VIDEO: Teachers rally as talks continue (includes district’s 5:30, 7:30 pm updates)

5:11 PM: We’re outside district HQ, where negotiations continue inside, and teachers are gathering for a rally, 14 or so hours before what’ll either be the first day of school or first day of a strike. Signs are being picked up in case of the latter.

We talked with one local teacher, Sam from Pathfinder K-8, who expressed ‘cautious optimism’; updates to come, including the district’s promised 5:30ish update.

5:28 PM: The speeches have begun. Emcee says ‘we’re here for a fair contract.’ These are rabble-rousing speeches, no talk yet of progress or optimism. First speaker is Katie Garrow of MLK Labor, with a message of labor solidarity.

5:34 PM: next speakers are two union bargaining team members. … One was speaking when the rest of the team made a surprise guest appearance behind her. The speaker said they’re trying to make lemonade.

5:45 PM: County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda is giving the most fiery speech so far. ‘We can do better, we must do better’ than having a ‘broke’ district in a city and state with so much private wealth.

5:54 PM: State legislator Gerry Pollet is telling the teachers that the Legislature failed them and that more needs to be done to appropriately fund public education. … The district’s promised 5:30 pm update is simply: “Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Education Association continue to engage in positive and productive negotiations.”

6:15 PM: The speeches continue. A woman who’s both an educator and the mom of a son with autism who is entering Chief Sealth IHS and attended other WS public schools said that current special education is working “so why take it away?”

6:31 PM: They’re ending by practicing strike chants just in case. And the emcee notes that if there’s a strike, the day begins with a picket captain meeting at 7 am. Some info’s coming in about family resources if needed, and we’ll have a story on that once back at HQ.

7:33 PM: Here’s the district’s latest update:

Sept. 1, 7:30 p.m. update: Seattle Public Schools and the Seattle Education Association remain hard at work. Negotiations continue to move in a very positive direction. Thank you for your patience. We look forward to providing another update soon. Please stay tuned.

8:42 PM: Since we posted that, they’ve edited the second-to-last sentence of the 7:30 pm update to be “We look forward to providing another update at 9:30 p.m.”

Once taught September 1, 2026 (5:36 pm)

Gets ready for a very long strike people!

SPS Teacher September 1, 2026 (6:47 pm)

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Hoping not!

Jethro Marx September 1, 2026 (5:51 pm)

Us adults are teaching the children now! We elect politicians based on what they say they will but can not do for us. We elect a school board made up of people who say they will but can not deliver quality education to every student in the district. We move a 7th grader to 8th grade whether they have learned in the classroom or failed to participate except chaotically. We hire teachers who sometimes can and sometimes can not effectively teach. We do not reward the effective ones or fire the ineffective ones with any consistency. Our unions demand more pay, less reality, more poop emojis in public discourse. We sound like children who have not yet outgrown “me first” and poop jokes.

SPS Teacher September 2, 2026 (6:29 am)

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And what’s your hot take now?
- Jethro Marx September 2, 2026 (7:56 am)
  
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  I am the same today as I am yesterday. Glad school is opening I guess but the lesson taught was “wait until the last minute and then throw an organized and performative tantrum and you will get what you want.” Our experience with SPS has been about 50/50 great teachers/terrible teachers. To be fair it’s been the same for principals/administrators.

Michael Waldo September 1, 2026 (6:55 pm)

My wife just retired from teaching after 36 years. Most teachers have a BA degree and many have a masters degree. That’s considered a professional job, but they are not treated like professionals. Folks complain that they get summers off. They don’t get paid for the summer. Their pay period is from Sept to June and is rationed out to 12 months of paychecks for a 9 month contract. And my wife never had a three month summer vacation. School usual goes to mid-June. Then in the second week of August comes meetings, preparing the syllabus, getting the room ready, more meetings and seminars.And parents send their kids to school unprepared. Teachers have to constantly ask someone to put their phone away. Teaching is hard and underpaid. The first 5 years of teaching she had to have a second job. After that she still had to work over the summer until about 10 years ago.

Sps student dad September 1, 2026 (8:27 pm)

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Why teach when you could just be superintendent and make $425k per year.

Alki parent September 1, 2026 (7:11 pm)

..And the private school admission teams rejoice… this is such a tragedy for the fabric of our public school community.

Teach September 2, 2026 (6:31 am)

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This is the nexus of your blame for the undermining of public ed?

Mike September 1, 2026 (8:03 pm)

Long past time to break up Seattle Public Schools into multiple districts. They’re in debt and adding to their debt again. They have zero accountability and continue to take take take with pathetic testing scores and in outcomes for students. Time’s up, break up the district.

bill#1 September 2, 2026 (4:04 am)

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How could that help?

Proud private school parent! September 1, 2026 (8:26 pm)

I would never send my child to an SPS school. So proud that my child goes to a safe and exceptional private school in West Seattle. Taxes should be diverted from over crowded, failing, dirty SPS schools to vouchers for private school. The data is clear – charter and private schools beat public school results every time. 20-30 kids per classroom, no way! Union bosses holding taxpayers and children hostage, no way! Divert these funds to successful charter and private schools!!!

K September 2, 2026 (3:12 am)

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Special ed students generally can’t go to private schools. Unlike public schools, they can pick and choose who attends their school, and reject those who have behavioral, medical, or developmental needs that require additional resources.

So congratulations on having a typically developing child.

Ronald September 1, 2026 (8:27 pm)

I don’t have a horse in this race. But I’m with teachers on standing up for this. It matters.

Parent of student September 1, 2026 (8:35 pm)

Thank you for the updates. Your coverage is better than the Seattle Times.

Admiral Mom September 1, 2026 (10:18 pm)

I will believe politicians when I see them rabidly advocate at the legislature for full funding for special education. Otherwise this rallies are just photo ops.To the Chief Sealth mom saying Special Education. Is working: Happy it is working for your child. But sadly it ain’t working for hundreds of students that are not properly served (hint: SPS pays thousands of dollars in lawsuit settlements for IEPs out of compliance). We love our teachers, most of them dedicated professionals in our buildings. But I have no love for a union playing games and holding our students hostage. You heard Gina Topp: “The goal is simple: kids in class tomorrow”