School Board Meeting June 26, 2019 Part 2

You and welcome.

We have now reached the portion of our agenda for public comments.

Board procedure 14 30. has rules of conduct for public comments.

One person speaks at a time.

Comments should be addressed to the board.

Please adhere to the time limit on your testimony.

When you have 30 seconds left a yellow light will shine.

Please keep that in mind for your 30 seconds when the red light comes on.

Please finish your comments.

The majority of the speaker's time must be spent on the topic that he or she you has indicated they wish to speak about the focus of the comments should be on issues and hopefully solutions.

No racial slurs personal insults ridicule or threats will be allowed and no comments regarding personnel matters will be taken.

All signs that are brought are subject to these same ground rules.

We will read off three names at a time and if you hear your name in second or third position if you would line up behind the podium.

Much appreciated so that we can keep this meeting rolling.

We have a packed agenda tonight and we have 31 folks on our agenda.

Waitlist and 25 folks that are scheduled to speak.

Thank you very much.

Please read the first three names.

First up for public testimony we have Aniko Landwehr followed by Joanne Pinkham and then Rina Magida Walker-Purr.

My name is Alex Landwehr.

I am a Seattle Public Schools student who attends a non-public agency and I am a youth who attends Clear Sky which is one of the two parts of UNEA two times a week.

I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that I served this past year on the superintendent student advisory board and I have a petition with five members of the board who are opposed to dissolving ties with the UNEA.

I have never received.

Anything from Seattle Public Schools that feels like it is relevant to me and my culture.

It is all been in the context of.

White settlers.

And.

That education.

That I have received.

has not benefited me in ways that I think matter.

I did not feel supported at Seattle Public Schools.

When I came to UNEA the the impact it had was the opposite of what I found in your schools.

They build a network of people to support you and to provide you with the things that your school doesn't.

And the choice to dissolve ties with this program over claims that I don't really see those anywhere.

It's taking away a resource from the youth that they don't get in other places.

So I would urge you to reconsider your choice to dissolve ties with the UNEA.

Hi dad.

As you probably may know by now my name is Joanne Sears Pinkham and I'm Ojibwe and Esperson Tlingit.

I have four items to speak on.

One restore Indian heritage in the African-American Academy.

Dedicate the one point three million for each.

To Licton Springs do not relocate American Indians or close another native focus school.

Mend the relationship with Licton Springs UNEA and Robert Eagle Staff.

Follow your own guidelines.

Stop pushing out SPS students.

Three adopted Duwamish resolution as amended memorialized support of treaty rights and benefit of the Duwamish nation to be distributed with and include as part of the proposed instructional materials adopted for superintendents evaluation.

Recommend that she remain on probation because.

She talks about student equity bridging the gap for all students but refuse to help them be successful.

Reopen the African-American Academy or Indian Heritage and stop endorsing institutional racism.

The SPS mission state statement states Seattle Public Schools is committed to ensuring equitable access closing the opportunity gaps and excellence in education for every student.

In March as you know the SPS strategic plan did not include American Indians.

The SPS leadership is focusing their educational values down our throats just like Captain Richard Pat did in 19 1892. Remember him.

He coined the phrase kill the Indian save the man.

History is history is repeating itself people.

Only the names have changed to Seattle Public School District and leadership.

Shame on you for allowing racism to affect your abilities to do the right by all students.

Shame on you for allowing the genocide to continue.

We're tired of being forgotten by the superintendent who is also an American Indian.

After Rena Mateja Walker-Burr we will have Claire LeBeau followed by David Westberg and then Melissa Westbrook.

My name is Rena Mateja.

I am the first vice president for the Washington State NAACP Youth Coalition NYC for short.

I am beloved.

Do you see my beloved blackness.

Do you know the amazing story of my people.

I know my beloved blackness because it's not defined by you.

It was given to me in my creation just like I learned to walk talk read and write.

I learned the names of my ancestors from my grandmother.

What I now realize was my introduction to ethnic studies and self-identity.

This was my introduction to taking pride in myself and the stories and contributions of my people.

Many people are not born with this gift but it was a gift of knowledge we all should hold a knowledge we all should know about ourselves.

You teach us about Columbus but there were black people on this continent 4000 years before Columbus was even born.

You teach black people you teach black history started with the enslavement of black people but you forget to tell us we were kings queens mathematicians healers and so much more before they captured us.

We are beloved then and now.

They never stopped searching for the Stolten Ones.

As you know ethnic studies is a demand of NYC.

Although ethnic studies was adopted it is not required or requirement for graduation.

As I told you before many things I must learn I do not know what I will use in the future.

