Civics for All will be Coming to Seattle Schools

I got word from the human Energizer bunny, teacher Web Hutchins, that Seattle Schools has agreed to bring in the Civics for All initiative to SPS.  I am so happy this is happening for our district.  Here's how Web explains it:

Pretty much out of nowhere, Seattle Public Schools curriculum leaders formally recommended adoption and the school board authorized implementation of the bulk of the Civics for All Initiative!!!  

Judi Billings and I were sitting in on the school board Curriculum &Instruction meeting when Kathleen Vasquez, the district’s K-12 social studies curriculum coordinator, made the sweeping recommendation – Judi and I almost fell out of our chairs we were so surprised and elated!!! Ms. Vasquez is already brilliantly orchestrating the implementation. Mock elections will be optional this fall instead of required as schools work through planning, etc.

After 5 long years of lobbying, writing, and presenting, we got it done!!!
Special thanks go to Judi Billings, the CFA chair, and my biggest supporter & mentor through it all. There are far, far too many people to list here who stood up for civics in Seattle. Yet I must give special thanks also to Margit McGuire, Erin Jones, my neighbor Tomo, the school board, KCE, and all my students past and present who never failed to represent in testifying to the school board, meeting with superintendents (thanks Zenriquez!), and backing me up.

How to help Civics for All build strong foundations:

1) Encourage your local school leaders to OPT IN for mock elections this fall and

2) Talk up the initiative in your community, at your local school, and try to get involved – esp. in mock elections

3) Contact SPS if you’d like to make a donation to help fully fund the work. We are, of course, already under-budgeted and donations would be a great help.

Thanks to everyone who helped me out over the last 5 years – even if it was a simple “stick with it,” it helped me stay committed to finish the job.

“That the schools make worthy citizens is the most important responsibility placed on them.”    FDR