No Surprise-Burgess Would Consider Taking Over Seattle Schools as Mayor
From Crosscut, an interview with mayoral candidate, Tim Burgess. Key item:
Burgess, his wife, Jolene, and their three children are products of Seattle Public Schools, so it's no surprise he considers it another of his priorities. "I graduated in 1967 and the adults then were talking about North End schools vs. South End schools," he said. "And they are talking about it today. That's a tragedy."
It's important, he argued, for the city and the school system to align their resources and efforts for education. One such example: the city's agreement to let its ethics office handle questions for the Seattle school district. (Note: that did happen with McGinn who didn't need to take over the district to get it done.)
Would he push for a mayoral takeover of the school system? Burgess pointed to a recent Center for American Progress study that showed mixed educational results in cities that control of school systems, but said the report is a good source for best practices if a city does choose that approach.
Here's what I wrote in the comments section:
Burgess, his wife, Jolene, and their three children are products of Seattle Public Schools, so it's no surprise he considers it another of his priorities. "I graduated in 1967 and the adults then were talking about North End schools vs. South End schools," he said. "And they are talking about it today. That's a tragedy."
It's important, he argued, for the city and the school system to align their resources and efforts for education. One such example: the city's agreement to let its ethics office handle questions for the Seattle school district. (Note: that did happen with McGinn who didn't need to take over the district to get it done.)
Would he push for a mayoral takeover of the school system? Burgess pointed to a recent Center for American Progress study that showed mixed educational results in cities that control of school systems, but said the report is a good source for best practices if a city does choose that approach.
Here's what I wrote in the comments section:
Well, this is NO surprise to any of us who follow public education in Seattle. Councilman Burgess had a fundraiser recently that was attended by the who's who of ed reform in Seattle including three Seattle School Board members.
From the Center for American Progress study cited in this article;
"Often, though not always, mayors are given the power to appoint members who will replace some or all members of the elected school board."
No, no and no. We then would have the entire of our elected official oversight by one person - the Mayor. That will not work for Seattle (and the results from other cities doing this is mixed to terrible - see Rahm Emanuel in Chicago).
To note, he would have to go the Legislature (many of whom, like Rodney Tom, hate Seattle anyway) and ask for permission to do this.
What would be great - and I asked him about this on Wednesday at a community meeting - would be if the City would do its job of creating safe communities for schools to exist in. Rainier Beach HS comes to mind. It's the district's job to make a safe school building but it is the City's job to make the surrounding community safer. He named a couple of things that should have been done (more commerce around the light rail station) and policing differently. Nothing stopped him from advocating for this as councilman and yet it didn't happen.
Also to note, Councilman Burgess steadfastly refused to state his position on charter schools all through the 1240 campaign. He dodged, he hedged and to remind everyone, Seattle said no to charters. I think the Councilman underestimates the depth of caring and concern in our city for our public schools to think that anyone who is advocating takeover of the public schools will be elected mayor. (I know McGinn stated this when he first ran but in my discussions with him at the time, his position is quite nuanced as opposed to Burgess'.)
But that's what will make for an interesting (and energetic) race.