Ethnic studies helps us to be better global citizens every day who has empathy and respect.

Many people walk around ashamed of who they are because they do not see themselves in their learning or school environments.

Many people walking around blinded by privilege and cannot cope with their adversities of life happening.

Both being fed a lie and suffering from toxic repercussions.

We need ethnic studies to be a graduation requirement.

To do so, we must support this work.

Dr. Kyle will be retiring.

What is your commitment to supporting the success of Tracy, the ethnic studies manager?

We know there is funding for this work already allocated.

We demand that two more staffers are hired to support the the advice.

This work crucial in advancing ethnic studies plan goals.

On the superintendent evaluation how is the student voice authentically a part of this work.

Looking over your documents and what do you say is our experience as students.

Your decisions directly impact us.

How do you measure what we truly see and experience.

We are far more than biased data you collect on us.

We students demand the authentic say in the evaluation of the superintendent.

We are far more than third grade reading scores attended by African-American males and they are more than their third grade reading scores.

School board directors.

We need to be a part of this process.

How will you use culturally relevant students.

How will you use culturally relevant student voice in the superintendent evaluation.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm Claire Lebeau.

I'd like to cede my time to Kshawana Salant.

Good evening everyone.

My name is Shama Sawant.

I am the socialist elected representative of working people on the Seattle City Council.

I sent the school board Superintendent Juneau and all other officers in the school district a letter today.

Saying that their decision to close this program is outrageous.

And I'm going to read from my letter.

I.

Write to you with disappointment and dismay following your recent decision to terminate your partnership with the Urban Native Education Alliance.

At a time of unprecedented inequality when young people are fighting back against racial injustice.

This is a serious step backward by the Seattle Public Schools.

After centuries of treaties being signed and then violated across the continent.

It is stunning.

Though unfortunately not surprising that Seattle Public Schools is treating Seattle's urban native community with the same indifference.

Although I will I should note thank you and respect to.

Board member Pinkham.

Native peoples have had to struggle to maintain cultural heritage and murals at RES.

This is an unconscionable decision and I urge you to reverse it.

As reported by the Seattle Times the Clear Sky Native Youth Council after school program run by the education alliance provides job training cultural activities free meals but most importantly community members who watch over and nurture the students.

Across the education system because of racial biases because of poverty because of injustice homelessness housing stability.

We have some of the lowest academic outcomes among our most vulnerable communities.

And in this context UNEA and Clear Sky has for over a decade demonstrated 100 percent high school graduation rates for the students who have regularly participated in the program.

My question to you is.

What kind of evidence have you used to say this is an evidence based approach that you have used.

To.

Eliminate this program.

Uni has reached out to you multiple times I urge you to meet with them and reinstate the program.

David Westberg.

Good evening.

Madam Superintendent and the board.

I'm David Westberg a 41 year.

Employee of the school district recently retired.

35 of those years were spent.

As an elected union officer.

22 of the last.

Were spent as the business manager of local 609 of the operating engineers.

We this is about my 10th time coming down here and speaking to apologies and promises we're never going to do this stuff again with the unfair labor practices.

And guess what.

I'll bet you have people upstairs doing it right now planning to do it and facilitating it at five other schools.

It doesn't matter.

We hear a lot around here about whose lives matter but we know whose lives don't matter.

Classified employees that make the lights come on, the kids get fed, kids get safely into school and away from school each day.

We know those are classified members of Local 609. They don't get any respect.

And the events that Clover Codd didn't finish telling you about, she didn't include the appeal to court that The district lost abjectly and prolonged this about six months longer than it had to go.

But the abuse didn't start in December of 16. It started the day Mr. Tessy got to Madrona.

Mr. Tessy is back here tonight.

Mostafa is an immigrant from Ethiopia.

He's he's as black as anybody else in this room.

My apologies to anybody else but I want to say that at Madrona it was not that one incident it went on for six months.

We begged the human resources department to help Mr. Tessie.

They refused.

The lawyers up there calculated that it would be less expensive to go to court and appeal.

And there's a lot of billable hours there.

But Mr. Tessie gets forgotten.

Not tonight.

And we believe that these kind of repeated episodes need to be reflected in the superintendent's evaluation at some point.

Thanks.

After Melissa Westbrook we will have Chris Jackins followed by Michelle Landwehr and then Sabrina Burr.

I'm here to support the adoption of the time immemorial curriculum.

There's a press release on the website about it that says the experience of the first peoples of Washington state has been consistently omitted from public school curricula and or portrayed inaccurately.

This is true of all native peoples.

I grew up in the stronghold of Apache Chief Cochise in Arizona and we were barely taught anything in school about that history.

