Seattle Schools Community Forum

Monday began the voting period for teachers in SPS to elect the leadership of their union the Seattle Education Association (SEA). The RESPECT slate is hoping to win office and I’m hoping they do too.  The voting continues for the next ten days. The RESPECT platform proposes a new way of collaborating with parents and community members in the interest of unifying the power of those fighting for genuine reform of our public schools. Many of us believe Seattle needs its own research-based vision for the schools our children deserve. Those developed in Chicago , Portland and St. Paul through a collaborative process between teachers, parents and the community became a foundation from which strong alliances blossomed. With the RESPECT slate leading the SEA I’m confident that we will move forward on creating such a vision that meets the needs of Seattle Schools' students. I also believe the RESPECT slate will help us come closer to achieving the kind of partnership between tea...

SEA Candidates Coffee Chats: Friday, Feb 24th, 9:30 am to 11 am Neighborhood: Capitol Hill: Cafe Presse -1117 12th Avenue   Saturday, Feb 25th , 9:30 am to11am Neighborhood: Georgetown: All City Coffee, 1205 S Vale St (between S Corson Ave & S 12th Ave) Sunday Feb 26th, 9:30 am -11am  Cafe Fiore, 5405 Leary Avenue Northwest  More info: Eric Muhs, ericmuhs@comcast.net or www.socialequalityeducators.org

First up, Ramona Hattendorf, the SCPTSA President, is stepping down to take a job as the Washington state PTSA lobbyist. That sounds like a good job for her. Lauren McGuire is the new president. Also the SCPTSA sent out another eNews bulletin about TFA entitled " Debate, Round II: Teach for America" . Can I just say there is no real debate going on except here. Here's a brand new program that directly affects classroom teaching and there's no debate at all? So this bulletin once again has what proponent say and opponents say. What bothers me is that the PTSA does not flesh out a lot of details and much gets lost. For example, saying that TFA recruits get 5 weeks training, become teachers and then go on to get full certification. Well, that going on is while they are teachers. I find that a lot for a first-year teacher to be taking on. What really bothers me is they put a case for TFA (provided by TFA) and a case against (provided by the SEA). No one else h...

(Update: ack! I know it's Tracy Record at WSB, not Read. Apologies to Tracy and thanks to Mark A. for correcting me.) I wanted to report back on the press conference. I attended with Dorothy Neville and I think we were possibly the only real members of the public there. I asked again if I could have a press credential because I asked why Tracy Record of the West Seattle blog (who wasn't there but sometimes is) gets a press pass. I was told that (1) I'm not a real journalist and (2) I don't write more broadly (meaning, I only write about public education). Also, I write for a blog which is commentary and not reporting. More on this in a minute. There was a grand total of ONE news organization (there might have been more but no one I recognized). It was a guy from KING-TV shooting B roll footage for the station. So basically, I will be the only person in all of Seattle reporting what happened at the press conference that the district put together because they ...