Where is the Action?

 It appears that Ballard High School has turmoil within its halls. 

Does that make them different from any other American public high school? Probably not. 

What I am hearing from students and teachers is that both groups are scared and anxious and exhausted. 

What I am hearing from students is that they see no real change on the horizon from the district or the Board. This is NOT the first time there have been issues around perceived racism from high school assignments. It will say that one report says that the father in the LA assignment issue stated that he called the teacher 14 times. 

There was an issue probably seven years ago around an assignment to read Brave New World and when a Native American student expressed worry and discomfort, there wasn't much sympathy. The Board actually had a hearing but sided with the teacher. Maybe this Board should go back and read a transcript of that hearing to see what not to do. 

What I am hearing is that students need to feel more secure NOW about issues around sexual harassment and assault. Waiting for a Taskforce report in spring 2022 seems very much "a wait-and-see" attitude. 

Here's a missive sent yesterday from the interim BHS principal:

Good afternoon Ballard High Families,

I’d like to introduce you to Polo DeCano, a member of the central office Behavioral Health and Restorative Practices/Justice Teams, who is joining our support team at Ballard High School. 

Polo works for our district’s Coordinated School Health program, and is independent of my supervision. His work will be to support our school response to students’ and community members’ requests for added structures around equity and advocacy.

 In his role he will serve as Student Equity Advocate with direct access for our BHS students and families. As a first step, his role at Ballard will be to connect and engage with various groups to listen to perspectives and recommendations that pertain to the culture and climate of the school, with a specific focus around race and equity.

Polo and I have had initial meetings and will continue to do so in an ongoing way to best ensure students’ needs are met and wellness is at the center of everyone’s experiences at Ballard. As Student Equity Advocate, he will be working with the administrative team and Ballard staff to bring matters needing attention and address ways to use restorative practices if harm has resulted. 

Please join me in welcoming Polo to this new role. You may expect to hear directly from him as he develops his schedule to connect and engage with student and family/community groups.

Thank you for your commitment to the Ballard High School community and to our continued efforts to move forward and grow.

Sincerely, Dr. Joseph Williams III Acting Principal Ballard High School

Coordinated School Health program. 

How this directly addresses what current issues are front and center is unclear.