Work. Hampson declined to comment. "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. Monica Velez. Hampson recused herself from voting. Seattle, Washington, United States. 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, at least three days before public meetings. 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. A left-wing media outlet used a union-backed poll to push a union-backed piece of legislation to push you into offering support. That meeting was the focus of the investigation and what triggered the accusations against Hampson and DeWolf. Believe me, I know. Carlyle's plan would pay board members, starting in the biggest, most complex district in Seattle, a salary in-line with state legislators, which is $42,000 per year. During a group phone call in August 2020, the situation took a turn for the worse. Three seats on the Seattle Public Schools school board in Washington were up for general election on November 2, 2021. A primary was scheduled for August 3, 2021. 198.1.97.113 In order to be compensated, students will be considered district hourly employees subject to standard onboarding and criminal background check requirements with parent/guardian consent. Board members accused both employees of inaccuracies in the policy. 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. The findings call his conduct unprofessional.. This fall, the community can expect three new members to join the Seattle School Board . They say it's not safe. Performance & security by Cloudflare. 206-252-0000, Distributing Information to Students and Schools, Northwest Coast Art by Andrea Wilbur-Sigo, Squaxin/Skokomish, School Board Student Member Selection Committee. The remaining seats will open up in 2025. It was clear Hampson had darts for both of them, the witness told MFR investigators. Melissa Westbrooks local blog which I just discovered actually covered this story back in October. At least one of the employees was supposed to present a 10-minute update on the anti-racist policy. 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 . The Seattle School Board recognizes the organizational structure of the district can create a wall between decision makers and the students the district serves. These meetings are held Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m. at John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence. Board members also believe students possess valuable insight and should have a voice in the education received from the district and the decisions made by the board. It was only days after Sami Al-Abdrabbuh was re-elected to . As soon as the call began, DeWolf raised his voice at the two women who made the allegations and accused both of them of being dishonest about their collaboration on the anti-racist policy, according to the report. Theres also a federal law, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, with similar requirements that prohibit discriminatory practices when redistricting. 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. (One recently-appointed member is not eligible for recall.) This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. District 1 - Liza Rankin. Seattle media deserves to be called out on this. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. His complaint appears to come from her wanting to work more independently from him. 2445 3rd Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98134
1250, School Board Student Members. Then listen to the Jason Rantz Show weekday afternoons from 3-6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Any immediate political consequences are unknown. Consequently, media coverage has been scant and inadequate. 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. The School Board student member positions were created in response to student advocacy about the need to uplift and increase BIPOC student voices within Seattle Public Schools, to work toward a student-centered educational system, and to help students understand the educational system around them and share their perspectives with district leadership. Work Session: Building Relationships with Youth Continued (with Kings) . 174 (Teamsters 174). 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. Have at least a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalency. 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. Its unfortunate that another story like this has surfaced. 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.. The School is accredited by the New England . If you feel you are being discriminated against, you need to prove it with the highest level of scrutiny., According to the investigation, both DeWolf and Hampson felt it important to move forward with an investigation so that it was clear they were not being held to a different standard or process than other SPS staff.. Another Washington community is having to deal with the possibility of rogue sex offenders. The two SPS employees believed board members were silencing, undermining, discrediting and discriminating against them based on gender and race, court documents say. And their commitment to turning an anti-racist policy into a pro-Black anti-racist policy is instructive. 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. 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). The current policy doesnt codify any punishment for HIB conduct, so neither Hampson nor DeWolf were punished. Kudos to her. Better yet: Where are they? School Board student members will also attend the regular meetings of the School Board of Directors on a roughly once-per-month rotation and will have an opportunity to report on the work of their committee, offer opinions on the motions and resolutions before the board, and communicate other topics of student interest or concern. They couldnt get to this sooner? Hampson and DeWolf later tried to expedite the board vote on the anti-racism policy during an executive committee meeting without the staffers. Subscribe to thepodcast here. Seattle Public Schools hired MFR Law Group PLLC (MFR) to conduct an extensive investigation into school board directors Chandra Hampson and Zachary DeWolf. March 24, 2021 Updated Wed., March 24, 2021 at 8:31 p.m. According to the investigation, both complainants claimed that HIB investigations are not good enough to uncover implicit bias and anti-Blackness. District 7 - Brandon K. Hersey. School board members Lisa . West Seattle news, 24/7. 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. A hearing is scheduled for April 16th. Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. School Board student members will receive $17.27/hour for their work in this role, not to exceed 20 hours a month. Social Media - Qiong Schlegel. (function() { var scribd = document.createElement("script"); scribd.type = "text/javascript"; scribd.async = true; scribd.src = "https://www.scribd.com/javascripts/embed_code/inject.js"; var s = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(scribd, s); })(). He was elected twice to the Seattle School Board serving from 2007 to 2015. Hampson had been a last-minute addition to the conference call. Hampson and DeWolf were required to review the policy, according to the motion passed by board members, and the district was to provide harassment, intimidation and bullying training to all new board members as needed.. Paralegal. Seattle School Board President Chandra Hampson threatened volunteers with trespassing who were distributing leaflets on Monday regarding a homeless encampment on campus and school officials' refusal to address it. Some board members thought historic redlining maps should have been taken into consideration. John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence
