Seattle Schools Community Forum

RBHS Coding Team In support of teacher Jon Greenberg This thread will cover the last School Board meeting last Wednesday, Feb. 5th.  All directors were in attendance but Director Carr.  The Rainier Beach High School T.E.A.L. team (Technology Education and Literacy in Schools) gave a presentation on coding work they have been doing.  There was a large crowd primarily around transportation, former Center School teacher, Jon Greenberg and the NW Center Kids program. 

Second Update:  I erred in some of my reporting here.  As I told someone, sometimes I get a narrative in my head based upon what I know and forget that others might be starting from a  different place.  My apologies. Corrections: -  Policy 4260.  To understand, there are Board POLICES and Superintendent PROCEDURES, that mostly go hand in hand.  However, ONLY policies are voted on while the Superintendent just puts forth his procedure to enact said policy.  Naturally, it behooves the Superintendent to make sure they line up or have a plausible reasoning for why staff believes a policy should be enacted.  The Board was only voting on Policy 4260 which was to amend rental of school facilities.  This was vetted by quite a few people, including the SCPTA, and it's fine.  It passed. The issue, however, is that district legal staff inserted a paragraph into the Superintendent's procedure 4260 that would make after-school groups liab...

There's an article by Joel Connelly in the PI that there was some irony that one of the first acts of our new mayor, Ed Murray, was to go to see the Race exhibit at the Seattle Science Center.  (It has now ended.)   (Thanks to Johnny Calcagno for the heads up.) The irony is that just across the way at Seattle Center is Center School where Seattle Public Schools allowed one family to upend a vital conversation about race and privilege in one teacher's class. That teacher is Jon Greenberg. It is a great article and a great topic.  From the article:

From SEA: T he Seattle EA Rep Council passed the following resolution on Monday, June 10: Whereas, a teacher at the Center School has been served with an administrative transfer for teaching an anti-racist curriculum that the District deemed to be inappropriate, on the basis of the complaint of one parent, and for not 'forbidding' students in his class from organizing in his defense; and Whereas, SPS has unfairly made this a matter of personnel discipline rather than a question of age appropriateness of curriculum with the effect of stifling discussion of this very serious matter, and Whereas, any other teacher may now be called to account for teaching anything controversial, based on a similar complaint of a single parent, having already sent a chilling effect on teaching around other controversial topics; and Whereas, the SEA has already taken a position to defend Jon Greenberg and stand up for Academic Freedom, Therefore be it resolved that the SEA supports Jon...

Update:   hadn't realized but the national parks are free this weekend so if you are thinking of getting out there, you're in luck. Tomorrow there is a community meeting with Director Carr starting at 8:30 am at Bethany Community Church. The Special Session of the Legislature is probably working thru the weekend towards its June 11th cut-off date.  What they passed has huge ramifications for our district and every other one in the state. Interestingly, on the Times' blog , there is this opinion from three of the editorial writers at the Times on the special session: Consider what’s in the best interest of the children who will make up Washington’s future work force. This means the Legislature should take a good look at its current budget breakdown and make full funding of education a top priority — 45 percent of general funds should be dedicated to K-12 public schools; 9 percent for higher education; and additional investments in early learning. Lawmakers...

Unbelievable.  Much those I wanted ALL our state legislators to get the budget done before the end of the Special Session next week, I did NOT want the Dems to give to the Reps and sure enough, they did.  And guess who is going to suffer?  Public schools. From Publicola : "At some point we had to make a move," state house finance chair Rep. Reuven Carlyle (D-36, Queen Anne) said today, explaining the compromise budget offer the state Democrats made to the Republican-controlled senate. Carlyle concluded: "Because that's how you govern. I hope there's a deal now. We'll see if they continue to be intransigent, but this is what you do to create movement."  So instead of asking for $1.3B for K-12, the Dems have scaled back to $700M.  That's $700M than is currently received so it falls in the "better than nothing" category but when you cut back to half of what you start with?  Not so much of a victory.  I have no idea how the Suprem...

Update:   I am told there will be some kind of protest/gathering before the Board meeting tonight over the issue of the Center School teacher.  I believe there will be some media presence including tv.  I'm not sure this is the best way for the district to end the school year (this being the last Board meeting before the last day of school) but that was someone's choice to have made.   Should all make for an interesting evening. End of update. As predicted, the speaker list for the School Board meeting is filled to capacity with what may be a record 28 on the waiting list. The majority of speakers will be about The Center School and the possible transfer of teacher, Jon Greenberg.   I really think this could be a rookie mistake for Banda (a la Enfield and Principal Floe).  I hope they just quietly let this one go.   Also, a few speakers on Special Ed which is good and I hope someone gives them a cheerful earful.  One person wh...

It was quite the meeting (but I left after the speakers). First up was the great Denny International Middle School Jazz Band.   I have to love any group that first plays that old jazz chestnut, "Take the A Train," and follows up with "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone."  Priceless.  (Their director had wanted to talk to the Board about the enrollment pathways from Denny to Sealth because many kids are still upset that they don't get to go to Sealth.  His name was so far down the speaker list that he ended up not staying.) Student rep on the Board, Dexter Tang, read the Student Senate's remarks (that were reprinted here yesterday) about the federal investigation of student discipline in SPS and about the Center School issue. There were a couple of speakers who did NOT talk about The Center School.  Residents of Wedgwood still don't want a new elementary at Thor n ton Creek and would like to be part of any planning.   (Pegi McEvoy did get ...