I dont know what youre getting at by sharing yours, Hampson added, according to the witness. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Not be a current employee of the district and/or be related to a current employee in that district. Before she was first elected to the District 6 seat in 2015, she worked on the Schools First campaign in support of district levies. City officials and school board members have declined to meet with the group of neighbors, parents and employees who are . The report further concluded Director Hampson and Director DeWolf violated [the policy] because they intended to and did degrade and humiliate [staffers] in their workplace.. SPS contracted FLO Analytics, a consulting company with expertise in data analysis and redistricting, to draw new district election maps. 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. The report noted that it seemed [DeWolf] felt the need to put them in their place. One of the accusers tried to raise that there must have been a misunderstanding, but DeWolf was relentless in his negative admonishing and chastising tone, which set the stage for a terrible conversation., Hampson berated staffers, the investigation said, and the conversation became very heated and spiraled out of control.. Believe me, I know. Kindergarten Class Rep - Whitney Qualls. The investigation itself was extensive. She is the Seattle School Board president. But the Seattle Times has an entire education section of their paper. Geary did not file to run for re-election in 2019. They couldnt get to this sooner? School Board student members will participate in committee discussions and are encouraged to question and communicate their opinions, suggestions, and concerns. Washington Democrats are trying to force employers to hire or retain potheads with new legislation. Student members are encouraged to utilize course credit, service hour, independent study, free periods, or other opportunities, as available and appropriate for their own academic schedule, to modify their class schedule to accommodate committee meeting attendance. Some of the biggest changes: District 2, which incorporates Green Lake and Phinney Ridge, has expanded west to include Ballard and Magnolia. Served on Corporate Advisory Board at the University of Arizona, School of Retail. West Seattle news, 24/7. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. Board members raised their voices at staff and the conversation has been described as terrible, heated, and berating, according to interviews conducted by investigators. School Board 1971 (PH 007-25) Archives. 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. But attorneys representing SPS are arguing a thorough investigation was conducted, and that the outcome is supported by 20 witness interviews and thousands of documents. The experiences of the past year have taught parents a hard lesson just how little power they have in the current system of public education. Ironically, the complaints came out of work on a draft policy concerning anti-racism. The board voted on March 24 to move Pre-K through fifth-grade students into in-person instruction starting in April 2021. 174 (Teamsters 174). Sami Al-Abdrabbuh, the chairman of a school board in northwest Oregon, has received death threats. 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. 198.1.97.113 The events that took place between the Seattle Public Schools employees and board members Chandra Hampson and Zachary DeWolf happened in August and September 2020 during meetings and discussions about a draft of the districts anti-racism policy. Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. But you wont find the report on the districts website. Currently, Liza Rankin holds the district 1 spot, Lisa Rivera Smith represents district 2, Chandra Hampson represents . The two district employees, both of whom are women still working for Seattle Schools, alleged an orchestrated campaign of harassment, intimidation, bullying based on race and gender in response to their work on the anti-racism policy, according to the investigation by the MFR Law Group PLLC, a law firm focused on employment law and human resource services in the Pacific Northwest. The employees names were redacted. Al-ansi noted that DeWolf was pushing for a HIB investigation because he is familiar with the law and the level of scrutiny that is required around a racial claim., She calls it an institutional tactic where DeWolf is trying to find a different way to discredit their named experiences., The choice to move forward with an investigation is the most institutionally racist way you can do it, Al-ansi wrote, according to the investigation. Hes no longer in office, with Nov. 17, 2021, being his last day serving on the school board. DeWolf did not respond to requests for comment. Board members must first be elected to the 40+ member BCS Corporation. Paralegal. By . This is my Executive Committee meeting, the report said he told her. 206-252-0000, Distributing Information to Students and Schools, Northwest Coast Art by Andrea Wilbur-Sigo, Squaxin/Skokomish. Theyre always quick to lift other peoples stories and present them as their own. Student School board members will receive an orientation from staff and board directors and will be paired with a School Board Director mentor and staff mentor for ongoing support. The SHIBA program part of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner is ready to help with your Medicare open enrollment decisions. Her online tantrum may have broken the law . Self-interested unions, insider political interests and entrenched school officials decide what happens in public schools, not parents. Staff involvement was a privilege, not a right, Hampsons attorneys argue in court documents. It was dated Sept. 18, 2020. Selection of School Board Student Members; Approval of the Amended 2021-22 Superintendent . Though the District 4 primary was decided by voters in that district which includes Ballard, Magnolia, and Northern Queen Anne the runoff is citywide, so South End . Tel 206-324-0400 . But some witnesses and school board directors got in the way. They found mixed and inconclusive evidence to show the conduct was based on gender. 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. There was also confusion among board members and staff about the timeline of the anti-racist policy, the emails show. 