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. I dont want to rehash our own private conversations.. 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. Currently, Liza Rankin holds the district 1 spot, Lisa Rivera Smith represents district 2, Chandra Hampson represents . Food, Drink, and Coastal Christmas Anacortes has it all. School Board student members will hold non-voting advisory positions. The School Board Office will reach out to interested students with further information and meeting dates. The investigation is damning both for the directors who misbehaved and the complainants who use their wokeness to prove any investigation into anti-Blackness would be futile. MFR submitted the report to Seattle Schools in early August. Some board members thought historic redlining maps should have been taken into consideration. She is passionate about high-quality education for all Washington students and for an equitable education system to help fully equip achievers for tomorrow. Come one, come all! 1250, School Board Student Members, Share a commitment to elevating the voices of students of color furthest from educational justice in district decision-making, Be currently enrolled students in Seattle Public Schools, Be currently enrolled in high school grades 9-12, Be able to meet once a week during the months of April and May 2023, and spend up to 15 hours on meeting and application evaluation, NOT be applying to be a School Board Student Member. School Board student members will be provided agendas and other materials in preparation for meetings and are also encouraged to attend board work sessions and other special meetings of the board. Students on the selection committee must: Students on the selection committee will be able to earn community service hours for their work. Its not considered harassment when an elected board member reprimands staff for failing to follow board directives, Hampsons attorneys argue in court documents. School Board student members will participate in committee discussions and are encouraged to question and communicate their opinions, suggestions, and concerns. 1250, School Board Student Members. It's easy to be accused of fearmongering regarding crime, but Seattle residents might have good reason to be concerned for their safety. But they are also fringe partisans who set up their complaint to fail when they claimed concern over the process not being able to weed out implicit bias. WA to end masking requirement in health care, correctional facilities, Fire on Lake City Way in Seattle raises smoke, flooding concerns, One Seattle business is taking a stand against tipping mania, Chef Ethan Stowell buys a historic Seattle dive bar, Amazon shutters some convenience stores, including 2 in Seattle, concluded she harassed, intimidated and bullied. His complaint appears to come from her wanting to work more independently from him. Her online tantrum may have broken the law . Yes, they get reimbursed a little for expenses such as gas and supplies but certainly not for their time. But why did it take the Seattle Times months to cover? The report was never posted to the Seattle Schools website. Board members must first be elected to the 40+ member BCS Corporation. Do I need to pull out my resume? she asked, according to witness testimony. 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. Embattled Seattle School Board President Chandra Hampson deleted critical comments from her Facebook page. Seattle Public Schools hired MFR Law Group PLLC (MFR) to conduct an extensive investigation into school board directors Chandra Hampson and Zachary DeWolf. Kirby has served as Board Chair at Special Olympics of Washington, where he helped bring the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games to Seattle. Here are further demographic highlights of the leadership team: The Seattle Public Schools executive team is 40% female and 60% male. Be a resident of the district she is running in. Education. Seattle school board directors Zachary DeWolf (L) and Chandra Hampson (R). Posting documents for regular Board meetings at least 3 days in advance of the meeting to allow for public review. Not be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. Have at least a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. One witness called it worst meeting she had ever experienced., Another witness said that DeWolf began raising his voice and accused [the complainants] of being dishonest about their collaboration on the policy. She said that it seemed he felt the need to put them in their place., When one of the complainants wondered if a miscommunication could have led to the belief that they were working independent of the school board members, the witness said, DeWolf was relentless in his negative admonishing and chastising tone, which set the stage for a terrible conversation., DeWolf told MFR investigators, according to the report, that he was not scolding [the complainant], because he does not like conflict, and he was trying to be super-intentional and gentle with his language.. Two Black women staffers who still currently work at SPS were working with Hampson and DeWolf on developing an anti-racism policy, but as disagreements started, contentious conversations followed. Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. During a board meeting Sept. 9, the board voted to take action based on the findings of the investigation. If a superintendent or board member directed staff to get something done by a certain time and the employee refused to and claimed that was bullying, I mean thats just unworkable, said Talmadge, who served as a state senator for 16 years. 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. Some school board directors even declined to be interviewed for fear their comments would become public record. Served on Corporate Advisory Board at the University of Arizona, School of Retail. With just a week before the Seattle School Board is scheduled to vote on a plan for instruction this school year, which begins Sept. 2, some members including Chandra Hampson say the district's . Some of the background facts for malfeasance include the U.S. Department of Educations civil rights investigation against Seattle Schools for not serving disabled children, the long-term closure of schools during COVID-19, and the districts inadequacy in providing children with at-home instruction. It still has not been posted on the boards website. As a result of the SPS investigation conducted by the MFR Law Group PLLC, Hampson, who was elected in 2019, and board member Zachary DeWolf, who has since left the board because his term expired, were required to review the board policy that prohibited harassment, intimidation and bullying. 