Seattle Schools Community Forum

I am back and it seems to be quite a busy week. Ballots are dropping this week for the November 4th election.  I'll have more to say on the ballot measures on preschools but, from being out on the campaign trail, I see that it seems to be shaping up somewhat like the charter school measure.  Meaning, unions against wealthy ed reformers. I will be speaking about the two preschool measures at a voters forum this Thursday, Oct. 16th at Horizon House, 900 University Street, starting at 7:30 pm.  This is co-sponsored with the League of Women Voters who have already recommended a no vote to both measures.  (Meaning, vote no on the first question and send idea back to the drawing board which is my position as well.) The agenda for both the Operations Committee meetings this week on Thursday the 16th are still not available.  That seems odd but I suspect it's because the Board may be considering finding funds to accept the Federal Reserve building and renovate it...

In breaking news from Politics Early and Often (in Illinois), the SEC has charged United Neighborhood Organization and its charter network with defrauding investors to the tune of $37.5M  b "making materially misleading statements" about contracts.  UNO leaders want to settle the case by "promising" to not use nepotism in their contracts and having federal oversight for a year.  But the SEC says the investigation is continuing.  The civil allegations from regulators with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission center on contracts the Chicago-based UNO gave to a window company owned by a brother of the group’s then-senior vice president, Miguel d’Escoto. SEC officials say the charter network should have told investors in a 2011 bond offering that it had hired Reflection Window Co., owned by Rodrigo d’Escoto, and that the contracts worth $11 million were awarded in violation of UNO’s grant agreement with the state. Interestingly (but not surprisingl...

Well, look what happens when you step away for a couple of days - apparently a lot. First up, the Muni League released its ratings of School Board candidates.  Only Suzanne Dale Estey (in Michael DeBell's district) got "outstanding."  In the same race the two candidates, Sue Peters and Dean McCoglan, received a "very good" which is the next level below "outstanding."   In Kay Smith-Blum race, Stefan Blanford received "very good", LaCrese Green received "not qualified" and Ulu Thomas was not interviewed. I was unable to access the Muni League's second page of ratings to check Director Betty Patu's rating. Charlie and I just about finished our interviews and will write up a thread before you receive your primary ballots.  The early assessment is that (clearly) Patu will retain her seat, Blanford will face off against Green but is really the only candidate in that race.  So the real race is in DeBell's district ...