The Times on D7 Finalists
Update: here is KUOW's story on Emijah Smith.
There's a lot to unpack here but, for me, this is a very convoluted story as written. For some reason, it is reported not by their education reporter, Ann Dornfeld, but by her colleague, Isolde Raftery.
The story fleshed out what happened in an incident six years ago at Smith's home that resulted in Smith being arrested and charged with two felonies (which were dropped to a single misdomeanor as Smith took a plea, admitting that she would likely be found guilty if it went to trial).
Also, Raftery consulted some prosecutors but doesn't name them. And, without explanation, she pulls in a social worker who may or may not have anything to do with the incident.
Raftery reports that when she asked Smith:
Does she wish she had responded differently?
The reaction was:
She bristled at the question.
Raftery then asks the social worker about that reaction:
I presented Smith’s case to a social worker who said the fight response is real, and often triggered by fear. She said that Smith's lack of contrition gave her pause.
President Harris says this in the story:
“We have nothing but respect or affection for Emijah and her exceptional work,” she said.
Raftery does get one thing right:
It's all very troubling and confusing and I don't have the answers about how the Board might weigh this.
end of update
There are a couple of items of note in the story but I will allow folks to read the story without commentary.
I will note the last line of the story:
She (Van Arcken) was the most popular candidate based on public feedback from the district’s forum last week.
Also to note:
There's a lot to unpack here but, for me, this is a very convoluted story as written. For some reason, it is reported not by their education reporter, Ann Dornfeld, but by her colleague, Isolde Raftery.
The story fleshed out what happened in an incident six years ago at Smith's home that resulted in Smith being arrested and charged with two felonies (which were dropped to a single misdomeanor as Smith took a plea, admitting that she would likely be found guilty if it went to trial).
Also, Raftery consulted some prosecutors but doesn't name them. And, without explanation, she pulls in a social worker who may or may not have anything to do with the incident.
Raftery reports that when she asked Smith:
Does she wish she had responded differently?
The reaction was:
She bristled at the question.
Raftery then asks the social worker about that reaction:
I presented Smith’s case to a social worker who said the fight response is real, and often triggered by fear. She said that Smith's lack of contrition gave her pause.
President Harris says this in the story:
“We have nothing but respect or affection for Emijah and her exceptional work,” she said.
Raftery does get one thing right:
This raises questions about how to evaluate a candidate with a complicated past, because to rely solely on the police report wouldn’t give a full account. It also raises questions about transparency expected in the public process when someone runs for office.How does the public decide what matters in a candidate's past? How does the Board decide? Is it the actual crime and what it says about temperament and judgement? The time since the crime and how the candidate has conducted his/her life?
It's all very troubling and confusing and I don't have the answers about how the Board might weigh this.
end of update
There are a couple of items of note in the story but I will allow folks to read the story without commentary.
I will note the last line of the story:
She (Van Arcken) was the most popular candidate based on public feedback from the district’s forum last week.
Also to note:
Comments
Why would anyone want anyone to have anything to do with Seattle schools who hasn’t?
However, I do think it is good that Smith disclosed her prior issue, and as long as it is resolved and this man isn’t a threat it shouldn’t be a concern.
Brian Hersey sounds like a tremendous resource, but I would worry that the board would take too much time and energy away from what he is already doing.
Frankly any of them sound more qualified than some we have on the ballot in other districts,
I am so
Fed Up
More noise please
Not qualified
The public would never support this appointment.
Are you "The Public"? Let me assure you there is a lot of people standing behind Emijah. She is not alone.
Fed Up
More noise please
Unfortunate
haha that is funny. Go ahead and pin this on me. I am anonymous for crying out loud. How can I have so much power over how you decide not to "dig how she owned it"?
My criticism is not on Seattle Times "reporting" this. I am appalled at the way Dahlia Bazzaz chose to focus on the so call incident instead of the issue at hand: finding the most qualified candidate.
Fed Up
However, the article is a bit odd given what they left out.
Hersey was a paid lobbyist for Big Soda during the sweetened beverage tax campaign. Something that might be worth knowing/considering.
Smith waited a long time to let the Board know about her incident, well after she was selected as a finalist.
As well, if you read the police report and court documents about the incident, a reader might see that,according to the police,the victim was not Smith.
Tomorrow night's discussion should be quite interesting.
And who wouldn't you want the city to pay more when we have these short falls. Of course the soda tax should be used for SPS. Give it to Lakeside instead? Supposed to be used for those disproportionately affected by the tax. That would probably be title one schools. Geez.
Geezer
Jester Itch
No bat. No charter schools. Not great though. Seems kind of like someone who wanted to turn their SB position into something more. It would be great if that's not the case... He said it wasn't.
Dump trucker
Thanks Melissa for the additional backstory on Hersey. That information should have absolutely been included in the article. All three candidates are technically “qualified,” but yeah, personal judgment is an important factor too.
Unfortunate
Seattle City Council Approves Tax on Soda, Sugary Drinks
https://www.king5.com/mobile/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-city-council-approves-tax-on-soda-sugary-drinks/281-446006252
$57 Million in Seattle Soda Tax Money Went to General Fund
https://www.king5.com/article/news/57-million-in-seattle-soda-tax-money-went-to-general-fund/281-319bbb68-5afd-440e-ad6a-1b9aac63e266
Washington Voters Block Future Taxes on Soda
https://www.king5.com/article/news/politics/what-is-washington-i-1634-on-soda-taxes/281-605760381
At the last D7 forum, Smith and Hersey both said they oppose soda taxes. They said it's regressive and disproportionately paid by poor people. They're right.
