Between Nepotism and Word Salad, Seattle Schools Blandly Protects Itself

 The latest evidence? The story in yesterday's Seattle Times about the district "auditing partnerships after program manager arrest."

Background

The proposed audit comes after a program manager with City Year, a nonprofit that provides extra staff such as tutors to help teachers, was arrested in December. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Gregory Ward with rape of a child in the second degree and communication with a minor for immoral purposes last month. Bail was set at $250,000.

After Ward’s arrest, the district suspended City Year’s services at the two schools and terminated the contracts Feb. 3 “for the convenience of the district.” SPS did not have to provide a specific reason for parting ways, according to the district. 

So the district takes the program out of the two schools where this guy worked but allows the program at three other schools. If you are doing a review, should you hit the pause button until you are sure?

What does the district offer?

Seattle Public Schools says it plans to review all outside organizations whose employees work with students to determine how they handle background checks, the scope of their contracts and whether students are safe in those programs. 

Right there, you can see one problem. SPS is counting on outside orgs to do background checks when they should do their own for ANYONE in Seattle Schools working with children.

Here's what really angered me:

In meetings and communications with City Year representatives since Ward’s December arrest, the district has asked the organization to review its background check protocols and retrain staff. It also told the organization that its staff cannot text students, which is not allowed under SPS’ policies but which the organization had permitted, Torres-Morales said. That practice played a role in the December incident, he said. 

“We were sure to reemphasize with them that in our contract and in our policies and procedures, you are not permitted to do that,” Torres-Morales said. “They were amenable to that and agreed with us.”

One, when did the district know that City Year allowed texting to students despite the district's own ban?  It's in the contract AND policies and yet City Year ignored it? Did this guy go rogue all on his own or did his supervisors and others know? 

Two, "amenable to that?!?!" So nice that Dr. Torres-Morales presented it as a "hey guys could you do us a solid?" rather than "We will terminate all work and there will be NO new contract without a declaration from you that you understand you work under OUR policies." And, that they will be strictly enforced. 

Nope. Time after time the district presents itself as namby-pamby reasonable to outside groups. 

What about City Year?

In a statement issued last week, the organization said: “We remain committed to ensuring a safe environment for all students and will continue to support the ongoing investigation.”

Joe Zappala, City Year’s vice president for communications, did not respond to follow-up questions.

I can't believe Mr. Zappala stays silent. A girl was raped by one of their employees and this is their bland answer.

So now we have a problem with City Year AND, per the story from Alan T. Sugiyuma High School, a problem with Boys and Girls Clubs. 

Seattle Schools can say all it wants that it cares about student safety and yet, time after time, it fails students. You can expect the district to face down yet more lawsuits (with high-cost settlements) because they do not oversee nor hold accountable district employees who should be paying attention.