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. Hampson, on the other hand, is in office until 2023 and its unclear if shell run for re-election. Capitol Hill's school board seat will have a vacancy this year, and the incumbent has some thoughts for anyone interested in running. By . And its costing taxpayers thousands of dollars. Please fill out this form by April 3, 2023 if you would like to join the School Board Student Member Selection Committee. The filing deadline for this election was May 21, 2021 . Theyre not against racism; they want to favor one racial group over others. Hampson had been a last-minute addition to the conference call. In 2023, voters will choose board members for districts 1, 2, 3, and 6. AMDG; For the Greater Glory of God; Seattle Preparatory School. But they did not find evidence that DeWolf discriminated against, harassed, intimidated, or bullied either Scarlett or Al-ansi based solely on race., They also said he used his position and authority to the detriment of the complainants. (One recently-appointed member is not eligible for recall.) If youre retired or getting ready to retire and looking for new ways to stay active, becoming a SHIBA volunteer could be for you! You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. 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.. While serving, School Board student members must be enrolled in courses that ensure normal progress towards graduation and maintain the number of credits necessary for advancement to the next grade level. Enrollment ('17-'18) 54,573 students. And why havent local TV stations picked the story up in any meaningful way? Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyers claim Jeffrey Epstein's 15-year-old Florida plea deal should undo her sex-trafficking conviction. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. Contact the Student Members through Lets Talk. Theres been an issue on whether the staff of Seattle Public Schools runs the district or if the superintendent and board do, said Hampsons attorney, Philip Talmadge, a former Washington State Supreme Court justice. In July 2019, former School Board member Betty Patu's resignation triggered an appointment process that led to the selection . Some kids are back at Seattle schools, but 2 homeless camps near Meany Middle and BroadviewThomson Elementary have parents worried. The findings call his conduct unprofessional.. The anti-racism policy has not been adopted by the school board. Any immediate political consequences are unknown. Hampson appears easily slighted and is disrespectful to many people. The seven . Leslie Harris (incumbent), 61. Newsletter & Website Content - OPEN. Board of Trustees - Seattle Preparatory School. But some witnesses and school board directors got in the way. 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. 198.1.97.113 Did you like this opinion piece? Hampson did acknowledge the group phone call was terrible, the report said, but denied violating harassment, intimidation and bullying board policies. I dont know what youre getting at by sharing yours, Hampson added, according to the witness. SEATTLE, WA- Massive homeless encampments have taken over several school grounds in Seattle.Instead of demanding that the growing tent communities be removed, the Seattle School Board president and one of its directors have reportedly urged Mayor Jenny Durkan to not clear them out.. Best believe anywhere else, there would be zero homeless camps outside a school. They were targets because the school board directors are rabid left-wing activists who want to play savior to the citys minority communities. The company, which has offices in the Pacific Northwest and New England, created various maps based on legal requirements, community and board member input. Kudos to her. The two staffers sent the board a memorandum in September 2020 that said Hampson and DeWolf orchestrated a campaign of bullying, escalating intimidation, gaslighting, and retaliation, according to court documents. All students and the more than 100 full-time faculty members live on the grounds. Other government bodies, like the City Council, also have to redistrict every decade per the Washington Voting Rights Act, which requires redistricting after each new census count. Dahlia Bazzaz. All current board members still reside in the districts they represent under the new map. The events that took place between Seattle public school staff and board members Chandra Hampson and Zachary DeWolfe . They barely got a slap on the wrist. Scarlett and Al-ansi did not appear pleased with the process. The Seattle Public Schools board unanimously approved the new district elections map last week. DeWolf did not run for re-election and will suffer no immediate political consequences as a result. According to district policy, the investigation was compulsory since they did not successfully mediate their dispute. Show more Show less They were accused of waging sexist and . These meetings are held Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m. at John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence. It doesnt help that theyre insufferably rude, either. DeWolf engaged more harshly, disrespectfully, and/or rudely with women, regardless of race. But others note hes rude to everyone regardless of gender. Last month, the school board voted to repeal the harassment, intimidation and bullying policy for adults (a student policy still exists) and replace it with civility procedures, citing the extraneous resources it took to go through complaints that often didnt meet the threshold of the policy and prevented more serious complaints from being addressed. School Board student members should expect to spend approximately ten (10) hours a month performing their duties. RT @mrandystevens: We need to replace the activists school board members with parents whose only agenda is to ensure a good education for our kids. SPS board members wrestled with the district boundary lines over the course of various public and community meetings, and debated how race played a role in the redistricting process. Committees meet monthly. But given the events of a recent school board meeting, this shouldnt come as a shock. Yet here they wont? Washington Democrats are trying to force employers to hire or retain potheads with new legislation. The motion also waived the need to post the report on the districts website, which typically needs to happen at least three days before public meetings. The student-led Selection Committee will support the Board's selection of three (3) students for the 2023-24 . During law school, I served as a Board Member on the Black Law Students Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution Board, Academic Conduct Board, and Seattle Journal for Social Justice. And it . The board vacancy came on the heels of Director Betty Patu announcing her departure from the school board, and without enough time to [] As a former elected official, its bloody nonsense.. Approval of the 2021-2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between Seattle School District No. The School is accredited by the New England . . Talk with Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors member Leslie Harris, who represents West Seattle and most of South Park, at 2 pm at Delridge Library. It was only days after Sami Al-Abdrabbuh was re-elected to . It was clear Hampson had darts for both of them, the witness told MFR investigators. The Jason Rantz Show on KTTH has a staff of one when it comes to reporting and research: Im the one.