Hampson recused herself from voting. Her online tantrum may have broken the law . In July 2019, former School Board member Betty Patu's resignation triggered an appointment process that led to the selection . Facebook Parent Group Moderator - Kaye Smith. 1 and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local No. 206-252-0000, Distributing Information to Students and Schools, Northwest Coast Art by Andrea Wilbur-Sigo, Squaxin/Skokomish, Posting documents for regular Board meetings at least 3 days in advance of the meeting to allow for public review, Maintaining accurate and timely information on the School Board?s website, Noticing all Board meetings on the District?s website in a timely manner, Responding to and tracking constituent communication, Complying with requirements of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA), Providing administrative support to Board members (e.g., travel arrangements, expense reimbursements, and document preparation). Mary Fertakis, Kevin Wang, Patty Wood - At-Large Positions The two SPS employees believed board members were silencing, undermining, discrediting and discriminating against them based on gender and race, court documents say. The student-led Selection Committee will support the Board's selection of three (3) students for the 2023-24 . City officials and school board members have declined to meet with the group of neighbors, parents and employees who are . And why havent local TV stations picked the story up in any meaningful way? Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. The student positions were created under the recently adopted School Board Policy No. The Board of Directors is self-perpetuating; new members are elected each year, serving up to two, 3-year terms. Im sorry. Miles Hagopian, a student at Mercer International Middle School, applauded the Seattle School Board's unanimous vote in June 2020 to indefinitely suspend the district's partnership with the . By . Where were they? The anti-racism policy has not been adopted by the school board. Leslie Harris (incumbent), 61. SEATTLE -- As Washington schools continue to face huge challenges with test scores and student achievement, theres a new proposal from one state lawmaker to help kick-start public education: Pay school board members, he argues, and thereby attract better leaders.We cant demand that our kids and our teachers improve their quality, and not improve the quality of our management as well, said state Rep. Reuven Carlyle, D-Seattle. 1250, School Board Student Members. The campaign also builds on the Clean Schools Resolution passed by the Seattle School Board in February, which commits the district to being fossil fuel-free by 2040. The remaining seats will open up in 2025. The Seattle Public Schools Board Office has two main areas of focus: Supporting the Board in the preparation and planning of Board meetings to ensure they run effectively and allow for public awareness and participation. So far SPS has spent $36,238.53 defending the case against Hampson, according to public records. MFR investigators interviewed 20 witnesses and reviewed over 5,600 documents. They couldnt get to this sooner? But given the events of a recent school board meeting, this shouldnt come as a shock. All current board members still reside in the districts they represent under the new map. Although the report didnt find clear evidence that Hampson and DeWolf discriminated against the two staffers because of their race or gender, it did conclude that both board members violated board policy 5207, which prohibits harassment, intimidation and bullying. They expressed concerns about the expected Public Records Act disclosures after the investigation concluded., The report also notes that some witnesses asked MFR not to take notes during parts of their interviews.. What was provided offered little insight into the total claims and ignored the complainants take on the process. Inspired by the Angela Davis quote that Walls turned sideways are bridges, the board recognizes the organizational structure of the district can create a wall between decision makers and the students the district serves. Student members will serve as experts through their own experiences and as representatives of their peers. And I heard them speak of treatment that they did not just want us as their leaders to be aware of but to also act upon.. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. Some of the biggest changes: District 2, which incorporates Green Lake and Phinney Ridge, has expanded west to include Ballard and Magnolia. One year appointment. The district has improperly employed [the harassment, intimidation and bullying policy] to rebalance the power between elected directors and staff., Board members are elected to advise and approve policies, Talmadge said. 1250, School Board Student Members. Raymond Delos Reyes is a first-generation Filipino American, born in Seattle and a native of the Rainier Valley neighborhood, where he continues to reside. The judge does not rule on the truth of the charges, only their legal sufficiency under state law. Hampson, meanwhile, wanted to vote on the anti-racism policy instead of waiting for more community engagement, arguing its already been done. However, the investigation did not conclude Hampson and DeWolf discriminated against staffers based on their race or gender. School Board Special Meeting: Ad Hoc Community Engagement Meeting. But the district is doing what it can to keep the report from public view. But the investigation said her treatment of Scarlett and Al-ansi was not based on race or gender, as alleged. The findings note that four of the 13 witnesses they interviewed opined that Dir. The School Board has not yet voted on the policy. Some board members thought historic redlining maps should have been taken into consideration. This case highlights that particular problem and ultimately can bring affirmation to the board and the superintendent they hire.. Is there a reason you telling me this? The two women who made allegations against Hampson and DeWolf wrote a letter to the board on Sept. 18, 2020 almost a year earlier detailing their experiences, board member Lisa Rivera-Smith said during the meeting. A list of School Board Members and Superintendents. The student school board positions are new positions, created by School Board Policy No. But you wont find the report on the districts website. