Seattle Public School teachers Monday voted against the latest contract proposal in a continuing tussle with the district as the clock ticks down to next Wednesday’s scheduled start of classes. Seattle Schools is telling Seattle parents to prepare for a delay in the school year:
Families,
The Seattle Education Association (SEA), which represents teachers, rejected the district’s latest contract proposal. They plan to meet again on September 3 to vote on whatever the proposal is at that time.
With the start of school on September 4, we are encouraging families to develop back up plans should Seattle Public Schools not open on time.
We realize the impact a labor strike would have on our families. We are working with child care providers and the City of Seattle to develop options for your students in the event school is not in session on September 4. Those resources, along with other information, will be posted tomorrow at www.seattleschools.org. We will send you additional messages as new information is available.
Again, we are working to reach an agreement with teachers, but it is possible that school will not start on September 4. Please visit www.seattleschools.org for additional information.
Thank you for your patience and support during this time.
Seattle Public Schools
Office of Public Affairs
If you know a Capitol Hill parent, teacher or school district official, offer a hug.
Capitol Hill’s public school’s include Stevens Elementary, Lowell Elementary, NOVA Alternative High School, Secondary Bilingual Orientation Center and Garfield High School.
Lowell Elementary (Image: CHS)
Labor issues with Washington State school districts continue to be a regular end of summer occurrence. In 2010 when the contract currently expiring was hammered out, Seattle went through a similar standoff. Crosscut has more on the latest vote.
Offer a hug? Hugs don’t pay for rent or food or living expenses. Many of our teachers can’t afford to actually live in the neighborhoods where they teach, like ours on Capitol Hill where rents are getting bigger and the places to rent are getting smaller and smaller. Offer a hug, okay, but also pledge to support education levies and see what else you can do to help. Perhaps we as a community can support our community schools through back-to-school supply drives.
I think it is instructive that the district says that parents should look for alternate care for their kids and that they are committed to helping child care providers be available.
The last paragraph says “Again, we are working to reach an agreement with teachers…..” but in reality that is the first mention that they are trying to reach an agreement. The whole tone of the letter sounds like they’re not planning to negotiate.
[…] Hill parents can *probably* relax on scrambling to “develop back up plans” — Seattle Public Schools announced early Sunday that a tentative agreement has been reached […]