Hundreds of educators joined with striking bus drivers on the picket line Wednesday at a number of protest hubs throughout Seattle.
The gulf between the drivers, represented by the Teamsters union, and First Student, a subcontractor with Seattle Public Schools, has widened since a one-day strike in Nov. 2017 after the two sides failed to negotiate an agreement on improved healthcare and retirement benefits in ensuing months.
Last week, concerns about the challenges faced by a Seattle Public Schools elementary campus on Capitol Hill were a reminder of just how challenging it is to maintain — let alone build — the system amid tight budgetary environments and further squeezing from Olympia, Wash. November’s election to select new school board members will be one step in helping the district’s children grow and, hopefully, thrive.
Photo by Alex Garland
Wednesday night, Washington Hall was bursting with sound: a constant buzz of chatter, throb of laughter, and beat of music. A rally was happening, following the full work day of educators across Seattle who chose to redirect curriculum, hold discussions, and wear t-shirts for Black Lives Matter.
Organizers and educators hold a press conference to discuss the BLM plan (photo by Kelsey Hamlin).
Next Wednesday, Oct. 19, teachers, counselors, and other Seattle Public School District staff across the city plan on simultaneously wearing Black Lives Matter shirts to work, centering the day’s curriculum around race, civil rights history, and contextualizing current events. They will also hold a rally later that day.