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. AMDG; For the Greater Glory of God; Seattle Preparatory School. A criminal history does not automatically disqualify an applicant from serving as a School Board student member. Elected to the Central Valley School Board in Spokane Valley in November 2011, Bolt . Some school board directors even declined to be interviewed for fear their comments would become public record. Not be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. DeWolf totally disagreed with the allegations and described himself as conflict averse and being careful in this situation.. Apr 2013 - Jan 20162 years 10 months. Jill Geary was a member of the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors in Washington, representing District 3.. Geary ran for re-election to the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors to represent District 3 in Washington. She is passionate about high-quality education for all Washington students and for an equitable education system to help fully equip achievers for tomorrow. John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence Normally, this investigation would be posted online three days ahead of a school board meeting. Specifically, the recall petition itself reports that Seattle school board members have: Delayed reopening Seattle schools to full-time, in-person instruction, compared to the great majority of other districts; Violated their legal duty to provide special needs students with access to in-person instruction; Given away school property in West Seattle in violation of legal standards; Failed to correct a 2015 school board decision to take $2.7 million in private money while keeping the donors name secret; Approved contracts on planned Rainier Beach High School and Northgate Elementary construction projects which involve conflicts of interest and violations of environmental review laws; Failed to protect student privacy online; Failed to consult the Duwamish Tribe regarding environmental review of the Northgate Elementary project; Failed to provide adequate school-day recreational areas for students; Sold school property to a favored buyer without holding a public hearing; Discriminated against students by canceling the Highly Capable Program at Washington Middle School; Violated the rights of Kimball Elementary School students by improperly changing the attendance area. By Chris B. Bennett Co-publisher/Editor Two weeks ago, The Seattle School Board had a decision to make - who will be the next board member representing District 7, which encompasses Southeast Seattle. The second instance that was investigated was an executive committee meeting on Sept. 16, 2020, according to the report. Seattle Public Schools started out the 2020-2021 school year in remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Scarlett and Al-ansi outlined the complaints in a memo titled Bullying, Intimidation, and Anti-Black Racism, which was sent to the full board and then-SPS Superintendent Denise Juneau. Its unfortunate that another story like this has surfaced. Arizona school board member says district should reject hiring teachers with Christian values: 'Not.safe' https://lnkd.in/gsiKn_qu Explore the Fox News They found mixed and inconclusive evidence to show the conduct was based on gender. Served on Corporate Advisory Board at the University of Arizona, School of Retail. And its costing taxpayers thousands of dollars. Student board members will not be voting members but will serve as advisors to the Seattle School Board. A left-wing media outlet used a union-backed poll to push a union-backed piece of legislation to push you into offering support. Seattle school board directors Zachary DeWolf (L) and Chandra Hampson (R). He will decide whether there is reasonable cause to show these board members committed an act or acts of malfeasance or misfeasance while in office or that such person has violated an oath of office.. "For the fiscal year 2024-25, the subsequent year, I forecasted a shortfall of $139.4 million," Gannon told Seattle school board members on Wednesday night. School Board student members will receive $17.27/hour for their work in this role, not to exceed 20 hours a month. Another Washington community is having to deal with the possibility of rogue sex offenders. But the Seattle Times has an entire education section of their paper. Seattle Public Schools hired MFR Law Group PLLC (MFR) to conduct an extensive investigation into school board directors Chandra Hampson and Zachary DeWolf. And, moving forward, new school board members would be required to take training on HIB conduct. The only somewhat meaningful reporting on this complaint came from the Seattle Times. Both Hampson and DeWolf, according to the complainants, were upset that they lost control over the anti-racism policy to two Black women. Hampson appears easily slighted and is disrespectful to many people. According to the investigation, Hampson and DeWolf both denied engaging in anti-Black racism or treating the two district staffers any differently from other employees. Email the Records and Archives Center [email protected] for finding aids for paper records: school board and superintendent's working files, correspondence and meeting materials. The Jason Rantz Show, 3pm-7pm on KTTH. Redistricting is required by law. King County Superior Court Judge Maf Rajul dismissed the case in April and, shortly after, Hampsons attorney filed an appeal in the states Court of Appeals. DeWolf did not run for re-election and will suffer no immediate political consequences as a result. The seven . General election date. Dr. Keisha Scarlett, the SPS Chief of Equity, Partnerships, and Engagement, and Manal Al-ansi, the Director of Racial Equity Advancement, alleged an orchestrated campaign of bullying, escalating intimidation, gaslighting, and retaliation that lasted for months. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. The six officials parents are seeking to recall are Chandra Hampson, President, Brandon Hersey, Vice-President, Zachary DeWolf, Liza Rankin, Leslie Harris, and Lisa Rivera-Smith. 2023 Washington Policy Center All Rights Reserved Terms of Use, Closer look at Superintendent Reykdal's dig at WPC has me missing "Better call Saul", Washington state students to get less classroom time under new Dem-backed plan, Proposed WA bill would cut student's classtime by 4 hours a week, Tutoring bill to help students with school-shutdown learning loss blocked in Senate Ways and Means Committee, Bill reducing WA classroom learning by four hours a week working its way through Senate.