies and specialist appointments outside of school, and lining up the pieces of their care is so stressful already. Special Ed teachers need MORE supports, if anything.
this! August 27, 2026 (9:44 pm)

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This is why most of my school building staff voted to strike.

Levy August 26, 2026 (11:47 pm)

This is excellent, glad to see the unity of 91% of union members willing to strike and stop our schools from starting on time.As a lifelong member of our union I support another strike to continue our unwavering statistical excellence in all categories from math, reading, and writing. We are number one in all categories so we can just show the statistics and get what we need.CEO’s should learn from our results and follow the unbound success all kids are having at SPS. Lead by example!Capital E, spacing after periods, grammar check, sarcasm, never nude.

Nw mama August 27, 2026 (4:53 am)

I support all these issues. But I hope that members can read the room a bit: this is a tough time economically for most Americans and schools. Lower ratios = more staffing = more funds spent on wages…. I support that- but “respectful pay” – you’re doing pretty good compared to many- so make it a short contract and ask again once we’ve approved the millionaire tax.

wsteacher August 27, 2026 (10:26 pm)

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For many teachers the vote was a reaction to the district’s proposal to cut special education support.

JJ August 27, 2026 (7:59 am)

Please support teachers. Our educators are incredible people working extremely hard and constantly asked to work harder with fewer tools. While the administration runs a good PR campaign, it’s the teachers on the front line in every way.

Parent August 27, 2026 (8:38 am)

Money for education comes from the community and we have little insight here. I’m not taking a side to support the strike without understanding exactly what’s going on. SPED funding is highly problematic. Our school district can no longer fund Its operational needs and the SPED bucket has grown. I read it is the biggest contributor to our district’s significant spending deficit with a proposed annual budget of $253M. State funding covers 45% of our SPED costs while a local levy contributes the rest. So what has the district proposed and why, and why are the teachers saying no, and what do they think is better?

Tax Payer August 27, 2026 (8:39 am)

You can take a look at salaries here. I selected secondary school teacher as a start.https://govsalaries.com/salaries/WA/seattle-public-schools/j/teacher-secondary

J August 27, 2026 (9:59 am)

Funny how people have NO problem with football players signing contracts worth hundreds of millions and fans paying exorbitant amounts for tickets and concessions yet heaven forbid we actually provide decent pay to teachers, nurses, social workers people who actually provide difficult and incredibly important services without the naysayers, the anti union crowd screaming and yelling at the top of their lungs how over paid they are. Disturbing to say the least what this society and so many on this comment thread value.

Mellow Kitty August 27, 2026 (10:19 am)

So. When all of the teachers quit because their job sucks, students refuse to work and parents put the blame on the teachers while screaming about a fair wage, who are you going to pawn your kids off on? Are YOU going to homeschool your kids? Put them in a private school? Or will you find someone else to raise your kids? Between the out of control kids and self-righteous parents, I’ll never, ever even considered going back to teaching.

Miles O'Brien August 27, 2026 (10:36 am)

Solidarity with the teachers – solidarity forever.

Alki Parent August 27, 2026 (11:00 am)

So long as the state relies on property taxes as a major source of school funding, but caps property tax revenue increases at 1% annually, public schools will continue to be hollowed out and chronically underfunded (or new taxes must be introduced elsewhere).

WS98 August 28, 2026 (7:22 am)

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Exactly, unlike police and fire, there’s no structured guaranteed funding for teachers. AND this federal administration is redirecting billions of OUR tax money that is intended for national education, to whatever he wants. (Example, blowing $68M+ on an Indy race, hundreds of millions towards DHS for ICE) Before anyone justifies greater danger for fire and police…there are other professionals in higher risk industries that are paid less and let’s be real – teachers are facing much more risk (school shootings, assault by children and parents) They’re paid 20% less than other professionals with the same level of education. Im 1000% with teachers.

Concerned August 27, 2026 (11:45 am)

The issues around special education impact ALL students! Without additional assistance in the classroom to help teachers with special needs students, ALL students have impact to their learning. A teacher can not be expected to manage special needs students without assistance and differentiate their teaching (low learners to high learners) for 24+ students. The district wants to eliminate a large number of ftes that support SPED leaving few to none in the classroom for support.These are not the same general classrooms of years before – kids come to school with more emotional needs and more challenging behaviors and less expected accountability.This is not an issue of standing by the teachers – support the students!

Concerned August 27, 2026 (11:59 am)

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GovSalaries
Home / Washington Salaries
/ Seattle Public Schools Salaries
/ Superintendent Salary
Q
Superintendent salary at Seattle Public Schools
The average superintendent salary at Seattle
Public Schools was $356,800, which is 61 percent higher than the average salary for this job in Washington, and 125 percent higher than the national average for this job.
There is 1 employee at Seattle Public Schools with the job title superintendent.