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. She is passionate about high-quality education for all Washington students and for an equitable education system to help fully equip achievers for tomorrow. Selection Committee members will review applications for the Student Member positions and collaborate to make final recommendations. He was elected twice to the Seattle School Board serving from 2007 to 2015. (One recently-appointed member is not eligible for recall.). Have at least a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. MFR investigators interviewed 20 witnesses and reviewed over 5,600 documents. Seattle School Board chooses new board member, approves plan to return to classrooms . Follow@JasonRantz onTwitter,Instagram, andParler,and like me onFacebook. Embattled Seattle School Board President Chandra Hampson deleted critical comments from her Facebook page. I certainly understand that SPS did not make it easy to track this story. 11% of Seattle Public Schools management is Hispanic or Latino. The student-led Selection Committee will support the Board's selection of three (3) students for the 2023-24 . This behavior is always done to Black folks and holds up anti-Blackness. District 7 - Brandon K. Hersey. The district's decades-long record of failure helps explain why three Seattle mothers, Emily Bramwell Cherkin, Jennifer Rebecca Olson Crow, and Beverely Diann Goodman are leading a broad coalition of concerned parents asking voters to recall six out of seven Seattle school board members. During his tenure on the Seattle School Board, he served on the Council of Great City Schools board of directors and the Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) steering committee as its vice-chair. Students entering their junior or senior year are eligible to apply for a one-year term that will begin August 2023 and conclude at the end of the 2023-24 school year. Contact the Student Members through Lets Talk. Greater Giving Administrator - Kelsey Fish. Work. Emails and meeting notes appear to back this claim. Redistricting is required by law. Location. Greetings from the Admissions Director; Prep At A Glance; Explore Prep; Open House; Panther For A Day; Apply to Prep; . In an emailed statement, the district said its not able to comment on personnel matters but that Seattle Public Schools is committed to nondiscrimination in all our educational, employment and staff endeavors., We firmly believe this commitment to anti-racism increases student success, the statement continued. The two SPS employees believed board members were silencing, undermining, discrediting and discriminating against them based on gender and race, court documents say. Our safety, legitimacy as leaders, unique and necessary lived perspectives, and material contributions have been routinely marginalized and discredited in accordance with our proximity and alignment with white-centric institutional norms, and these Board Directors views, they wrote in the memo. School board members in Washington are basically volunteers. DeWolf engaged more harshly, disrespectfully, and/or rudely with women, regardless of race. But others note hes rude to everyone regardless of gender. Applications for the 2023-24 student member positions will be open Monday, Feb. 27 - March 24. Dahlia Bazzaz. Neither board member had to pay a fine, nor were they disciplined. The current policy doesnt codify any punishment for HIB conduct, so neither Hampson nor DeWolf were punished. That meeting was the focus of the investigation and what triggered the accusations against Hampson and DeWolf. Contact the Student Members through Lets Talk. School Board student members are charged with engaging students and student groups for feedback and with carrying forward the diverse perspectives of Seattle Public Schools students. All students and the more than 100 full-time faculty members live on the grounds. Board Member @ Seattle Public Schools Vice President at Seattle School Board @ Seattle Public Schools President @ Seattle Public Schools see more A left-wing media outlet used a union-backed poll to push a union-backed piece of legislation to push you into offering support. Districts of Seattle's size are also limited by state law to seven School Board Directors. 206-252-0000, Distributing Information to Students and Schools, Northwest Coast Art by Andrea Wilbur-Sigo, Squaxin/Skokomish, School Board Student Member Selection Committee, School Board Policy No. But the district is doing what it can to keep the report from public view. But Scarlett and Al-ansi wanted more legitimate community engagement with the Black community before passing the policy. The student positions were created under the recently adopted School Board Policy No. Bellevue Christian Board of Directors. In 2023, voters will choose board members for districts 1, 2, 3, and 6. 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. The School Board Office will reach out to interested students with further information and meeting dates. March 24, 2021 at 5:12 pm Updated March 24, 2021 at 9:35 pm . Work Session: Building Relationships with Youth Continued (with Kings) . Education. General election date. Next year, Seattle voters may be voting for candidates in different Seattle School Board districts, the result of a monthslong redrawing of board member districts this fall. The school board attempted to bury the report. What was provided offered little insight into the total claims and ignored the complainants take on the process. In 2023, voters will choose board members for districts 1, 2, 3, and 6. School Board Special Meeting: Ad Hoc Community Engagement Meeting. 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. 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. Seattle Public Schools started out the 2020-2021 school year in remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2013, evolved legal intern program at the Allen Institute into a law school class to teach the practical aspects and soft skills . Hampson, meanwhile, wanted to vote on the anti-racism policy instead of waiting for more community engagement, arguing its already been done. It only requested Hampson and DeWolf review the policy the investigation said they violated. Two woke Seattle Public School board directors who claim to be anti-racist progressives were found guilty of harassing, intimidating, and bullying Black staff. Other indicators of failure are Seattles extraordinarily high private school attendance rate, dangerous homeless encampments adjacent to school grounds, the persistent learning gap for black, Hispanic and Native American children, and the fact that hundreds of families have left the system since March of last year. Students on the selection committee must: Students on the selection committee will be able to earn community service hours for their work. 