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First day of school canceled in Seattle as teachers strike

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The summer break is lasting a little longer for students in Seattle, Washington.

Wednesday was supposed to be the first day of school, but that was delayed due to a strike by the teacher's union.

The district said pick-up meals would still be provided to students on Wednesday.

The Seattle Education Association has been negotiating with the district for months. The union reportedly wants pay increases for teachers, more support for special education and multilingual students and more control over workload and class sizes to avoid teacher burnout.

"The SEA Bargaining Team is continuing to work at this hour and SEA calls on SPS to share our urgency and reach a contract agreement that brings us back to classrooms as fast as possible," the union said in a statement.

In a message to parents, the district said it respects educators and is hoping for a resolution.

"We are optimistic the bargaining teams will come to a positive solution for students, staff, and families," the district stated. "Negotiations with SEA are ongoing."

Seattle Public Schools is the largest K-12 school system in Washington state. More than 50,000 students are enrolled in schools across the district.