Video: School Board challengers, incumbents in West Seattle

As promised, here’s the video from last night’s Seattle School Board candidates forum in West Seattle – all four incumbents, all four challengers, brought together at Madison Middle School by local PTSA/PTA groups. While board members represent specific districts, in the general election, all voters in the district get to vote in all the races, so you will find all four of these matches on your ballot – which should arrive soon, since King County Elections was expecting to put them in the mail today. The candidates are listed here (with links to information about them).

Our video includes the entire hour-plus section of the forum in which the eight candidates answered questions, both written Q’s from the audience and follow-ups by moderator Phyllis Fletcher from KUOW, some in “lightning round” style, some more at length. The video is in three parts – between parts 1 and 2, there was some stopping down to arrange everybody; then the camera itself shut down for a second between parts 2 and 3. If you want to watch any one of the clips fullscreen, click the YouTube logo on that clip, and it’ll take you to the page where you can do that. (The forum began with about half an hour focused on the Families/Education Levy; we have video of that too and will publish it within the next few days.)

Need a Change October 20, 2011 (8:44 am)

For those who cannot vote without consulting with The Stranger’s Election Control Board, here are their endorsements. Remember, their language is not for the faint of heart. (WSB, if there’s a way to *censor* the link, be my guest)

http://is.gd/UhWeMP

WSB October 20, 2011 (9:31 am)

Thanks, Need a Change – I just tinylinked it – same link you posted. On that subject, not that I am any prude – if you spent an hour with me at the desk, your ears would turn blue, since I tend to swear at myriad things – but the Stranger often does good work and I wish they could do it with oh maybe a third less profanity. It’s just … unnecessary. You can be irreverent, you can be critical, you can be flip, and you can do it artfully without the crude language. Oh well. They run their website, we’ll run ours :) … TR

Need a Change October 20, 2011 (9:42 am)

Interesting how many times the incumbents indicate a position diametrically opposite to their voting records. Election talk is cheap.

Carla Rogers October 20, 2011 (9:35 pm)

Tracy – as always – you rock. Thanks for covering the forum for the folks who couldn’t make time to attend. I wish I could have seen more faces in the audience but, at the end of the day, I’m glad I took the time to make it happen. I learned a lot about the candidates and even changed my vote on 2 counts. That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it?

StringCheese October 20, 2011 (9:48 pm)

I have been to 2 debates/forums at this point. The one at Madison and the one put on by The Stranger at Town Hall. A few things are crystal clear in my mind at this point:
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Kate Martin is amazing. The more I hear her talk, the more convinced I am that she is a must-have on the board.
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Marty McLaren will do a better job respecting and responding to the West Seattle community than Sundquist has ever pretended to.
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Kate Martin. Marty McLaren. The other two races are a toss-up for me although I am so frustrated with the board that I am leaning toward the challengers if for no other reason than to hear optimistic voices rather than the apologetic, hands-tied messages coming from the incumbents.
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Kate Martin.
Marty McLaren.
Vote.

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