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. The district elections map only affects who can run for school board (candidates must live in the district they run for) and which board members people vote for. However, DeWolf cut her off before the 10 minutes were up, telling her twice to wrap up her comments, the report said. Its not considered harassment when an elected board member reprimands staff for failing to follow board directives, Hampsons attorneys argue in court documents. Consequently, media coverage has been scant and inadequate. District 5 now stretches from the Central Area all the way to the Montlake Cut, and includes Madison Park, Montlake, Eastlake and all of Capitol Hill. As crime increases, our safety measures must too, GSBA is closing the disparity gap with Ready for Business Fund. Scarlett and Al-ansi, who have escaped media scrutiny, should also be called out. The board voted to withhold the information from online publication in an apparent move to keep the adverse findings from the public spotlight. Did you like this opinion piece? 1250, School Board Student Members. Apr 2013 - Jan 20162 years 10 months. School Board Audit Quarterly Meeting. 1250, School Board Student Members. There was another meeting between the board directors and the complainants on Sept. 16, 2020. District 6 - Leslie S. Harris. Seattle, Washington, United States. Each district needs to meet certain criteria set by state law: having nearly the same population size, being as compact as possible and not favoring or disfavoring a political party or racial group. Last week, the Seattle School Board approved two measures involving African Americans males by a vote of 5-1, with the lone no vote on each measure cast by senior school board director Leslie Harris. The School Board Student Member Selection Committee is a student-led committee that will recommend three (3) Student Members to the Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors for selection. The anti-racism policy has not been adopted by the school board. Thats quite clearly the opposite of being an anti-racist. The district was also to provide harassment, intimidation and bullying training to board members as needed. They say it's not safe. SPS upholds all board policies and superintendent procedures and thoroughly investigates workplace complaints.. The new geographical boundaries do not affect student attendance boundaries; their purpose is to make sure each region within the city is represented by a board member who lives in that region. Seattle reporter Jason Rantz noted that, in leaked emails, the school district actually refused to request the mayor's office sweep the camps for illegal activity. Their feelings about why or how they were targeted do not replace the need for evidence. According to the investigation, both complainants claimed that HIB investigations are not good enough to uncover implicit bias and anti-Blackness. Bier on the Pier takes place on October 7th and 8th and features local ciders, food trucks and live music - not to mention the beautiful views of the Guemes Channel and backdrop of downtown Anacortes. Every 10 years, in accordance with the U.S. census count, Seattle Public Schools board members have the task of approving a new district election map. Hampson recused herself from voting. And thats not an unbiased source of data.Carlyle is working to get legislative support for his idea before lawmakers reconvene in Olympia in January. I wanted it to get out afterThanksgiving, as stories printed the week before the holiday tend to get lost. The law targets boundary lines drawn with the intention of diluting votes based on race or political party a tactic known as gerrymandering. Student board members will not be voting members but will serve as advisors to the Seattle School Board. Seattle University School of Law. 11% of the management team is Black or African American. The controversy began about two years ago, when SPS hired a law firm focused on employment law and human-resource services in the Pacific Northwest to investigate claims that Hampson and DeWolf violated a board policy during meetings that took place in August and September 2020. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. The school board members did not publicly respond to the recall effort. District staff thought they knew better and felt sidelined. Mar. Come one, come all! School Board student members should also possess an awareness of challenges and barriers that they or others experience in education and in society. Three seats on the Seattle Public Schools school board in Washington were up for general election on November 2, 2021. Email the Records and Archives Center archives@seattleschools.org for finding aids for paper records: school board and superintendents working files, correspondence and meeting materials. Elise Takahama. A list of School Board Members and Superintendents. It's easy to be accused of fearmongering regarding crime, but Seattle residents might have good reason to be concerned for their safety. The findings note that four of the 13 witnesses they interviewed opined that Dir. One year appointment. Earlier this month, in response to the school board's proposal, Washington Senator Jamie Pedersen introduced Senate bill 6282, which would require school districts to create individualized . A primary was scheduled for August 3, 2021. Scarlett and Al-ansi did not appear pleased with the process. Student board members will not be voting members but will serve as advisors to the Seattle School Board. "You will not see me supporting your business and I find it intriguing you think that crime is just in Tacoma, said a Tacoma Councilmember. 2445 3rd Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98134 The tension came to a head during an Aug. 28, 2020, phone call between Hampson, DeWolf, the complainants, and SPS staff. Board of Directors and District Map. Seattle media deserves to be called out on this. However, the investigation did not conclude Hampson and DeWolf discriminated against staffers based on their race or gender. And why havent local TV stations picked the story up in any meaningful way? School Board student members will receive $17.27/hour for their work in this role, not to exceed 20 hours a month. 1250, School Board Student Members. School Board student members will have the opportunity to participate in district policy development processes and counsel board directors on the impacts of potential district actions on students. Yet here they wont? Some kids are back at Seattle schools, but 2 homeless camps near Meany Middle and BroadviewThomson Elementary have parents worried. They inexplicably chose not to embed the actual investigation, nor did they examine who made the complaints. Population and demographic changes in Seattle cause district boundaries to fluctuate. Another Washington community is having to deal with the possibility of rogue sex offenders. During a board meeting Sept. 9, the board voted to take action based on the findings of the investigation. "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.