Seattle teachers on strike over pay, staffing issues

By GENE JOHNSON
Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) — Red-shirted teachers and staff in Seattle Public Schools took to the picket lines instead of the classroom on what was supposed to be the first day of school Wednesday. They’re on strike for the first time since 2015, over issues that include pay and educational support for students who have struggled with years of pandemic learning. It was unclear how long the walkout might last, leaving many parents to scramble for alternative childcare. The city said it would open recreation centers for children in kindergarten through sixth grade beginning Monday. Mayor Bruce Harrell called on the district and the teachers union to “to urgently reach a just and fair resolution.”