SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
A picket line of striking Seattle educators from September 10, 2015. (Photo: Ted S. Warren/AP)
The first Seattle teachers strike in 30 years has forced the district into a tentative contract agreement, union representatives announced Tuesday, following a 12-hour negotiation session and a week of picketing, protests, and school closures.
While union representatives say the city's schools will reopen Thursday, the strike will not officially be over until the 5,000 members of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) vote on the deal Sunday. Some are urging caution, as the strike is not over until educators themselves say it is.
Already, the strike has provoked broad debate over fairness for workers and students, in a city where schools are plagued with racial and economic segregation and inequality--and rising living costs mean many teachers are no longer able to live where they work.
"We've negotiated a pro-student, pro-parent, pro-educator agreement."
--Jonathan Knapp, Seattle Education Association President
As labor reporter Sarah Jaffe recently argued, the Seattle strike is part of a growing nationwide education justice movement, from Chicago to New Jersey, in which parents, teachers, and community members are "schooling government on how to improve education."
And indeed, concerns over student-punishment practices and recess policies were central to the strike. In addition, teachers are calling for adequate psychological and specialist support at underprivileged schools; an end to over-testing; and fair teacher evaluation and compensation.
The draft agreement has not been released publicly, but the union outlined its key highlights:
"This is a hard-fought victory for the kids of Seattle, and I am proud of SEA members and our incredible bargaining team," said Jonathan Knapp, SEA president. "This agreement signals a new era in bargaining in public education. We've negotiated a pro-student, pro-parent, pro-educator agreement. We really appreciate the strong support from parents and students."
In an article published Tuesday following the announcement of the tentative agreement, Seattle parent, musician, and activist Kimya Dawson declared, "This strike is teaching our kids about fighting for what's right, integrity, social justice, and solidarity."
"I will support this strike for as long or as little as it takes," she continued. "I hope the massive show of support inspires demands for public education reform far and wide. I hope the conversations keep on and folks continue to get to know their neighbors. To fight the disparities, we need to be united and keep sharing stories."
Political revenge. Mass deportations. Project 2025. Unfathomable corruption. Attacks on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Pardons for insurrectionists. An all-out assault on democracy. Republicans in Congress are scrambling to give Trump broad new powers to strip the tax-exempt status of any nonprofit he doesn’t like by declaring it a “terrorist-supporting organization.” Trump has already begun filing lawsuits against news outlets that criticize him. At Common Dreams, we won’t back down, but we must get ready for whatever Trump and his thugs throw at us. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. By donating today, please help us fight the dangers of a second Trump presidency. |
The first Seattle teachers strike in 30 years has forced the district into a tentative contract agreement, union representatives announced Tuesday, following a 12-hour negotiation session and a week of picketing, protests, and school closures.
While union representatives say the city's schools will reopen Thursday, the strike will not officially be over until the 5,000 members of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) vote on the deal Sunday. Some are urging caution, as the strike is not over until educators themselves say it is.
Already, the strike has provoked broad debate over fairness for workers and students, in a city where schools are plagued with racial and economic segregation and inequality--and rising living costs mean many teachers are no longer able to live where they work.
"We've negotiated a pro-student, pro-parent, pro-educator agreement."
--Jonathan Knapp, Seattle Education Association President
As labor reporter Sarah Jaffe recently argued, the Seattle strike is part of a growing nationwide education justice movement, from Chicago to New Jersey, in which parents, teachers, and community members are "schooling government on how to improve education."
And indeed, concerns over student-punishment practices and recess policies were central to the strike. In addition, teachers are calling for adequate psychological and specialist support at underprivileged schools; an end to over-testing; and fair teacher evaluation and compensation.
The draft agreement has not been released publicly, but the union outlined its key highlights:
"This is a hard-fought victory for the kids of Seattle, and I am proud of SEA members and our incredible bargaining team," said Jonathan Knapp, SEA president. "This agreement signals a new era in bargaining in public education. We've negotiated a pro-student, pro-parent, pro-educator agreement. We really appreciate the strong support from parents and students."
In an article published Tuesday following the announcement of the tentative agreement, Seattle parent, musician, and activist Kimya Dawson declared, "This strike is teaching our kids about fighting for what's right, integrity, social justice, and solidarity."
"I will support this strike for as long or as little as it takes," she continued. "I hope the massive show of support inspires demands for public education reform far and wide. I hope the conversations keep on and folks continue to get to know their neighbors. To fight the disparities, we need to be united and keep sharing stories."
The first Seattle teachers strike in 30 years has forced the district into a tentative contract agreement, union representatives announced Tuesday, following a 12-hour negotiation session and a week of picketing, protests, and school closures.
While union representatives say the city's schools will reopen Thursday, the strike will not officially be over until the 5,000 members of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) vote on the deal Sunday. Some are urging caution, as the strike is not over until educators themselves say it is.
Already, the strike has provoked broad debate over fairness for workers and students, in a city where schools are plagued with racial and economic segregation and inequality--and rising living costs mean many teachers are no longer able to live where they work.
"We've negotiated a pro-student, pro-parent, pro-educator agreement."
--Jonathan Knapp, Seattle Education Association President
As labor reporter Sarah Jaffe recently argued, the Seattle strike is part of a growing nationwide education justice movement, from Chicago to New Jersey, in which parents, teachers, and community members are "schooling government on how to improve education."
And indeed, concerns over student-punishment practices and recess policies were central to the strike. In addition, teachers are calling for adequate psychological and specialist support at underprivileged schools; an end to over-testing; and fair teacher evaluation and compensation.
The draft agreement has not been released publicly, but the union outlined its key highlights:
"This is a hard-fought victory for the kids of Seattle, and I am proud of SEA members and our incredible bargaining team," said Jonathan Knapp, SEA president. "This agreement signals a new era in bargaining in public education. We've negotiated a pro-student, pro-parent, pro-educator agreement. We really appreciate the strong support from parents and students."
In an article published Tuesday following the announcement of the tentative agreement, Seattle parent, musician, and activist Kimya Dawson declared, "This strike is teaching our kids about fighting for what's right, integrity, social justice, and solidarity."
"I will support this strike for as long or as little as it takes," she continued. "I hope the massive show of support inspires demands for public education reform far and wide. I hope the conversations keep on and folks continue to get to know their neighbors. To fight the disparities, we need to be united and keep sharing stories."