Strong Op-Ed on Preschool Props from Seattle Parent

The Times (finally) had an op-ed that wasn't for mayoral takeover or promoting 1B.  That was written by Seattle Schools parent, Rita Green, is even better.  Rita is a savvy, smart, dedicated parent and advocate for Rainier Beach High School.  My hope is that she may run for the School Board soon (before it becomes an appointed job).

Her POV is that 1B likely won't help low-income students and may even hurt the situation.  She supports 1A.

Now I believe voters should reject both but, since you can name a favorite (or the lesser of two evils), you probably should vote.  My vote, like Rita's, would be for 1A.  I'll highlight her thoughts but my basic one is that, after consideration, I think more low-income children would receive the benefit of 1A and that's where I want my tax dollars going.


Her starting point:

Research shows that children who are exposed to poverty at a young age often have trouble academically later in life. If we’re to believe the sponsors of Proposition 1B, this “achievement gap” could be overcome by sending a few 3- and 4-years-olds to nine months of public preschool with an academic curriculum established by City Hall.

It’s poverty, not the lack of a publicly funded preschool, that’s doing the most to undermine our children’s chances at success. According to U.S. News & World Report, poverty’s damaging effects on young children can range from poor cognitive outcomes and school performance to a higher risk for anti-social behaviors and mental disorders.

And then she says what she really thinks:

City Hall’s Proposition 1B raises our property taxes to send just 6.7 percent of Seattle’s young children to preschool for 6 hours a day for a few months, and just some of those 2,000 seats are reserved for children in poverty. That’s throwing $58 million at the problem so Seattle voters, and Proposition 1B’s millionaire campaign funders, can feel like they’ve done something good for poor kids.

And hey! she offers ideas for real solutions:

To reverse, and prevent, the crushing impacts of poverty on Seattle’s young children, we should do three things:

• Provide consistent, high-quality care options for kids from birth to 5 years old;

• Make Seattle child care more affordable and accessible;

• Remove the disincentives to opening and running high-quality preschools so more children receive their benefits.