I note that the press release reviews the many areas of Native American teaching and learning and activities and yet there is no mention of the Urban Native Education Alliance's Clear Sky program that has been in partnership with Seattle schools for more than a decade.

I know that the district has abruptly ended that partnership which I believe was done wrongly.

But to bring this up because I would never presume to speak for any Native American my understanding of history.

In this country is not only that the American government attempt to wipe out those people.

They whitewash the history.

What is Seattle schools doing here in that press release but whitewashing history.

The district cannot even acknowledge that partnership and give thanks for the huge number of activities and supports that UNEA has given Native students for a very long time.

Please no revisionist history.

Have the good grace to do the right thing and give credit where it is due.

I also note.

That there is a notice for a summer program for native students at Meany.

The notice doesn't state what grades or what ages the program will serve.

And.

As a student data privacy advocate I was startled at this requirement.

Allowing program staff to post my students pictures at public education events.

This is wrong.

No family should have to allow their students photo to be used publicly in order to access a Seattle schools program.

I ask that that requirement be rescinded immediately.

I also ask the board to request from the superintendent.

A review of the ending of the partnership with the UNEA and a review of the documentation leading to that decision.

Thank you very much.

I support ethnic studies now.

And when you consider evaluating leadership.

Please consider the alignment of district actions to district goals.

Implementing.

Excuse me.

Are.

Are you next on the list.

I see Mr. Jackins name next on the list.

Thank you so much.

Folks when you come to testify if you could state your name for the record when you start.

Much appreciated.

Thank you.

My name is Chris Jackins.

Box 8 4 0 6 3 Seattle 9 8 1 2 4. The naming of the Rainier Beach High School library.

Two points.

Number one I support the naming of the library in honor of school board director Betty Patu.

Number two please change district plans to demolish the library and most of the rest of the school.

The history at Rainier Beach is important.

On amendment number one to the tribal history and culture instructional materials adoption two points.

Number one.

This amendment would attach board resolution 2016 17 dash 1 as part of the materials adoption.

This is a good idea.

Number two the Duwamish nation should not be ignored.

The city of Seattle is named for Chief Seattle.

A Duwamish chief.

Please vote yes.

On.

Amendment number one to the 2019 2020 budgets.

For.

To reestablish a Native American focused option school.

And to reopen the African-American Academy.

Three points.

Number one some years back the district wrongly closed Indian Heritage High School and the African-American Academy.

Number two this amendment would bring these schools back to life.

This is a good idea.

Number three I am including a letter in support of the amendment.

Signers of the letter include the chair of the Duwamish tribe.

A past principal of the African-American Academy.

An active member of the deaf and hard of hearing community.

A past chair of the King County Democrats.

A current education chair for the Washington State NAACP.

A longtime member of the operating engineers union who you heard from tonight.

And a past president of the Seattle Council PTSA.

Please vote yes.

My thanks to Director Scott Pinkham for bringing these two amendments forward.

And my thanks to UNEA.

And Clear Sky.

Thank you.

My name is Michelle Landwehr.

I'm supporting ethnic studies now.

And when you consider evaluating leadership please consider the alignment of district actions.

To district goals.

Implementing since time immemorial which teaches about the harmful impacts of colonialism.

While simultaneously perpetuating colonialism.

Through the termination of a successful native partnership does not demonstrate.

Alignment.

My son is one of many UNEA success stories.

A year ago he was suicidal.

Behind on credits and not attending school.

Where special education Title 6 and behavioral health supports were unable to reach my son.

Clear Sky succeeded.

The support they gave him is not possible through any other district program.

He is now thriving and college ready.

Terminating this partnership means UNEA will need to rent space when and where available putting the entire program at risk.

There's absolutely nothing in your policies and procedures preventing you from continuing this partnership and I beg of you to reconsider.

I've submitted a petition signed by 500 community members asking the same.

I cede my remainder to Eric Blumhagen.

Hello my name is Eric Blumhagen.

The letter that UNEA received said that the program was far out of compliance with policy 4265 and.

Procedure 4265 SP.

And the flaws noted were that it was not aligned with school's goals that there was no list of students attending.

There was no sample content or curriculum.

There was no evidence that.

Eagle Staff or Licton Springs students were served by the program.

So I looked at those policies and procedures and you know what.

None of those requirements are in either one of those documents.

You know what is in 4265SP.

That after school programs should support the developmental needs of children and youth and complement teaching and learning during the school day.

I can't imagine a program that better fits those requirements than UNEA's clear skies.

Thank you.

After Sabrina Burr we will have Sarah Sense Wilson followed by Julia Wilson Peltier and then Chandler Charles.

