Seattle Election Events
The School Board Candidate forums are winding down but here are a couple more.
On Thursday night, there is an event at Seattle University (Pigott Auditorium) from 6:30- 9:30 p.m. with the challengers, Sharon Peaslee, Marty McLaren, Michelle Buetow and Kate Martin. All the incumbents declined the invitation from Seattle U to come. Each candidate will do a short presentation and then the audience can ask questions. Sounds like a good opportunity to really go in-depth with the challengers.
From Nathan Hale high school:
Also, from a sharp-eyed reader who actually read the entire Voter's pamphlet, there's the Mock Election sponsored by the Secretary of State's office for K-12 students.
Grades 6-12 will vote on the statewide ballot measures.
Meanwhile students in K-5 will vote on the following (fictional) measures:
1) Should schools require students to wear uniforms? Vote yes or no.
2) Should it be legal for students to bring their pets to school? Vote yes or no.
3) Should schools take two week breaks every three months instead of a two month summer break? Vote yes or no.
There is teacher info at the site and voting is from October 31 to Nov. 4th. Ask your teacher about participating.
On Thursday night, there is an event at Seattle University (Pigott Auditorium) from 6:30- 9:30 p.m. with the challengers, Sharon Peaslee, Marty McLaren, Michelle Buetow and Kate Martin. All the incumbents declined the invitation from Seattle U to come. Each candidate will do a short presentation and then the audience can ask questions. Sounds like a good opportunity to really go in-depth with the challengers.
From Nathan Hale high school:
On the evening of Tuesday, October 25th all the candidates for School Board Director in Seattle will be participating in a Candidate Forum at Nathan Hale High School from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center with a half hour social time in the foyer of the PAC before the event from 7:00 to 7:30. This student led forum will allow voters a chance to hear candidates for the School Board explain their positions on educational issues facing the Seattle School District, and to respond to questions from the audience. We hope that you will be able to attend, and please feel free to invite other interested people as well.
If you have any questions, please call Tim Ames at 206-252-3793 or e-mail him at tsames@seattleschools.org if you have any questions concerning the event.
Also, from a sharp-eyed reader who actually read the entire Voter's pamphlet, there's the Mock Election sponsored by the Secretary of State's office for K-12 students.
Grades 6-12 will vote on the statewide ballot measures.
Meanwhile students in K-5 will vote on the following (fictional) measures:
1) Should schools require students to wear uniforms? Vote yes or no.
2) Should it be legal for students to bring their pets to school? Vote yes or no.
3) Should schools take two week breaks every three months instead of a two month summer break? Vote yes or no.
There is teacher info at the site and voting is from October 31 to Nov. 4th. Ask your teacher about participating.
Comments
... that's community engagement for ya.
I believe TRUTH, TRUST AND TRANSPARENCY is the platform Marty McLaren is running on... if people were actually voting on the incumbents' records, Marty should be a shoo in...
For example, the incumbents all claimed to agree that every student who qualifies for Spectrum should be guaranteed a seat in the program. It's frustrating to hear them say that now - in campaign events - when they have strongly opposed that position for the past three years. Worse, I'm pretty sure that any of them who are re-elected will never do anything in support of that change.
Last night a couple of them noted that Spectrum had to be strengthened, but they have overseen the erosion of the program and have not taken any steps to protect it. More than that, they have failed to hold district staff accountable for failing to meet commitments to strengthen the programs. The APP Review is now three years overdue without even a single member of the Board ever asking about it once.
At campaign events the incumbents now claim to support equitable access to language immersion and Montessori programs, but they have opposed equitable access to these programs for the past four years and, I expect, will continue to oppose making that change if re-elected.
On the campaign trail the Board members acknowledge problems with the math curriculum, but in their role as Board members they defend it like mother lions defending a cub.
At campaign events the incumbents go on and on about how they have learned their lesson, but day in and day out at committee meetings and Board meetings they are continuing to do business exactly the same way they were doing it two years ago. They aren't asking any more or any better questions. They aren't following through any better. They aren't performing any more oversight, and they sure as hell aren't doing any more community engagement.
I'm getting a sort of mental whiplash from neck-snapping reversals of position.
There is, of course, no way to hold them accountable for their campaign talk. They know that, so they are free to pronounce anything they want at campaign events.
It's frustrating.
When you're behind or risk losing, it's time to start lying and going dirty.
That's all you're seeing. Peter's even playing the "I've been in Seattle longer" and "She's from Bellevue: Eeeeww!" card. Time for somebody to grow up and debate substance.
WSDWG
Oompah
I have an iMac 24" a great machine for video. Using a program I Show U - HD from New Zealand, I can play a school board meeting (by video streaming) and then rerecord using I Show U and edit sections from it. Using iMovie I can then add other clips if needed. It is then easy to upload to youTube.
Here is an example of some recordings done that way=>
VOTERS GUIDE