Board Meeting - Part Five

Now Peaslee wants to move one of her amendments but now backs off that.

Now nearly 45 minutes behind.  Onto Consent Agenda and Martin-Morris wants to move item #4 (Legislative agenda) off of it.  Got that done.

Now voting on Legislative Agenda.  Martin-Morris says as he read document that there isn't anything strong in it and it is a bit unclear in the state versus the national level.  (I honestly didn't know the district was working a lot on the national agenda but that's clearly his focus.)  DeBell concurs with M-M and add that it's a major opportunity for our district/state to commit to pre-school for all and feels it should be in there.  (This couldn't have been tweaked sooner?  Hard to believe.)

Peaslee says Joe Paperman reported where our budget is related to cuts over last five years.  Referenced letter from Rep. Pollet and that our funding is where it was in 2008 and that should be added to Legislative Agenda.

McLaren asked why it couldn't be delayed a couple of weeks. Banda seems to be unhappy at this consideration (but frankly, if the document needs a little tweaking do that and then okay it in December).  Charles Wright has come to the microphone.  For this Legislative Agenda that there are items that don't make agenda but we still address then ("a living document").  Carr says this document can be used for talking points.  Patu thinks they can move it forward and then have an attachment with other items.

Now 50 minutes behind.  Vote was 6-1 with Martin-Morris voting no.

I'm going to stop here and just take notes on the Public Testimony and come back with an overall sense of what was said.

Comments

Anonymous said…
OMG. This is what the Times meant when it said board dysfunctionality gets in the way.

I disagreed then. I see it their way tonight.

Really, did Smith-Blum and DeBell have to snipe at each other from the get-go? At both of theirs last meeting? Couldn't they contain their obvious dislike of each other to move this boulder along? Ridiculous and set the perfect wrong tone.

And we've got Peaslee and Patu lost with Peaslee jockeying for amendment position.

And Morris more worried about burnishing his national image than the trainwreck in front of him.

P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C.

It's like a 3rd rate reality show: The Real Life Misadventures of A So-Called Governing Body.

They all deserve the meeting to go until 1 a.m. The lot of them.

Furious Viewer
katie said…
You want dysfunctional.

Take a look at this blast from the past with the Stranger's take on Darlene Flynn and the School Board.
Anonymous said…
Thank you so much for the updates you brave souls.

-secret admirer
Anonymous said…
Let me be clear:

If 7th and 8th graders are not taken out of their middle schools, it will be 6th grade rollups. It's an either/or question.

Secondary school rollups suck worse than moving.

6th grade only at JAMS is about 200 kids. That doesn't even get them a full time librarian. Band? You think? Foreign language offerings for that few kids? That's basically one and half math teachers, 1.5 science teachers, etc.

That sucks. That's not a middle school.

So while it's not anybody's ideal, yes, 7th and 8th graders, a whole lot of you have to leave your middle schools.

I'm sorry your lives aren't quite as you imagined - really - but I'm not willing to lose the 200 or so kids who will be the only ones without the resources to get out of the 6th grade rollup. We know, given how this plan has rolled out, exactly who will be the 6th graders stuck in a rollup - those whose parents don't speak English or don't have access to information.

So, NO 6th GRADE ROLLUPS = Dividing middle schools.

Signed: it happens
mirmac1 said…
Furious,

I dislike the tenor as well, but guess who instigates each snarky exchange. DeBell and his insufferable arrogance. If I'd work alongside him all these years, I'd blast him to the moon.
Anonymous said…
@ mirmac1: I'd suggest you run for school board, but I guess you missed the window,

-ArchStanton
mirmac1 said…
ArchStanton,

You're sweet but insane. I am too impolitic to do that. But I'm out recruiting!
Gerry Pollet said…
State per pupil support for Seattle Schools is still $272 less this year than in 2008-'09 - this is data referred to in letter from Rep Pollet to Board and Admin mentioned by Joe Paperman. That's after our supposed big investment to start meeting McCleary obligations.
Gerry Pollet

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