I am Sabrina Burr.

Beloved darkness.

We are now and always have been.

But what is it about our skin that offends.

Stand in truth and reject the lie.

Don't wait until you die to confess the lie.

Stand in truth it will set you free.

Now I need you to listen to me.

The smart goal session that I saw last night was filled with untruth.

White staff taking credit for bodies of work that they did not actually do.

Beloved blackness has a long way to go.

I heard a lot of narratives that were great stories but are not true.

How is everyone but the ones actually doing the equity work getting credit for this body of work.

Let's get this very clear.

I have proof that the deep dive grant was not the success that it was stated as last night.

Seattle Housing Authority and Seattle Public Schools have deficit based approaches on family engagement and need more culturally responsive.

Authentic approaches.

We must be truthful in the narrative.

If we are going to build trust and transparency and have our words and actions aligned.

Culture of pulling out good.

Parts of a story and using that a whole narrative is strong in this district.

And this culture must stop right now.

I am extremely concerned about the superintendent and valuation after what I witnessed last night.

I also want to say senior staff yelling and talking down at people does not create an environment that embraces beloved blackness or anyone's humanity.

Eradicate toxic ways of doing being and thinking.

Yesterday I saw a table of white people.

Telling half troops.

And making decisions for families they do not know and hold false narratives about.

This culture trickles down to buildings.

The two people of color at the table.

There were leaders that sat in silence while their work was being stolen.

Truth energy and intention matter.

It is woven into the work and it will never succeed.

It is going to be woven with white supremacy doubt and intellectual theft and toxic demeaning actions.

We invite you to the high place of truth.

Honesty.

Transparency.

Grace and humanity.

We invite you to shift from fear to love.

We invite you to shift from darkness to light.

Come into the high places.

Honor our humanity.

Stand in truth.

Love and transparency.

Create gracious spaces with energy.

That truly.

Honor our humanity and who we are created to be.

We embrace.

Beloved blackness.

Will you.

Join us.

We support the amendment for the African-American and Indian heritage and the STI.

We are requesting the district rescind their decision to terminate our partnership agreement.

Our partnership with Seattle Public Schools extends the duration of Clear Skies origins of over 12 years.

Previous partnerships with leadership at Nathan Hill Licton Springs.

Heritage Middle College and Cascadia were mutually respectful and operated seamlessly because the leadership supported our community.

And because they fully understood the vital need for our native students to have access to the unique resources and supports that we offer that are not otherwise.

Offered.

Within the district.

We disagree with the district.

Claims and allegations and refute the accusations noted for terminating the partnership.

We do meet the outlined requirement.

Parameters and criteria.

Under policy and procedures number 4 2 6 5. Please read them.

Our program quantifiable data deadline is due at the end of the school year.

Per.

Your.

Policy.

We work within a cultural framework and approach to support students.

Our home at Licton Springs.

Provides a safety net a lifeline to many over the years.

Our ties and deep rooted connection with Licton Springs is experienced by many of us inherently.

Intrinsic.

And as an ancestral relationship.

The trauma and unnecessary harm inflicted on your on our community.

Is neither provoke provoked or necessary.

Promises made by Jose Banda need to be honored and commitments made to our community need to be realized for our youth families and community past present.

And future.

Amounts of over one hundred fifty thousand in kind donation and over two hundred thousand dollars in funds have gone towards.

Native student success through UNEA.

To the district.

The offer to rent space is flawed and a veiled empty alternative.

Given the fact that the decision to rent space to outside organizations demotes.

UNEA to a lower priority.

And then it still requires approval from the school leadership.

We need a MOA.

With the superintendent.

To secure lasting.

A lasting home for our community and to begin our healing and amend broken promises.

Trust and respect.

Thank you.

Good evening my name is Julia Wilson Peltier.

I am Turremountain Chippewa and Oglala Lakota.

I am a co-founder of Seattle Clear Sky Native Youth Council and have been volunteering for UNEA for the past 10 years.

I am here to express how strongly I oppose the district's decision to terminate our partnership with Robert Eagle Staff School and here are a few reasons why.

The land Robert Eagle Staff is on has incredible historical significance to the Seattle urban native community.

I know I grew up attending community events and open gyms there and I want the same for my son.

To be able to attend native events there too.

You would think a school named after a native leader would want to honor his legacy by supporting native youth not trying to terminate us and oppress us.

If you want to kick us out Robert Eagle Staff School doesn't deserve its name.

The native murals.

The eagle staff and the star quilt in the building.

Because clearly the school is trying to be something it's not if our native community isn't welcome there.

