Why Moon over her opponent, Jenny Durkan?
1. Moon is willing to put herself out there and talk about education issues at her campaign page (look under Racial Equity). As well, she just did a recent story at Medium. It's meaty, good reading.
2. Moon interviewed with me and Durkan didn't.
However, what did Durkan say in an interview with the 36th Dems earlier this year about public education? (bold mine)
Question: In your view, what is the role of the City in assuring equal educational achievement and achievement opportunities in Seattle Public Schools?I'm not voting for anyone who has ideas about taking over the Board and/or the district. She has not once explained those comments.
Answer:
You know, I think it's a really difficult thing when the City has such a critical role in education but yet the School Board controls it. And I think we have to reexamine those connections as a city but there are things we have done and continue to do.
For one, pre-K. You know, universal pre-k , I think, is not just an important issue but I think it should be a universal right. I think if we are looking to the future and what families need, we have to have it. Our pre-k initiative, you know, the initiative we funded ourself, it expires.
But we have to work with the schools and find better ways so that every kid has the chance to excel and not get left behind. I think we are more and more balkanizing into neighborhoods and locales and have so many languages that are spoken in the public schools...the future of our city is the kids. There's just no question about that. And I think we have to find ways to work with the School Board and to reexamine if that's the most efficient way to work in schools.
One thing I think we can't do is blame teachers. You know, I was a high school teacher for two years, between college and law school. And teaching school is one of the hardest jobs there is. You're required to not just be teacher but social worker, sometimes absentee parent, you name it - you have every single role. And more and more I think we have not done enough to support our teachers.
3. Moon has many more ideas around how the City can support public education than Durkan. Durkan has said two things - she doesn't like how the School Board works and she'd like to divert Families and Education levy money to provide free community college to SPS grads.
4. When Moon shows up to endorsement events, she sticks around and talks to people. Durkan - from the three events I have been at where she has appeared - came for the main thing and then beats a quick exit.
I think someone who is willing to truly engage with voters is the person I would want to be Mayor.
I note that the Times covered an ed reform forum that happened last night but, like many a Time's article, it is vague. It had not a single quote from any of the actual Seattle School Board candidates but it did from mayoral candidates. Weird.
One topic area, and a focus of questions in others, was the city’s Families and Education Levy and the Seattle Preschool Levy, both of which are up for renewal in 2018. The levies are separate from the school district.Moon said this in the Medium about the F&E levy (bold hers):
Mayoral candidate Jenny Durkan announced in August that she wants the city to pay for two years of community-college tuition for all Seattle public high school graduates, using the Families and Education Levy as one of the funding sources. In a four-part education equity plan released Tuesday, candidate Cary Moon said she thinks levy money should only center on K-12 education “as it was originally intended.”
And unlike my opponent, I believe that levy money should remain focused on K-12 education as it was originally intended.In a one-minute wrap-up at the education forum from the Times' article:
However, the city should evaluate levy-funding decisions based on need and in consultation with the community rather than relying solely on high stakes test scores. I want to acknowledge Nikkita Oliver and the Seattle’s Peoples Party for raising this issue during the primary election campaign, and thank the community leaders who have discussed with me the need to ensure we are doing everything we can to target levy funding in a way that benefits all children — but especially students who need additional support to succeed.We must also re-prioritize funding for crucial social services that low-income and homeless students need to succeed, including social workers, family support, school nurses, and mental health counselors. In addition, the city should provide greater technical assistance to programs navigating the grant application process for levy funds, and review grant-making policy to ensure the application and evaluation metrics create a level playing field for funding access. Finally, we should increase funding for critical thinking, civics, and arts education to provide all students with a well-rounded education.
At the end of the forum, each candidate offered a one-minute reflection, with many speaking about the importance of learning from others in the room.Both things are true but I still believe Durkan would spend the time (and the money) to take over the system rather than truly support it.
“If we can provide every kid in this city with a great education and a chance to pursue their dream, we will have made a giant step forward to ending racial inequity in our city,” Moon said.
Durkan said she learned from the participants that community members are very engaged, but very frustrated with the current system.
“ … We have heard the same problems spoken about over and over again, but it doesn’t seem that people are delivering real solutions or delivering on the promises,” Durkan said.
Cary Moon for Mayor.
