Candidates for School Board 2011

There will be elections in four Director Districts. here are the candidates

District I, North Seattle
Peter Maier (Incumbent)

District II, North Seattle
Sherry Carr (Incumbent)
Kate Martin

District III, Northeast Seattle
Harium Martin-Morris(Incumbent)
Michelle Buetow

District VI, West Seattle
Steve Sundquist (Incumbent)
Joy Anderson(?)
Charita Dumas (?)
Martha (Marty) McLaren (?)

Comments

Kate Martin said…
Martha (Marty) McLaren is also a candidate in District 6 (VI). I imagine she will do some kind of announcement this week, but her hat is definitely in the ring.
Greg Linden said…
That appears to be the same Martha McLaren who worked with Cliff Mass to question the efficacy of the Discovery Math textbooks?
Greg Linden said…
No one is running against Peter Maier?
speducator said…
If you're an 11th District democrat, come to the meeting on Tuesday, May 24, at 7:00 pm in Renton at Carpenter's Hall.

Harium Martin-Morris, Sherry Carr, Steve Sundquist, and Peter Maier, will be up for an endorsement vote. It's a small district, and any new people with a voice will have an impact.

http://wa-demchairs.org/kcdems/2011/races.php
Sahila said…
I heard that an Ingraham parent was running against Maier
I do know someone who is running against Peter but I'll check and make sure it's okay to put his name here. He might want a different kind of announcement.
Anonymous said…
Could someone explain how the districts work? Maybe link to a map?

Signed. Many regards
If you go to the SPS website and go to the School Board homepage, the maps of the districts are at the bottom of the page.

School Board elections are odd ducks and even though I've tried, I've never found out quite why we do it this way.

You have to run in the primary out of your district (you have to live there). It's a district only vote. So if no one is running in your district, you skip the primary.

Therefore, it is VERY important to be known in your own district or you may not make it out of the primary. If there are only two people running, then both go to the general.

In the general election, the candidates are running city-wide which means you need to get out there and work the city.

Money is the mother's milk of campaigns. We know that but frankly, I still say that a strong campaign is a strong campaign. Kay Smith-Blum used her many connections to have a successful Facebook page as well as used her funds for a couple of billboards but she did NO direct mailings (more green). It worked.

It would be really great to have more than one challenger in each race. There's two reasons for that. One, is that it forces the incumbent to have to start explaining more earlier. Two, there could be the chance to knock an incumbent out in the primary would would be HUGE and set the tone for the general.

Challengers will still have to work to prove why they would be better and not just run as "I'm not the incumbent" and throw arrows at the state of the district (although that's a strategy as well).
Maureen said…
Here's a lnk to the Board Page. Go to the very bottom to see the links to Director Distric maps.
dan dempsey said…
The August Primary used to be the September Primary but the incompetence of collecting votes led to a change to the third week in August (when many are on vacation).

The Primary as a local SPS District only affair is to get the best two candidates living in each district (as determined by the voters in that district) on the slate in the general election.

The General election will allow every registered voter in Seattle to vote for each of the four directorships.

When the four directors who continually fail to make evidence-based decisions are running.... everyone has the opportunity to vote against them. Reelect No One.

Note:
There is only a local district primary in districts with more than two candidates. It would be good to have at least three candidates in each district. It costs nothing to file for school board. Filing is done in the first full week of June.
dan dempsey said…
What about Harium's opponent in 2007?

Where is David Blomstrom?

Any third candidate will do.
none1111 said…
Dan asked: What about Harium's opponent in 2007? Where is David Blomstrom?

Ha ha ha ha ha! Thanks for a good laugh!
dan dempsey said…
Like I said any third candidate will do .. to force a primary election. Give David a call. We need three candidates ...
Mr. Edelman said…
If someone is planning to run against Peter Maier, then he or she needs to get with it. The 36th District Democrats' Executive Board has been interviewing candidates since early May, and the Executive Board will vote on recommendations on June 1st.

A potential candidate against Peter Maier should contact the 36th Executive Board and get on the interview schedule ASAP.
Kathy said…
Tomorrow night the 36th Democrats will hold Endorsement Interviews with Sherry Carr and Peter Maier.

http://www.36th.org/

It will be located at:

The Ballard Sr. Center
5429 32nd Ave NW

From 6-9pm.

