My Endorsements for Seattle School Board 2025

 Before I start, one item. At the end of each candidate interview, I said, "Pop quiz!" and asked three questions. Those were:

1) What are the two capital levies? Answer: BEX and BTA

2) How many students were enrolled in SPS last year (within 500)?  49,226

3) How many SPS schools are there? 104

These are all fairly basic questions that I would hope anyone who wants to help guide this district would know if they run for school board. 

I am happy to say that, for the most part, the candidates got the answers close enough (these answers are all easily found at the SPS website).  What gave most people difficulty was BTA and a couple of people guessed the City's education levy. 

All of these races, except D7, were very difficult to call because the candidates are solid.

 

District 2 - Kathleen Smith vs Sarah Clark 

I really liked Katie Smith and felt like she truly cares about the district. But many of her answers were somewhat vague and I never got the impress that she had done a lot of digging into the mechanics of the district. 

I was pleasantly surprised by Sarah Clark because she gave a relaxed but knowledgeable interview. I like the fact that she feels connection to both the north and south end communities. She has learned a lot in her short time on the Board. I endorse Sarah Clark.

I do have concerns over her health because it is important to be able to see directors working in person.  She needs to keep that in mind going forward. 

 

District 4 - Laura Marie Rivera vs Joe Mizrahi

This one was also tough because both have good qualifications. I went back and looked at what I wrote about each during their interview with me.

Honestly, I don't think either would be a mistake. But, for this time and place, I think Laura Marie Rivera is who I am endorsing.  

Because as the superintendent search is playing out, Mizrahi's comment that he's "in a place of trying to trust the HYA process" troubles me. 

I also like Rivera's answers on public engagement and the "doom loop with the district's Let's Talk." I have been hearing more and more parents say the same thing. Public engagement is not just allowing people to express their thoughts but getting feedback as well. I also like that Rivera talked about Highly Capable in a knowledgeable manner because this is a topic that is now heating up.

And, while Mizrahi has been a Board director, I'm not sure he knows SPS better than Rivera.  

 

District 5 - Janis White vs Vivian Song

You might recall I rolled my eyes at The Stranger's thinking in choosing Song over White. They had so much good to say about White AND Song and favored Song because she knows the ropes. I confess I have come to that thinking as well.

I think Vivian Song is in a better place to help this district and she has my endorsement. But I also want to echo others who said they sure wish these two were in different races so you could elect both. (If either was in District 2, I would favor them over who is running now.)

 

District 7 - Carol Rava vs Jen LaVallee

As you may recall, I only interviewed LaVallee because Rava put conditions on any interview I would do with her. I have never done that for any candidate and I wasn't going to start now. What made it offensive to me is her trying to gaslight me by saying many groups/media tell candidates what the questions are in advance. That's just not done that often. I checked with a few media people and they said no.

But I am happy to endorse Jen LaVallee because she has done the hard work of getting out into the community she lives in. Her family chose a Title One school for their child. She is not for SOFG and wants more transparency in budgeting. She seems bright and capable and would be a good addition to the Board.

If you vote for Rava, you are voting for a corporate person for the Board. Just keep that in mind so if she gets elected, you aren't surprised.