She is passionate about high-quality education for all Washington students and for an equitable education system to help fully equip achievers for tomorrow. Currently the owner of Delos Reyes Law . Applications for the 2023-24 student member positions will be open Monday, Feb. 27 - March 24. Hampson, meanwhile, wanted to vote on the anti-racism policy instead of waiting for more community engagement, arguing its already been done. Seattle Public Schools hired MFR Law Group PLLC (MFR) to conduct an extensive investigation into school board directors Chandra Hampson and Zachary DeWolf. 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. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Volunteer to help people understand their Medicare options! The student school board positions are new positions, created by School Board Policy No. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. Indeed, they seem upset that an investigation would occur and that their claims arent believed at face value. The only somewhat meaningful reporting on this complaint came from the Seattle Times. They found mixed and inconclusive evidence to show the conduct was based on gender. Hampson, on the other hand, is in office until 2023 and its unclear if shell run for re-election. Nothing comes up. The student positions were created under the recently adopted School Board Policy No. July 6, 2022 at 6:00 am Updated Aug. 2, 2022 at 4:46 pm. 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 districts 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. They were targets because the school board directors are rabid left-wing activists who want to play savior to the citys minority communities. The superintendent was in attendance. 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. Contact the Student Members through Lets Talk. And other directors and witnesses declined their opportunity to speak, too. District 6 - Leslie S. Harris. Districts of Seattle's size are also limited by state law to seven School Board Directors. The Seattle school board voted unanimously Wednesday to fire Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson over a $1.8 million financial scandal involving a district business development program. The petition is accompanied by a detailed list of news reports, recorded school board votes and official school board resolutions to back up the recall petitions claims. Multiple school board members say . 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. 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. DeWolf did not run for re-election and will suffer no immediate political consequences as a result. 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. The attorneys representing the district, Pacific Law Group LLC, referred to the district for comment. Its not considered harassment when an elected board member reprimands staff for failing to follow board directives, Hampsons attorneys argue in court documents. Two woke Seattle Public School board directors who claim to be anti-racist progressives were found guilty of harassing, intimidating, and bullying Black staff. School Board 1971 (PH 007-25) Archives. Normally, this investigation would be posted online three days ahead of a school board meeting. 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. Greetings from the Admissions Director; Prep At A Glance; Explore Prep; Open House; Panther For A Day; Apply to Prep; . The lack of choices and the disrespectful treatment of children and parents by those in power will have to change if officials are going to be accountable, or have any chance of earning back the publics confidence. However, the investigation did not conclude Hampson and DeWolf discriminated against staffers based on their race or gender. MFR investigators said DeWolf repeatedly and persistently mistreated the two complainants, violating the HIB policy. Yet here they wont? But you wont find the report on the districts website. When Al-ansi attempted to explain why her ties to the local Black communities would help tweak the policy, Hampson interrupted to scoff at the womans bona fides. 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. The Board of Directors is self-perpetuating; new members are elected each year, serving up to two, 3-year terms. Winner of President's Cabinet for top performance in 2006 and 2008. But the district is doing what it can to keep the report from public view. And it . 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. 1250, and incorporating student voice into district decision-making. DeWolf totally disagreed with the allegations and described himself as conflict averse and being careful in this situation.. The recall petition must be reviewed and approved by Superior Court Judge Patrick Oishi. For example, in one email, DeWolf called out Scarletts dishonesty in claiming she was working with him on the anti-racism policy. Two Seattle School Board members violated a board policy against harassing, intimidating and bullying staff members last year when they were working on an anti-racism policy with two Black . A district that I know ardently strives to be a safe, welcoming and anti-racist institution. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2e666278b6291a Both Hampson and DeWolf, according to the complainants, were upset that they lost control over the anti-racism policy to two Black women. Lets remember, six of the last seven people who had the job ran for re-election. 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. School Board student members should expect to spend approximately ten (10) hours a month performing their duties. 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. Each School Board student member will be assigned to one of three board committees: the Audit & Finance Committee; Operations Committee; or Student Services Curriculum & Instruction Committee. Im sorry. I think the investigation was correct in noting there was no evidence to suggest Hampson or DeWolf targeted Scarlett or Al-ansi for their racial or gender identities. Your IP: 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. 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.. It still has not been posted on the boards website. The district was also to provide harassment, intimidation and bullying training to board members as needed. What was provided offered little insight into the total claims and ignored the complainants take on the process. Student board member terms run . Student members will serve as experts through their own experiences and as representatives of their peers.