District Says School Will Start Thursday but Not So Fast
This tweet went out from SPS:
School will start Thursday! We are excited to welcome our 53,000 students! Reminder: kindergartners will also start Thurs.
EXCEPT, as The Stranger accurately points out, there is no firm agreement yet with the union. The union hasn't tweeted this news. This is a tactic that is often used when tentative agreements are made in order to embarrass/force one party to agree to a contract.
While I think it is more than likely school will start Thursday, it was wrong of the district to say so not in unison with the union.
School will start Thursday! We are excited to welcome our 53,000 students! Reminder: kindergartners will also start Thurs.
EXCEPT, as The Stranger accurately points out, there is no firm agreement yet with the union. The union hasn't tweeted this news. This is a tactic that is often used when tentative agreements are made in order to embarrass/force one party to agree to a contract.
While I think it is more than likely school will start Thursday, it was wrong of the district to say so not in unison with the union.
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At the very least it wI'll add to the teachers' inevitable and understandable resentment that the district has already caused by their reprehensible behavior during the negotiation process.
Way to taint the process and make the teachers look like the bad guys, SPS, or was that the intention?
Seattle Schools @seapubschools · 1h1 hour ago
School will start Thursday! We are excited to welcome our 53,000 students! Reminder: kindergartners will also start Thurs.
sunilTeonna WrotenJennifer SullivanT Pimpin'Shanley Julie Ryanaidan welchliterallyRick North
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Someone, please take a screen shot of SPS's twitter feed. They are announcing that SPS has reached a tentative agreement and school will start on Thursday. The board has not voted on this issue. I've noticed that the Alliance For Education is pushing this narrative and Ed Murray joined in the twitter feed. Here it is:
Seattle Schools @seapubschools · 2h2 hours ago
No school tomorrow. We're excited a tentative agreement has been reached between SPS & @SeattleEA & hope for school to start Thursday.
Seattle Schools retweeted
Ed Murray @MayorEdMurray · 3h3 hours ago Seattle, WA
A tentative agreement reached between the district & teachers is welcome news for #Seattle families & students. http://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-statement-on-tentative-agreement-between-teachers-school-district/#sthash.ytdNfCz0.XFePZJ8F.dpbs
Why do I think this is a ploy for the union to give-in on testing issues? …
It would be better, to agree to an extension of current contract, and continue talking.
San Fransisco negotiated their contract for months.
http://thelowell.org/2014/12/12/teachers-approve-new-contract-with-first-raise-in-eight-years/
Is it just the SEA Representatives that vote on the contract
or do all SEA members vote on the contract?
-- Dan Dempsey
I found my answer on Open Thread Tuesday from Seattle Citizen.
Thanks,
Dan
SPS totally jumped the gun. AFTER RA decides if the TA is acceptable (to them) THEN the strike would be suspended and the school's could open Thursday.
It's not certain RA will accept the TA. Pretty good chance: bargaining team will certainly make their case for it.
But maybe not. SPS got ahead of the process.
reader47
Frustrated Teacher
SEATTLE SCHOOLS ANNOUNCE THURSDAY START! TENTATIVE DEAL REACHED: Plans are underway for "the first day!" You can learn more by clicking here. Remember, the schedule for the first day will remain as originally planned:
-let me eat cake
SPSPANPOTWC
Frustrated teacher
Rich Wood, spokesperson for @seattleea, on a vote to end strike: "it's going to be a while": #SPSStrike
So let's be patient.
http://www.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/2015/09/15/22862660/i-am-confused-and-just-got-hung-up-on-by-the-seattle-school-district
- Frustrated parent
It has been noted by other poster here - if it wasn't about the money then the redshirts would have agreed to the raise offered a week ago that is way better than most of the unwashed masses are going to get over the next three years. Let's see how the contract pans out. My guess is the redshirts end up with a more extravagant salary offer and have compromised on student issues. I understand it's a great talking point to say it's for the kids and not about the money, but we all aren't so naive to belive that anymore.
I am happy to report that your guess is completely and utterly wrong. Nice try, though.
My guess is the majority of teachers would not really care about a raise if they received the supports they need to help their students (counselors, OT, Sped IAs, etc.)