SEA Bargaining Team at the Table Today |
The Seattle Education Association is the voice for educators and our students, standing united to address the needs of our community during this pandemic and to transform our district into an anti-racist school system where every student thrives. |
ACT NOW!
SEA believes educators, families, and students deserve to see a detailed plan that addresses our concerns for safety, equity, and workload before any return to in-person this spring.
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Send us a photo of yourself wearing your red SEA t-shirt, holding a sign stating what you want to see addressed in the plan before a return to in-person. Email your photo to [email protected] by Friday, Jan. 29. We will post them on our SEA Facebook page as they come in.
Here are some suggestions:
- I need to see the racial equity analysis.
- I need access to vaccinations.
- I can teach in-person or remote, not both.
- SPS needs to earn our trust.
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From the Bargaining Table
After weeks of preparation, the SEA Bargaining Team will be at the table with the District’s Bargaining Team for the first formal bargaining session. Leading up to this week, SEA leadership has requested the District provide comprehensive, detailed plans of its re-opening proposal. What has been provided so far is bare-bones and not nearly sufficient for us to understand the District’s proposal. This raises the question, “Is there a plan?”
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If there is a detailed plan, we have not seen it yet. Recently, Wyeth Jessee, Chief of Schools and Continuous Improvement, stated in the Jan. 19, 2021, Seattle Schools Virtual Town Hall, “…the whole day is literally mapped out, minute by minute,” so that the cohort bubbles can stay in a bubble as they transition to bathrooms, wash hands, eat lunch, etc. We have not been provided such a minute-by-minute plan, information that is critical to both inform the bargain and for families to understand the plan. Link to video: https://youtu.be/8806SIVOZqI?t=1295
Further, during the January 12 Town Hall, Chief Jessee suggested each school would have its own safety plan to address issues like drop-offs, entrances/exits, hallway movements, etc. Again, this information has not been provided in a detailed way for any building, much less each building. We want to be partners and collaborate and will do so if given the opportunity. The District called us to the bargaining table to negotiate a return to buildings for students in preK-1st grades and students in specific special education service pathways. The District must provide a detailed and thorough plan that we can review, share, and discuss with both members and families.
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Upcoming Engagement Opportunities
Do you want to return in-person March 1 or as soon as possible? We want to hear from you because it’s important that we call in and hear from a range of voices. Please plan to attend SEA’s listening session this Thursday, January 28, 3:30-5:00pm. Register in advance for this meeting:
Are you a Black, Indigenous, or Person of Color educator? We want to provide a space to center your voices. Please plan to attend SEA’s listening session this Friday, January 29, 5:00-6:30pm. White allies and accomplices, we respectfully ask that you don’t attend. BIPOC educators, register in advance for this meeting:
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