Seattle Schools Community Forum

From Ed Week , New York State lifts disciplinary action against teachers who discuss test questions that the state has released. A reader asked about a threat at Ingraham High School in the cafeteria by a student with a backpack.  A staffer asked around and not a single student knows about this.  In this day of phones with cameras and social media, that would seem odd.  I'm thinking someone was trying to stir the pot here.  Don't do that. Last spring, Mayor Murray had his Education Summit.  I was there as were hundreds of other people.  He said this about homeless students in SPS (transcript from the Mayor's office, dated April 30, 2016):

Concerns about traffic around Bailey-Gatzert makes the Capitol Hill Times. Surrounded by arterial streets and now First Hill streetcars, Bailey Gatzert Elementary can be a dangerous destination for students, a majority of which walk or bike to and from school daily. Luckily, it is high on the Seattle Department of Transportation’s list of priority schools in need of improvements. “It’s like an island surrounded by these really fast streets,” said Brian Dougherty, SDOT Safe Routes to School coordinator, who also attended the walkabout and offered suggestions for noted trouble spots. Several community groups plan to work with Bailey Gatzert parents, teachers and the principal to develop a plan for requesting funding to possibly study traffic issues in the neighborhood or make quick improvements, such as improved signage, striping at crosswalks and enhancing visibility. Dougherty told the Capitol Hill Times he will wait to receive Gyncild’s report from the meeting and th...

I attended this protest rally in front of Ingraham High today at noon.  There were about 40 students and community members.  Sponsored by the Native/Latino club at Ingraham High, it was organized to call attention to issues around cultural competency, equity and student learning.  One student read Ingraham's mission statement which says, in part, "to empower multi-ethnic urban youth.." They would like an assembly every year for Indigieous People's Day.  They would like a Native American focus at Ingraham with teaching by Native American elders.  (This is interesting because it echoes what the members of Africatown wanted and the district is working with Africatown on their program.)