Debate the issues facing Seattle Public Schools, share your opinions, read the latest news. Organize and work for high quality public schools that educate all students to become passionate, lifelong learners.
Dueling Posts on the SLOG
Get link
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Email
Other Apps
The Stranger invited both sides of the Supplemental School Levy to write posts for their news blog, SLOG.
Sadly, the Stranger Slog comments section isn't working because of a strain on the server due to a contest they are having. But you can certainly comment here.
Sharon Rodgers, who wrote for Schools First, is someone I know. She and I have a cordial, respectful relationship and I certainly don't take anything she said personally. But I think I will use her wording in reply.
I am appalled by people who are enablers for our district to continue to fail financially. I am appalled by people who, levy after levy, promise to hold the district and the Board to be accountable and yet, nothing changes. Parents are large group and could be counted on if Schools First and/or the Seattle Council PTSA asked them to rise to the occasion and put pressure on the district to do better.
They never have.
They encourage us to write letters to the Board and talk to the Board and even more hilariously, talk to Dr. G-J. Sure, that'll work.
I am appalled that anyone could read that audit and not feel sickened. And then go out and say, trust the district.
I am appalled that anyone could look the other way or pretend that it's just a few naysayers saying no. It's not and Schools First knows it. Sorry, when you get the Seattle Times saying no and the solid citizens of the League of Women Voters expressing deep dissatisfaction with the district and, instead of backing this levy as they did for the ones in Feb, say they are taking no position, then it's not just a few people.
It's interesting because I was having a conversation with a state legislator who told me that he was surprised about how much the district was making of the cuts because the Legislature tried very hard to stay away from education and made cuts much deeper in other areas. It's like the district is tone-deaf to the rest of the state having to make do with less.
And those cuts hitting "bone"? Not when you don't freeze the travel budget or you have extra money for a lavish party or hire Broad residents for upper management jobs. Sorry, we're really not there yet.
The speaker list is up for the Board meeting tomorrow; not as packed as I thought with just four people on the waitlist. The majority of the speakers are speaking on high school boundaries (with several wanting to talk about Ballard High). There are only three of us speaking about the Green Dot resolution asking the City to not grant the zoning departures that Green Dot has requested. It's me, long-time watchdog, Chris Jackins, and the head of the Washington State Charter Schools Association, Patrick D'Amelio. (I knew Mr. D'Amelio when he headed the Alliance for Education and Big Brothers and Big Sisters; he's a stand-up guy.)
Why You Should Care Mr. Crabill has found quite the acolyte in Director Chandra Hampson. In the course of discussions over SOFG, she says his name over and over, "A.J .says we...." Now that's not too surprising given the direction the district is heading and that it is Mr. Crabill's work with the Council of Great City Schools is how we got here. But it appears that Mr. Crabill is working very closely with Hampson and we know she wields some amount of power over the majority of the Board. Mr. Crabill is going to continue to work with the Board as SOFG is instituted in SPS. In fact, his role may become more public as it did at one SPS Board meeting in the spring where he was on the phone during the meeting and suggested the Board stop the meeting to "self-reflect." I also noticed that in a district in South Carolina, when things weren't going to plan, he blamed the Board for not following SOFG to the letter. Look for that to happen here if Board members w
This may only be a partial list of reasons; please, add anything else in the comments. The deadline to file to run for the Board is May 19th. Entire Board Majority NOT vetting the Superintendent in any way, shape or form. Even the Seattle Times thought that was wrong. It was just absolute hubris and it was wrong. For the second time in just over a year , board members voted to negotiate a superintendent contract during a special meeting with no opportunity for public comment. This time, they showed an even deeper disregard for their responsibilities as public servants: Aborting a national search for a new superintendent and denying Interim Superintendent Brent Jones a chance to show students, parents and taxpayers that, indeed, he is the best person for the job. Government bodies can’t fast-forward through transparent processes just because they think they know the right answer. One other odd thing about the hiring of Brent Jones - most permanent SPS superintendent contracts ar
Comments
Sharon Rodgers, who wrote for Schools First, is someone I know. She and I have a cordial, respectful relationship and I certainly don't take anything she said personally. But I think I will use her wording in reply.
I am appalled by people who are enablers for our district to continue to fail financially. I am appalled by people who, levy after levy, promise to hold the district and the Board to be accountable and yet, nothing changes. Parents are large group and could be counted on if Schools First and/or the Seattle Council PTSA asked them to rise to the occasion and put pressure on the district to do better.
They never have.
They encourage us to write letters to the Board and talk to the Board and even more hilariously, talk to Dr. G-J. Sure, that'll work.
I am appalled that anyone could read that audit and not feel sickened. And then go out and say, trust the district.
I am appalled that anyone could look the other way or pretend that it's just a few naysayers saying no. It's not and Schools First knows it. Sorry, when you get the Seattle Times saying no and the solid citizens of the League of Women Voters expressing deep dissatisfaction with the district and, instead of backing this levy as they did for the ones in Feb, say they are taking no position, then it's not just a few people.
It's interesting because I was having a conversation with a state legislator who told me that he was surprised about how much the district was making of the cuts because the Legislature tried very hard to stay away from education and made cuts much deeper in other areas. It's like the district is tone-deaf to the rest of the state having to make do with less.
And those cuts hitting "bone"? Not when you don't freeze the travel budget or you have extra money for a lavish party or hire Broad residents for upper management jobs. Sorry, we're really not there yet.
Vote NO!
Helen Schinske