Seattle Council PTSA Meeting with Dr. Jones

 There were about 75 participants at the Seattle Council PTSA’s meeting last week with new superintendent, Dr. Brent Jones. Included in that count were Board members Lisa Rivera-Smith, Liza Rankin and Chandra Hampson.

In his introductory remarks, Jones said that he was a current SPS parents with a Cleveland High grad. 

Jones went on to say he had five goals.

1. He said that he was committed to having “the right people in place” to work on racial equity issues and being responsible to parents. Director Hampson chimed in and said they were there to provide “oversight and accountability.” 

1. He wants to “create conditions for students to thrive” and provide for their “well-being,” both mentally and physically. 

2. He wants the whole system thriving, not just barely functioning. (Not clear if he meant that the current system is barely functioning.) He wants students “Seattle-ready” and “competitive in their chosen field” as well as “being good citizens.”

3. He said it was important to have interesting and culturally responsive curriculum. He mentioned Ethnic Studies but didn’t say anything else. 

4. He said he wanted to recruit and retain/support more Black educators.

He said the main question he has been getting is why did he come back? “I am still asking myself that” was his reply. But in following up, it’s clear he has a love and commitment to SPS.

He said it was a necessary job to “rebuild trust” and be responsive as well as “being reasonable about what we can do” and being “truthful and transparent.” 

Questions

- In terms of students coming back to buildings in the fall, he said that stating what that will be would be a joint communication with the Board and himself. 

I note this article in the Times and this reporting:

In making these announcements, districts are emphasizing that that they can plan, but can’t promise, to return to 100% in-person classes this fall, with the stipulation that schedules, staffing and backup plans are still being detailed. 

The district is being VERY careful to say “planning” but with negotiations with the teachers union to be done and the issue of school bus transportation up in the air because of the lack of drivers, no one can say for certain if school buildings will reopen. Just to note, I am absolutely onboard with school buildings fully reopening in the fall. 

- There was a question from a Broadview-Thomson parent about the current situation with a large homeless encampment on district property next to the school. 

Jones stated that the district needed to be responsive to parents and students on this issue. This issue came up again during this meeting.

- There was a question about bringing forward other voices when talking about schools. Jones said he wanted to “broaden” the table and engage with more families.

- Then there was a discussion about Special Education, starting with the president of the Seattle Special Education PTSA, Janis White. She said there were about 7500 students with IEPs. She said the state of Washington had one of the worst records when it came to including Sped students in General Education classes. She said there needed to be a change in culture around students with disabilities. 

Jones said that he wanted to sit down with Janis and talk about what that change in culture would look like. 

Another parent, Anne, said that teachers seem to not like doing the differentiation needed for Special Education students. 

- There was then a question about Special Education students of color with Dr. Ella McRae from the Alki PTSA saying, “I would recommend inviting parents of color to the discussion. For parents who do not have European ancestry, PTSAs are not the most welcoming places.”

- Another parent, Rose, asked about CDC updates and what guides the district’s thinking on COVID issues. Jones said he wasn’t sure “ but they are there.”

- Broadview-Thomson and the homeless encampment came up again, with parent Julie saying that she is an Asian immigrant and not clear on how to engage with this topic. She said she didn’t understand the politics between the district and the City on this issue. She said it took the police an hour to respond to a call for help when there was a major issue.

Jones said that yes, the City and the district need to work together. He said he had just been to the school that day and saw the proximity of the encampment to the school. 

Director Hampson chimed in - as she frequently does on this topic -that the encampment is on district PROPERTY and not on school grounds. I would point out that this is a difference not really worth noting because if the district has to put up a fence on its own property to separate a school and an encampment, you have a problem. She alluded to a joint use agreement with the district and that this situation was “complex.” 

Jones then invited Director Rankin to speak as Broadview-Thomson is part of her district. She said that it was an “odd”situation that hadn’t happened before. She said the encampment was “completely separated” from the school. Yes, by a fence that the district had to put up. She said she “highly recommends” for parents to speak to the people in the camp. She also said there is “no fast solution” and she was “not sure why it is so complicated.”

What? The district just cleared an encampment from Lowell Elementary. Did Rankin forget about that? Also, I’m not sure I hear parents demonizing the residents of the encampment but are expressing concern. Also, for Rankin to - out loud - express such lack of understanding is fairly shocking for a Board member. 

Lastly, it bears stating that one reason for this rift between the City and the district on this topic was the demand from Hampson and Director DeWolf for the City to NOT sweep the camp. It’s pretty sly to say the district has no experience clearing a camp but then not allowing the City - who does - to clear it. (Yes, I know past sweeps have been wrongly carried out but the district could ask that it be done in a better manner.) My money is on nothing happening until school lets out for the year.  

- Another parent, Marina, asked how the community could help Jones. He said “be available for a dialog.” He said that he wants his legacy to be one designed and created for a system of opportunities for communication. 

- I welcomed Jones to the district, recalling how he and I were often seat mates in many committee meetings. I asked about the national movement to stop the expanded teaching of American history to include all of it. I believe it would only take a couple of loud people at Board meetings to try to stop SPS. Jones said that he was committed to “inclusive education practices.” He said the core challenge is not to “treat symptoms” but “go upstream to the cause.”

There was only about 15 minutes left of the meeting and I had to go. If anyone else was there to the end, let us know what was said.