Seattle School Board Candidates 2025 Update, July 17

 Update:

The Seattle Times has endorsed Joe Mizrahi for the District 4 seat. And, Mizrahi has some bold things to say. (Bold mine)

Anyone who wants to correct a problem must name it first. Joe Mizrahi, running to retain his seat on the Seattle School Board, is doing so, calling out a near total dearth of leadership within Seattle Public Schools.

“I was expecting bureaucratic inertia, some incompetence, but the real lack of accountability in this district has been quite shocking to me,” he said after 15 months of observing the inner workings at SPS. Watching the litany of lawsuits, scandals and crises that have beset the district in just the year since he was appointed, Mizrahi often wonders, “How does this person still have a job?”

His first meaningful opportunity to address that question will be hiring a new superintendent. Mizrahi says he’d oppose any candidate currently working in the district. He wants an outsider without baggage or loyalties, someone willing to “be a little bit ruthless.”
 

Yes, you do sometimes wonder how some in SPS still have their jobs. I cannot speak for Director Mizrahi but saying "ruthless" may mean "willing to make a decision based on data AND sticking to it." Sometimes very hard choices have to be made and that's what leaders do. 

 

He also said this (a bit of a shock):

Had he been on the school board three years ago, when Superintendent Brent Jones presented a teachers contract that pushed Seattle Public Schools deep into the red, Mizrahi says he’d never have approved it.

“I know I’m a labor guy,” he conceded. “But that’s just irresponsible.”

 

Well, good for him. It was weird at the time to hear Director Brandon Hersey - also a labor guy - say that yeah, he knew the money wasn't there but he was voting yes anyway. 

 

The Times points out Laura Marie Rivera as his strongest competition. She said she would have approved the teacher contract. 

 

The Times again used an endorsement to throw (well-deserved) shade at the governance plan of SOFG (Student Outcome Focused Governance). 

A major driver behind the board’s oddly passive approach is the leadership model it signed onto four years ago. Student Outcomes Focused Governance mandates a literal interpretation of its title: Because contracts and budgets are not academic outcomes, board directors must back off, keeping their eyes only on grades, scores and graduation rates.

At first, Mizrahi, whose three children attend SPS, liked the idea. “Having measurable goals that are based on student achievement seems right up my alley,” he said.

But strong leaders shift their thinking in response to reality, rather than clinging to ideology, and Mizrahi now acknowledges that SOFG has done little more than shut the community out of important discussions — with no improvement to student results.

“We just need to get rid of it,” he said.

I agree. There are other governance models that would work well AND not cost a fortune to enact.

 

end of update 

 

I want to start by asking a question - do endorsements impress or sway your vote? If so, which kind speaks to you the most - a media outlet, electeds, unions?

 

The Seattle Times has come out with its endorsement for District 2 and it is for Sarah Clark. In it, they take swipes at the current governance system, Student Outcome Focused Governance. (All bold mine.)

The only graduate of Seattle Public Schools currently sitting on its board, Clark frequently notes that her lonely experience as a student of color in accelerated-learning classes sparked her interest in becoming a school board director. But unlike the current board majority, Clark doesn’t advocate doing away with the Highly Capable Cohort. Instead, she urges its expansion, echoing the cries of numerous parents.

At least as important, Clark says she will reactivate the district’s Budget and Finance Committees — an important move during a time of $100 million deficits, three years running.

Still, those are bold words under the current board regime, which dissolved both committees to focus solely on academics. Known as Student Outcomes Focused Governance, this leadership model demands slavish fidelity to its name, removing board members from financial oversight, since the budget is not, technically, a student outcome.

When you’re legally responsible for a $1.3 billion annual spending plan, that decision is, at best, an abdication of duty.

“We’re not making headway under SOFG,” Clark said. “It’s hindered our ability to make critical decisions.”