Hope you can make it.
WenD said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
WenD said…
@Dan: I must disagree with you re: David Blomstrom. As much as David Blomstrom was a brilliant hothead back in the day, Harium essentially ran unopposed thanks to David's angry, misogynistic veneer. There have to be others who can run a sincere campaign. Are you well-informed and do you care about the fate of your schools? Do it. Ask for volunteers. You'll get them. Your oppositional research will write itself because Harium's tenure can be summed up as oblivious in the extreme. My favorite is the compliment he gave the ex-sup. She had a "calling" to this work. Did he know her bags were already packed?
dan dempsey said…
WenD,

I agree with you David B is not what is needed. What is needed are at least three candidates in every district to force a primary in August. Any registered voter in Seattle can run for the Board if they live in the required District. It is free. It takes very little time to file for candidacy.

A serious Candidate like Ms. Martin or Ms. Buetow will be helped by having a third candidate in the race.... an August primary will be much better than no primary.
Anonymous said…
When is the deadline for filing?

-Perplexed
Charlie Mas said…
The deadline for filing doesn't come until later. In fact, candidates can't even file until June.

But endorsement meetings are happening NOW. Anyone who wants to be a candidate needs to get out to those endorsement meetings right away.
Greg Linden said…
Thanks for posting this, Charlie. Would you mind posting an update to it in a couple weeks after we have more of the candidates announcing and all the websites up? I suspect everyone finds it hard to keep track of who is running, so regular updates probably would be helpful.
Chris S. said…
District formerly-known-as-Hariums:

Ed Doc! Ed Doc!

Another cogent post at the Times!

We need U!
Maureen said…
I thought Ed Doc said s/he lives in Carr's district?
mirmac1 said…
I'm sorry but speaking as someone who's conducted audits of major programs and projects, I gotta say that the frequent calls for a "forensic" audit of the district are not appropriate. That's like using a shotgun to kill a squirrel.

Here are the types of audits one can undertake (from the internet of course):

Financial Audits address questions of accounting, recording, and reporting of financial transactions. Reviewing the adequacy of internal controls also falls within the scope of financial audits.
Compliance Audits seek to determine if departments are adhering to federal, state, and agency rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Operational Audits examine the use of department/university resources to evaluate whether those resources are being utilized in the most efficient and effective way to fulfill the agency's mission and objectives. An operational audit may include elements of a compliance audit, a financial audit, and an information systems audit.
Investigative (or forensic) Audits are performed when appropriate. These audits focus on alleged violations of federal and state laws and of agency policies and regulations. This may result in prosecution or disciplinary action. Internal theft, misuse of assets, and conflicts of interest are examples of investigative audits.

In the case of SPS, what is called for is an operational audit, plain and simple. I want to quit burning up money on stuff that does NOT help our teachers and students NOW.
WenD said…
@mirmac1: Thank you for posting this. I've been focusing on a forensic audit because I'm uncertain if Pottergate is case closed, or if there's more evidence of criminal activity waiting to be discovered or brought forward.
mirmac1 said…
WenD,

The case was forwarded to the KC Prosecutor so they ARE investigating.

I'm trying to get clarification out there on the calls for a forensic audit. I wish the terminology could change or the calls be made for an operational audit.

One is underway of the Facilities department. GOOD! It needs it.
Anonymous said…
Why doesn't any of the frequent posters on this blog run against these candidates? Obviously you are unhappy with the district and how things are done or not done. Maybe it's time to get out there and see if you can make a change.
Clementine
mirmac1 said…
Clementine,
I am working with challengers and we WILL prevail. Lessee, no established political group has endorsed candidates yet... Maybe they can read the writing on the wall.

Do you really think I just piss and moan on the blog. No, I do let my views be known but I've been doorbelling since the eighties.
Ed Doc said…
John Cummings has filed to run against Maier.

Terrence Menage has filed to run against Carr.

Dr. Menage wrote his candidacy announcement on another thread of this blog; he has been only candidate thus far to support the call for a forensic audit.

I realize that a significant number of people that post on this blog do not believe a forensic audit is necessary or warranted. At one point I believe it was compared to using a shotgun to kill flies, overkill. In light of all that I know and the little bit that has been reported, the half-measures many propose are akin to using a 4 cm band-aid for a gaping chest wound. A forensic audit is long overdue and the absence of one will allow more millions of taxpayer dollars to be subject to the abuse, fraud, theft and waste that permeates headquarters.

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