Seattle, WA – Thousands of public school teachers, librarians, staff and their supporters boldly took to picket lines for a one day walkout on May 19, demanding better work conditions. The walkout began at 8:00 a.m. and included a picket of local public schools such as West Seattle, Chief Sealth, Rainier Beach, Franklin, Garfield, Roosevelt, Ballard and Hale.

The teacher walkout will march past many schools on their route, and includes a meeting at noon next to the Seattle Experimental Music Project (EMP).

“Join us today as we demand that Washington State fund our schools!” said Phyllis Campano the vice president of the teachers’ union, the Seattle Education Association (SEA).

Supporters are encouraged to use #OneDayWalkout on social media and to also call Washington state legislators at 1-800-562-6000 and leave the message, “Fund our schools!”

At 3:00 p.m. teachers will gather outside of the busy, upscale Westlake Center shopping mall and hold a rally.

Teachers unions and parents across the country are fighting for funding education as state politicians are imposing budget cuts and slashing taxes on the rich.

#SeattleWashington #SeattleWA #TeachersUnion #SeattleEducationAssociation #TeachersUnions

We have received reports, that this morning, July 10 2012 , the Seattle Police Department raided an apartment – targeting well known activists from Occupy Seattle and the Red Spark Collective. A statement from the Red Spark Collective (part of the national Kasama network), notes “This apartment has been a hub for organizing the Everything 4 Everyone festival in August – to bring together West Coast forces for a cultural and political event building on the year of Occupy.”

In the United States today the forces of repression and reaction, ranging from the FBI to local police forces are trying to intimidate those who are standing up for peace, justice, equality and liberation. The examples are many, including the repression directed at Arabs and Muslims, the coordinated attacks on the occupy movement, and FBI raids on anti war and international solidarity activists.

We condemn this act of political repression and send our solidarity to all those who were targeted in this raid.

#SeattleWashington #SeattleWA #PoliceRaid #CommitteeToStopFBIRepression #SWAT #politicalRepression #OccupySeattle