Seattle School Board - Still a Real Problem
Update 2
I should have clarified that I left watching the Board meeting after public testimony. I posted this thread at that time.
I hd seen a couple of comments on this thread that said I was trying to silence Sarju and I was completely mystified.
Apparently, Director Sarju made an admission later in the meeting about surviving a terrible sexual assault in her youth. (I cannot yet listen to that part of the meeting but I will.) I did not know about this.
My comment about her being a talker was about the beginning of the meeting. In the the past, I have also said this about Jill Geary, Eden Mack, and Sharon Peaslee, all white women. And, former Board president Chandra Hampson is the one who brought in a 2-minute limit for Board comments (and yet never applied it to herself).
The amount of time any given director takes to make a point impacts the length of the meetings which many directors have always felt are too long. What makes it really interesting is that the last Board voted to bring in 3 student "directors." If they think that having three more people up there at the dais is going to make for shorter meetings, I think they will be sorely surprised.
end of update.
Update: it appears one director misspoke and there is no lawsuit over the HIB findings against Chandra Hampson and Zachary DeWolf.
end of update
If you go by the incredibly weird and awful process that was the election of new Board leadership, you'd come to this conclusion as well.
I will just put up the new leaders but there is a LOT to report out about what was said (and boy, Michelle Sarju has shown she is going to be a talker).
President - Brandon Hersey
VP - Chandra Hampson
Member-at-large - Lisa Rivera Smith
One tidbit that I will throw out - it appears that a lawsuit has been filed by the Black staffers who accused former director Zachary DeWolf and current Director Chandra Hampson of HIB (harassment, intimidation and bullying) which an independent investigation said likely occurred with the directors using their "positional authority" to act against these women. I am not surprised.
I will look into the lawsuit - not sure if it is against one director or both or the district itself.
Comments
Also, when are they redrawing the school board district boundaries?
-Sandview
The cult is called “Policy Governance”. It is a board policy model that is sold to non profits which effectively cedes all power to the ED (and in this case the superintendent). The meetings have been filled with Carver Model buzzwords and the secrecy that is associated with implementation is a red flag.
The district likely hired a consultant to assist the board with implementation. A PRR will expose it.
—-Been there got the t-shirt
Audit and Finance: Hersey (Chair!), Hampson and Song Maritz
(Hersey does not have a background in Finance)
Student Services and C&I: Rankin (Chair), Harris and Sarju
Operations: Rivera Smith (Chair), Rankin and Song Maritz
-SoTired
Hersey will be chair of two committees? Huh? And why isn't there three members in A&F?
So Tired, are you sure there is an actual lawsuit. This appeal was mentioned in a Times' editorial but I don't see how she can. She and DeWolf DEMANDED the investigation and the investigation shows that both of them were offered extra time for more evidence and witnesses.
If you don't like this blog, again, go start your own. Don't read mine. Solutions
FWIW, King Co Court records show some activity for Ms Hampson in September as both a plaintiff and respondent, but records are not available online. Im not sure what an “appeal” Ms Hampson would have and against who - she wasn’t disciplined and her fellow Board members took no action against her. Whatever it is, whatever it costs, the FB ladies will follow her.
Cluck cluck
How can she be a VP of a board that she is suing?
Are board members concerned that decisions that they make that upset Chandra Hampson might land them, the district or the school board into another lawsuit?
Per the lawsuit: "The plaintiff/appellant did not violate School Board Policy No 5207in exercising her responsibilities as an elected District board member in holding district staff accountable for their failure to perform their duties and execute policy as established by the District's elected board".
Hampson fails to recognize that the board holds the Superintendent responsible and the superintendent holds staff accountable.
Hampson is costing the district a fortune in legal costs.
Legal Eagle,
Ugh - if true, this is really, really troubling. Do you have a source you can point to? Would love to know more.
The only “action” the Board took was a very muzzled statement to the effect of “FYI, we have a policy you should follow” and not anything material, per the minutes:
“Director Hersey moved the following motion: “I move that the School Board take the following action with respect to the conclusions of the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors Amended and Final Investigation Report prepared by MFR Law Group: (1) provide a copy of Policy 5207 and Procedure 5207SP to Directors Hampson and DeWolf;
5(2) instruct Directors Hampson and DeWolf that they are required to comply with Policy 5207 and Procedure 5207SP and request that they review the Policy and Procedure and direct any questions regarding its provisions to District staff; and (3) request that District staff provide training on Policy 5207 and Procedure 5207SP to all new School Board Directors prior to or as soon as practicable after commencement of Board service and provide ongoing training regarding Policy 5207 to School Board Directors as needed, and I further move that the School Board waive the provision of Policy No. 1420 for posting to the District’s website at least three days in advance of Board meetings.”
That’s it. Is she going after her colleagues for something they did in an official capacity to protect the district from legal action from the staffers who raised the complaint? She is not likely to prevail in court on that, and I sincerely hope she is not burning up education dollars for this nonsense. Would seem to be her MO to carefully manage her public image this way, based on all I’ve read about her, and statements made on social media. I will be watching this very closely.
Lawyer Lawyer
How can the board oversee this lawsuit? Decide on a settlement? The interim Superintendent was brought in by Hampson.
Neither the board (nor any members individually) are named parties.
I have way more questions than answers.
Maybe when Hersey has the board take some time to reflect on their comments or votes, he could add “…or you might get sued.”