Regime - there's a word.  And, it appears Clark is issuing a throwdown to SOFG should she get elected. (We'll have to have a post about what the Board would look like with some candidates versus others. I will say that Clark speaking up now may empower other new directors to follow her lead.) 

 

I reviewed the 2025 Seattle Primary Election Video Voters' Guide from Seattle Channel. Each statement from candidates is two minutes long and unedited. Seattle School Board candidate statements start at about minute 54:00.

District 2

Not a single candidate made it into the studio to make a statement. I still have never heard either Eric Feeny or Kathleen Smith speak.  A disappointment from all three candidates. 

 

District 4

There was a statement from Gloria Suella Menchaca who talked about being a scientist doing neuro research. She had a good statement, "I know how powerful and how vulnerable our public education system is."  She has a website but something seems wrong and I only see an oversized photo of her and no page links. 

Joe Mizrahi also had a statement. I have to say that his words sounded a bit canned and he claims he has brought back "transparency and trust" to SPS. I'm not sure I have seen that happen. He also went on about his endorsements. 

Laura Marie Rivera's statement talked about "values, opportunity, and trust." She said this election is "an opportunity for change." She might have been taking a swipe at Mizrahi when she said, "This is about putting kids first before political endorsements." She has also recently completed her PhD in Education. 

Bill Campbell turns out to be an interesting guy. He is half-Mexican and is married to an SPS teacher who is Filipino. His website is a placeholder one so there is nothing to learn there.  He has a first 90-day plan that includes going back to two Board meetings a month. He did says that he and his husband "would not send our children to Seattle Schools as they are now."

 

District 5

Vivian Song talks about bringing "clarity to budgeting" and keeping diverse programs like Ethnic Studies, dual language, and Advanced Learning. She also threw in how she wanted to help protect immigrant students and LGBTQ students from changes from the Trump regime.  

Landon Labosky had no statement.

Allycea Weil said she has been a PTO officer at her children's schools as well as being "a proud disrupter of systemic oppressive systems." She said that SPS public meetings can be "toxic" and "disgusting." She said, "This is your district and mine and it needs to feel like that."

Julissa Sanchez provided a statement.  She talked about her work as a community organizer and wanting more voices heard in the district.

Janis White's statement was a lot about her work as a leader in helping students with disabilities. She has consistently been the only candidate to talk about student mental health.  

You all have probably received your King County Voter pamphlet. I do urge you to read the candidate statements because it is a real reflection of them in the words they use and what they say they want to do.

 

I did finally read The Stranger's endorsements.

D2 - Kathleen Smith

They certainly spent a lot of time putting Clark down. They love Smith for being "a thoughtful data wonk" (shades of Eden Mack).

They do say one truly dumb thing - You may be thinking, “Sure, but state policies shouldn’t matter too much to a local school board director.” And you’d be right. This isn’t a policymaking position—it’s a governance one.

Board director is absolutely a policymaking position.



D4 - Joe Mizrahi

In this race, the choice is clear as day. Joe Mizrahi, long-time secretary-treasurer and co-executive director of UFCW 3000, can do it. He is as qualified for it as his hair is tall. Mizrahi has experience working with complicated and deep budgets. He’s a labor guy fixated on what teachers need. 

They do not say one single word about the other candidates in this race which is very weird. It almost sounds like the fix is in.  

He also brought cupcakes he made that look like apples. They were impressed. Sigh.



D5 - Vivian Song

They spent a long time going over why she left the Board in the first place but they go onto to say, "Good news! Song is part of the wealthy, unemployed activist class and literally can’t find enough boards to serve on."

And

She’s also against armed officers in schools.

Not so helpful - is that officers altogether or just armed ones? I'll have to ask her.

They really liked Janis White, calling her "whip-smart on every school board issue." 

Every single issue

but

 Song has already shown this city she can do this job well. She wanted to do it so badly that she applied for the job again after enduring her political “scandal.”

She also applied for a vacant City Council seat.