Endorsements and Ratings
The Seattle Times will announce its endorsements for the August 16 primary this week. They will announce their endorsements for School Board elections on Thursday, July 28.
The Municipal League has released their ratings for school board candidates. Incumbents Carr, Martin-Morris, and Maier were rated "very good", Steve Sundquist (his name oddly mis-spelled), was rated "Outstanding". Challengers did not fair as well. Michele Buetow and John Dunn got the same "very good" rating as the incumbent, Kate Martin and Sharon Peaslee were rated as "good". The rest got either "adequate" or "not qualified" except for Joy Anderson for whom they had insufficient information.
The King County Labor Council has endorsed candidates in just two school board elections, John Dunn in District #3 and Martha McLaren in District #6.
The King County Democrats endorsed Kate Martin and Jack Whelan in District II, Michelle Buetow in District III, and Marty McLaren in District #VI.
UPDATE: The Stranger announced endorsements on Wednesday July 27. Sharon Peaslee, Kate Martin, John Dunn, and Joy Anderson.
UPDATE: The Seattle Times announced their endorsements on Wednesday, July 27. Peter Maier, Sherry Carr, Harium Martin-Morris and Michelle Buetow, and Steve Sundquist.
UPDATE: Worst Endorsements Ev-ah: This Voter's Guide from Fuse purports to be a "Progressive Voter's Guide", yet it endorses all of the incumbents for Seattle School Board. The rationale is pretty weak. In supporting Harium Martin-Morris, the nicest thing they can say about him is that he is Black.
The Municipal League has released their ratings for school board candidates. Incumbents Carr, Martin-Morris, and Maier were rated "very good", Steve Sundquist (his name oddly mis-spelled), was rated "Outstanding". Challengers did not fair as well. Michele Buetow and John Dunn got the same "very good" rating as the incumbent, Kate Martin and Sharon Peaslee were rated as "good". The rest got either "adequate" or "not qualified" except for Joy Anderson for whom they had insufficient information.
The King County Labor Council has endorsed candidates in just two school board elections, John Dunn in District #3 and Martha McLaren in District #6.
The King County Democrats endorsed Kate Martin and Jack Whelan in District II, Michelle Buetow in District III, and Marty McLaren in District #VI.
UPDATE: The Stranger announced endorsements on Wednesday July 27. Sharon Peaslee, Kate Martin, John Dunn, and Joy Anderson.
UPDATE: The Seattle Times announced their endorsements on Wednesday, July 27. Peter Maier, Sherry Carr, Harium Martin-Morris and Michelle Buetow, and Steve Sundquist.
UPDATE: Worst Endorsements Ev-ah: This Voter's Guide from Fuse purports to be a "Progressive Voter's Guide", yet it endorses all of the incumbents for Seattle School Board. The rationale is pretty weak. In supporting Harium Martin-Morris, the nicest thing they can say about him is that he is Black.
Comments
He did say this:
"It is important to note that while school boards form a governance team with the Superintendent and
are ultimately responsible for the delivery of educational services, it is vital that the board does not
perform the administration of day-to-day functions. As the policy-makers and overseers of the district, school boards work with their administrators to adopt policy and establish plans and goals, and then must evaluate whether those plans and policies are being followed and met."
He clearly wants people to know he is not going to micromanage but then has a very vague statement about "evaluating" if the plans are policies are being followed.
He also had this to say about Pottergate:
"Additionally, when confronted with lax management oversight of the district’s Regional Small
Business Development Program, we moved quickly to a unanimous and decisive termination of our
Superintendent and Chief Financial/Operating Officer, saving our citizens and district from a
potentially long, debilitating, and trust-destroying process."
Oh is that what buying off the super's contract did? Whether Director Sundquist wants to admit it or not, much trust has already been lost and NOT regained.
Lynne Varner asked most of the questions and shaped the interview.
"The School Board’s duties are to set policies in a consistent and forward looking manner, to hire (and fire) the Superintendent and periodically to evaluate her or his performance, and to hold the
Superintendent accountable for managing the District and implementing the priorities set by the Board."
If the only thing you do to hold the Superintendent accountable is to fire her, that's not going to really help.
He also spoke of lobbying at the Legislature and yet, he was smiling and laughing when Silas Potter said he, too, had been lobbying (but shouldn't have). If that was Peter's turf, why didn't he say so to Potter?
Sherry had this to say:
"A clear plan for holding the Superintendent accountable for progress must also be visible to the community."
"Also vital is the understanding that accountability for performance, actions and results is an important part of the relationship."
This is all coming a little late on the part of these incumbents.
I will say that reading through the incumbents' statements, I really think Sherry should have received an Outstanding. Her's was detailed and well-fleshed out. I don't get why Steve received Outstanding.
I read through the challengers questionnaires as well. I think Kate Martin received a Good rather than Very Good because she gave very short answers. Ditto on Marty McLaren.
I don't understand Jack Whelan's Adequate. I thought a lot of his community work was valid for the job and he should have received a Good ranking at least.
Surely her greatness can't be out here in the pacified northwest without being feted by The Great One?
Sh_Spy_Spy
If a football rating service recommended QBs Ryan Leaf and Rick Mirer as top pro prospects it would eventually have some crow to eat. But to still be recommending them after 4 really lousy years in the Pros would have been preposterous.
The muni-league recommendations are a complete farce. The league like many of the club-sport connected politicians are endorsing slick hucksters.
Steve Sundquist = Outstanding ...
my question is only ... What is the Muni League rating supposed to mean?
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This is the circus.
You can fool some of the people all the time.
You can fool all of the people some of the time.
Will the Muni League be able to fool at least 50% of the voters this time?
-- Dan Dempsey
I also informed the school board (for what it's worth).