Seattle School Board Moves to Install Brent Jones as Permanent Superintendent
First, there's this Seattle Times article that's a big wet kiss to Jones, with Mayor Bruce Harrell, the Seattle Chamber of Commerce and former principal (now head of the Department of Education and Early Learning), Dwayne Chappelle, all endorsing the hire of interim superintendent, Brent Jones.
AND NOW, the Seattle School Board is going to have a "special Board meeting" on Friday - THIS FRIDAY - (Editor's Note: the link is updated to include the Board Action Report, BAR.)
Authorization to negotiate an employment contract for a Superintendent•Approval of this item would authorize the Board President to negotiate, with the assistance of counsel, an employment contract with Dr. Brent Jones to serve as Superintendent of the District. The contract, if one is successfully negotiated, will be presented to the Board for approval, with a motion to approve the hiring of Dr. Jones as Superintendent. Immediate action is in the best interest of the District.(Introduction & Action)
Guess what? Yup, it's a virtual meeting. The Board wouldn't want to have to actually face a room full of parents and teachers and principals. I can't wait to hear what SEA and PASS say about this. Hard to believe they want this to happen this way.
As well, the Board isn't interested in any other public comment on this issue. Zero, zip, nada.
Here's what I think:
- They were going to keep Jones all along. I have said this several times from the time he was appointed. It's too cushy a job in a place he knows well for him to have passed it up.
- A couple of weeks ago, there was an article about Puget Sound districts that were looking for new superintendents, including SPS. The article noted that it seemed like SPS had started late because they hadn't even had announced candidates. Most good candidates would be gone by the time the search firm, Hazard, Young and Associates, would starting looking.
That probably was the idea all along - make it LOOK like the Board was looking. Plus, they seem fine with flushing the $40K+ fee to HYA down the toilet.
- I again say - he has never been a super before. He was never vetted. The shoddy public engagement that the Board has put out - and will now use to say "communities" want him is laughable.
I urge you all to weigh in to the Board (spsdirectors@seattleschools.org). Not that it will do any good because even if they got an avalanche of email, they'll pretend they didn't. It would be great to see some protests at schools (if you do this, let me know and I'll get you tv coverage).
Know one thing you can do that might put the right face on this terrible situation? Tell Director Leslie Harris, Director Vivian Song Maritz and Director Lisa Rivera Smith to either vote to abstain or to vote no. If those three go along to get along, then this district is done.
Then we will all have a front-row seat to seeing the City take over Memorial Stadium, the continuing of unraveling of long-standing programs, less emphasis on academics, etc. Oh, and those boundary meetings that are to come? Don't even waste your time fighting for your school - it'll all be a done deal.
Comments
Gobsmacked
Jones was brought in through the backdoor without public vetting. Hampson was board president and we were told Jones would only have a one year contract. There has been a laughable campaign supported by the few members of the SCPTSA to keep Jones.
The board and district spent $41k to a superintendent search committee. Candidates were never brought forward to the public to face public scrutiny. Their vision was not on display for the public.
As Melissa points out, other districts have hired superintendents and SPS was way behind schedule. Two days ago, there was a committee meeting to develop a superintendent profile. Today, we learn there will be a meeting to hammer out details to hire Jones. The meeting is both intro and action.
The superintendent search was a farce.
Board votes and comments will be interesting.
Sure, they’ll call staff racists. Run around with a few hapless heads on poles. Hire black principals (not too many black teachers though). Alienate high and moderate achieving students and their families. Great time for charters to get going in Seattle.
Eeyore
Educate Me
Transparency Needed, indeed, the next Strategic Plan would have been a big question to ask any candidate. That the Board doesn't see a value in even allowing the public to talk to Jones about his vision is troubling.
Kate in Belltown, well the stars are surely aligning to allow the City into the district more and possibly making decisions. I think a City takeover would be problematic.
Educate Me, so to follow up on Kate's concern (and mine), perhaps the City might make things better. But would the Board still be elected or appointed? If not elected, probably a disaster and a Board of rubbers tampers.
I would say my NYC public ed peeps would say there is less accountability.
But I think the City wants more and the cozy relationship between Jones and Harrell might make it so.
The Chamber of Commerce wants a downtown school when enrollment is droppping.
The city wants Memorial Statium renovated. Seattle Public Schools will use Memorial Stadium 1/3 of time. The district also receives $1M per year from Memorial Stadium parking.
The city and district have a vested interest in the district for above reasons.
Spedric