D11 union teachers set to strike

Editor's note: A previous version of this story included information from teachers, citing negotiations with the district. There have not been negotiations between the district and union since the board voted to end the master agreement in December of 2024.  Additionally, we have added information from the district, which says "it is only union teachers that have said that they are participating and believed to be approximately 1/3 of all teachers."

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Union teachers in the Colorado Springs School District 11 are officially walking off the job on Wednesday, October 8.

Kevin Coughlin, a fifth-grade teacher at D11, says they’re fighting for the best learning conditions for students and the best working conditions for their teachers.

"We wanna get the politics out of classrooms. Our current school board has put politics before students, and we'd like to change that," said Kevin Coughlin, a fifth-grade teacher at D11.

The district confirms that substitutes will help keep classes running, and they expect one-third of their teachers to be involved in the strike.

"They could have struck back in December when we voted not to renew the master agreement. They could have gone on strike in January. They didn't. They waited eleven months," said Jill Haffley, the VP of D11, earlier today.

Superintendent Michael Gaal at D11 tells KRDO that families shouldn't worry, "it'll be safe, it'll be effective,  it will be the same high-quality instruction that D11 is known for over the last 3 years."

Teachers will be outside several schools across the district starting at 7 a.m. tomorrow, and a rally is planned at Acacia Park at 2:30 p.m..

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