Comments on: West Seattle schools: BEX IV levy plan finalized; on to February vote

By: Genessee neighbor

Genessee neighbor — Sun, 11 Nov 2012 02:45:42 +0000

I am SO opposed to closing SP school and moving to a new building at the Genessee site! We chose the school because it was a small neighborhood school with a beautiful park surrounding it and felt like a great, friendly environment.
What I’m sad about is all the portables being moved onto the playground, the lack of adequate bathrooms to accomodate and lack of ‘small town’ feel it once had. Even the staff is not as cohesive as it once was. LEAVE SP ALONE! and put money into the SP site!

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 17:34:36 +0000

N.A.Neighbor-this will be my last word on the subject. Yor are right we will each vote our consciences -you say “despite your frustration” I say to bring about change & stop sending the message to SPS that we accept their mismanagement.
To my mind-this IS being part of the solution-not continuing with a Lemming-like mindset-continuing to follow-follow-follow right over the edge.I agree Charter Schools is a different issue-but if 1240 passes it will bring about change & options-which will be good for everyone-but especially good for our children.

By: N.A. Neighbor

N.A. Neighbor — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 16:19:04 +0000

Anne, Charter Schools is a whole different issue. These levies are different. My children are benefitting from the passage of the last round of levies as we speak in the form of desperately needed new windows and desperately needed new technology for their building. That is not waste – that is basic necessity. Furthermore, you may have noticed that this next round includes earthquake safety enhancements for 37, THIRTY SEVEN, schools. If the big one hits during a school day, stop and think about how many children that impacts. Is that still wasteful? Anyway, you will vote your conscious and I will vote mine – despite my frustrations, I can’t put all those kids at risk because I want to send the district a message. To send the district a message, I will roll up my sleeves and try to be part of the solution instead of grumbling on the sidelines.

By: Anne

Anne — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:13:17 +0000

Accountability– now there is a word the SPS should learn. For YEARS we have passed levies- given SOS our trust to improve education & learning environment for our kids . They have failed — in my view anyway. Emailing- sure go ahead- attend meetings & hearings- we’ve done that too . But how long do we continue to walk this path? Yes please educate yourself on Charter Schools — they can / will be a viable addition/alternative to our current school system.

By: WS concerned parent

WS concerned parent — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 07:27:44 +0000

If you want to send a message to SPS school board, email them. That is the most effective way to get your opinion heard/read and it takes no more time that writing your opinion here on the blog.
Voting no will really effect student numbers and how much longer it will take for buildings to be rebuilt. I understand the frustration that a lot of people feel over bad SPS management. The district is just too doggone big. But until citizens can figure out a way to break the district up into smaller regional districts that can be effectively managed, we have to think of our students and their best interest now.

By: BelvidereMom

BelvidereMom — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 03:38:06 +0000

I am also a Schmitz Park parent, and I dearly want Schmitz to remain where its– as a neighborhood school. I also think AH needs to be rebuilt, like, yesterday.

I would never, ever in a million years consider voting down a capital and or operations levy for a public school system, especially the one my child attends. These are not “gee it would sure be nice if…” or “icing on the cake” wish lists.

“BEX IV projects were chosen based on four criteria: 1) safety and security, 2) capacity needs, 3) building condition, and 4) maximizing flexibility for programs and services.”

Schools are desperately, ILLEGALLY underfunded. Unfortunately, levies are necessary in order to maintain the BASICS.

Also, please educate yourselves on the charter schools issue. Not only do they take money away from already underfunded schools, they do not do a better job of educating kids. Seattle has great existing alternative schools, and now Creative Approach Schools. Why bring in non-profits that are tax shelters for billionaires? If you think SPS is “imperialistic,” try dealing with folks who have no legal accountability to you or your children.

And yeah, we need a state income tax.

By: Trying!

Trying! — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 23:58:58 +0000

I’m with Anne! The school system has become imperialistic. They do not listen to what is being recommended or mentioned by parents and neighbors; i.e. maybe we can find money for AH, we hope to have elementary classes at Schmitz. Empty promises not even up to being called promises! And this is before the levy vote! Imagine what will happen once they have the money?! By saying NO they will be forced to rework the levy. It’s ridiculous to say the children will be harmed. The proposal will simply have to be reworked.

By: Lou

Lou — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 23:39:51 +0000

I’ll be voting YES but will be paying close attention as things progress. Excited about the idea of walking my little one to Genessee Elementary (or whatever it will be called).

By: Anne

Anne — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 23:28:14 +0000

Sorry – disagree they would have to step up & compete. The “what other choice do we have ?” perspective is in my view one of the reasons SPS continue their poor management! The public continues to demand change but to what avail? There IS another choice if 1240 passes. Don’t give SPS more of our money to waste. Our children deserve better..Vote NO!

By: N.A. Neighbor

N.A. Neighbor — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:36:22 +0000

By voting this down, though, Anne, you’re not forcing SPS to compete. You’re forcing it to fail. You’re giving it another shove into the failure zone. Past mistakes can never be fixed and things can’t move forward without the funds to do so, even with the best administration and school board imaginable. Am I angry about the mistakes made in the past? You bet I am. Am I concerned about the way some decisions are made? Absolutely. But, my kids are SPS kids and if this fails, the conditions in which they are educated will be DISMAL. What other choice do we have? Sorry, but I can’t fund the only other option out there (private schools) and neither can most parents. The collateral damage of this method of sending a message is too great. Don’t vote it down, please!

By: WSMama3

WSMama3 — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:30:19 +0000

I don’t know the answer to that Anne. SPS is a broken system.
Not funding them does not change that fact. What it does is do is kids in unsafe schools, overcrowded schools, and creates a system where the rich pull out to private schools (better schools overall) and people who can’t afford private are stuck with a sub-par educational system. You end up screwing the members in our community most screwed.

SPS is broken. I agree – fight it, change it, but don’t do it at the expense of kids who don’t have other options.

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:21:23 +0000

Part of me sooooo wants to vote no on the BEX but I won’t. The children of West Seattle deserve decent classrooms.

By: kayo

kayo — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:14:20 +0000

Here is an example of a district where the previous levy did not pass and the havoc it is causing due to inadequate funding:

http://www.opb.org/news/series/learningwithless/learning-with-less-beaverton-teachers-weather-domino-effect-/

This is the kind of nightmare I am most concerned about if BEX fails. Is this really what we want for our schools? Just because we are angry at the district? Our kids will pay the price for our anger and that is not the answer here.

By: John Q Public

John Q Public — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 22:10:43 +0000

I agree with N.A. Neighbor.
.
IMO, the last 5 or 6 years has been “build baby build” without thought given to the impacts. Our current school “situation” is just one example. Not smart growth. I feel like I can complain here because I’ve tried to do my part by going to DPD meetings and talking with officals but my concerns have been brushed aside. Hate to say I told ya so but ..
.
So, as with most things, someone has to clean up the mess created by others so I beg you to vote for BEX. I will be voting yes.

By: BMC

BMC — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 20:51:45 +0000

We need a State Income Tax! That way the house-rich older people don’t get stuck with the high property taxes.