You can criticize Hersey for lobbying against soda tax if you want but you can't change facts.
Tax Fax
More noise please
Who are you, my therapist? I am expressing my opinion. Simple.
Fed Up
Ugh.
Nothing protects against pimp problems better than stripping young girls naked!
I concur with fed up. The most pressing issue is finding the most qualified candidate. While Smith is not my preferred candidate. The timing on this smacks of reality television and gotcha politics.
Why wasn't this story put out sooner, there would be space for the whole story to air.
While I am thrilled that someone is finally covering SPS, Dahlia Bazzaz reporting has been pretty lopsided. She reported on the teacher shortage at Rainier Beach but did not cover that the shortage was district wide and potentially up to 55 missing high school teachers. Her other stories have been equally lopsided. I really don't know who to believe here.
"Smith’s letter continued: “Despite the fact that a protection order was in place to protect my family and home, and the fact that I called the police in advance of the situation, I was arrested. This incident resulted in a misdemeanor that was dismissed over five years ago.”
Records obtained from King County Court report that the police did NOT have a record of Smith calling 911,
If this had been a City Council candidate, I believe it would have been covered much sooner. Why the Times and KUOW waited is a mystery.
I believe this incident goes to judgement. School board is NOT an easy gig and over the years I have heard from director after director how incredibly mean, personal and hateful some small number of the public can be. You have to have a thick skin. You have to own what you say and do as a director.
Again, as parents and the public, you get to decide how much this means to you. Obviously you get no vote (not even at the district's website) but you can email or call the Board,if you feel strongly either way.
2cents
Geeze
You have got to be kidding, another Black from the south trying to categorize Seattle as racist. In old orange hairs words, go back home!
Seattle is NOT Mississippi, Georgia or Alabama! The community organizer path is worn out and there are 1000s of Black folks in Seattle who don't agree with Hersey.
Based on the strategic plan (yikes) I'm willing to bet that it will be Hersey picked because how can the board know what's best for African American males if there isn't one sitting on the board, right?
God help us!
Rosey
Is Seattle racist? Yes, it is. In the same ways that the South is? Maybe not but it is surely there.
I'm sure there could be blacks in Seattle who think it's a good place but I think many would say it's a racist place.
I do think that this should have come out sooner. Waiting this long to reveal this, doesn't look good. I totally understand Melissa not wanting to touch this.
All being said though, I still believe that Ms. van Arcken is the best choice. She will be able to hit the ground running.
HP
How about Minneapolis is that city racist? How about South Africa is the country racist?
Don't worry about my color, I'm many colors, a mix of several races and I do not have any fear going to any area in Seattle day or night. You can't say that about a racist city.
Rosey
KUOW's piece is damming. ES seemed defensive and angry to me at the last forum. I'm sure that's how she was when she attacked that poor girl. Defensive and angry. And in all the mockery she can muster claims assaulting an unarmed person and telling them to strip makes her a better advocate for those who suffer, well the same behavior. No this is not a normal event and no she wasn't the victim. She was the perpetrator of a crime that was pled down and now is being minimized. Nowhere does she apologize or show remorse for this clearly wrong headed thing to do. I can't say that she learned a damn thing from this process. It's clearly evident in her letter to the board. She talks about people coming to her house. Police report says there's only one person.
I would say that her actions nearly 7 years ago might be overlooked by the most sympathetic but not the letter sent in the middle of this process. She claims there's misrepresentations in what was communicated to the board. But she doesn't clear up anything. She just tries to twist the story "dangerous adults" she says. Nope. A single female who she tossed around her porch like a ragdoll. And hit several times with a baseball bat. That's not defensive. That's assault with a deadly weapon.
"Why hasn't she withdrawn her name for consideration?" should have been the headline of that piece. Perhaps that is why they waited until today to publish the report. Hoping common sense would prevail. Her letter makes her unqualified to serve on the board.
Possible jailtime
Voters will never have a chance to decide whether or not they want a particular candidate in this race. The board should not invite controversy.
I don't want to hear a single board member state that they haven't read court documents. Making informed decisions is part of their oversight duties.
She should have quit but instead she doubled down. So yeah Seattle is racist especially if they decide to ignore the lies, indignation and serious lack of judgment shown in the last few weeks.
Possible jailtime
Readers, you can comment on the situation but you cannot say racist things. Cease and desist.
Nobody reads anymore but we should expect more from policy makers.
I'm not comfortable reaching out to this candidate. I read the court documents. They are chilling.
The board gets to appoint a replacement for a vacated seat just like the city council gets to fill vacancies (even for mayors.) What matters now is who's the best candidate of the final three.
Get Overit
Smith retrieved a metal baseball bat and grabbed the woman by the scarf, and hit the woman five to six times on one leg. Smith used the scarf to drag her back and forth on the porch and then blocked way off the porch and told the woman she couldn’t go unless she stripped naked.
When police officers arrived, they saw Smith standing over the young woman, who, they said, “was sitting cross-legged on the floor of the front porch.”
The woman was shaking and crying and looked up at the officer and cried, “Please help me.”
Her coat, shoes, and one sock were off.
In her letter to the board Smith wrote, "Dangerous adults came unto my property, my home, unannounced, trying to harm my family."
And, "I was arrested."
She skipped right over her own actions that led to her arrest.
The "dangerous adult" was an unarmed 20 year old woman, who was alone.
Sounds like Smith misled the board.
Character matters
That's racist