This is a reenactment of the historical trauma our ancestors went through which is especially triggering to our youth considering many of them are in foster care and Clear Sky is the only connection to their culture they had.

Also using the term John Halfacre used in his letter termination.

Is poor word choice when working with native populations and it sure feels like history is repeating itself.

UNEA is a nonprofit led by volunteers who genuinely are trying to help the native youth in the Seattle area.

Something that kind of sounds like you should also be doing.

Everyone in UNEA has good intentions although we are often treated like villains by the district and staff at Robert Eagle Staff School.

Indian people are always the defenders never the aggressors.

We should be able to put this energy and resources toward supporting our youth not trying to save our program.

I urge you to establish an MOA with UNEA and reverse this devastating decision.

And as a reminder all of you are elected public officials who are voted in and you can also be voted out.

After Chandler Charles we have Tom Spear followed by Megan Bastillo and then Carol Simmons.

Hi my name is Chandler Charles.

I am part of the Diné Nation.

Hi.

I just.

Would like to give my testimony.

On why UNEA should stay.

I come from the reservation.

I came to college here at Seattle U. I am a Gates Millennium Scholar recipient of the class of 2016. And.

I. I struggled my first two years of college.

I really didn't.

Do good.

And in my culture the Navajo Nation culture.

We are really strong on Keh.

Which is family.

And Hojon.

Which is balance in our lives.

But it means way more than that.

It also means balance peace beauty.

Within us.

And we use the land as our.

It's our mother.

And that's what.

I want you guys to open your eyes and open your mind and.

Realize what.

This impact is doing on us and it's a negative impact on the kids in the future generation ahead of us.

And.

I'm just here to fight for the future generation.

And.

UNEA helped me.

UNEA helped me.

Get refocused.

And recenter myself and find a community within Seattle and I didn't know any natives coming into Seattle.

I. Attended UNEA.

And they helped me a lot.

And it helped me refocus and help me build a community.

And now I'm back on track.

And my college and my studies I'm getting the A's and B's that I need.

And I know coding.

I know calculus 3. I know Java.

And I. Would ask you guys to study some of our culture as well because it is still a center of us.

So thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Tom Spear.

My ancestral name is L'cholas place of the fire.

Duwamish chud.

I am Duwamish people of the inside.

We're the first people here.

We're the only people here.

And everybody else is a false claimant.

Just a personal opinion.

I was present last fall.

With three other adults from UNEA and representatives of the school district.

And we talked about.

An agreement.

And what.

What we needed to move forward.

All three of those other adults are here tonight.

And I am willing to testify in the court of law federal court if I'm required to.

That.

The things in that letter are false.

We were never presented with any agreement that we did not sign.

We have not been contacted in nine months about quarterly meeting.

Or any any other things that.

The letter claims we are deficient in.

It simply isn't true.

It's a pack of lies.

It's insulting to all four of us who were there.

Gave our time.

At our own expense.

While everybody else at the table was on the clock getting paid.

We're volunteers.

This isn't for me.

My kids are well set for life.

It's not about me it's about the kids that don't have a strong dad.

Maybe don't have a dad at home.

And need the chances that I was given and my children were given because we fought like hell for them.

So you didn't give us these agreements.

The letter claims you gave us.

And it's a lot of baloney.

And I want you to know that it's a lie.

We know it's a lie.

And we're going to.

Tell the world that it's a lie.

That letter's full of crap.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Carol Simmons.

Please approve the inclusion of the Duwamish in the amendment.

And please reverse the decision to terminate the partners.

Director Harris.

Excuse me Dr. Simmons.

I believe we skipped over Megan Bestialio.

Excuse me Megan.

There's Megan.

Thank you.

Hello.

My name is Maine Castillo.

I am a nonprofit partner of UNEA Clear Sky through my affiliation with my employer the nonprofit Town Hall Seattle.

And I am a descendant of the Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska.

I am here to speak on the eviction of UNEA Clear Sky from Robert Eagle Staff Middle School.

I believe it is in the best interest of the school board to amend this appalling removal of a very effective youth program.

It is very confusing and concerning to me that Robert Eagle Staff Middle School would exist looking the way it does bearing the name that it has and evict a native led youth organization.

Seattle public schools cannot use our name our likeness our image our beauty while simultaneously punishing us for being ourselves.

The hypocrisy of an institution named Robert Eagle Staff Middle School charging.

Native youth to use the facility is outlandish ridiculous and immensely shameful.

I cede the rest of my time to Robert Upham.

My name is Robert Elpham I'm an alumni of.

Seattle Public Schools and Montana Public Schools.

I'm Grover on Assiniboine and Salish Ponderay in Dakota.

I'm enrolled.

Our value system isn't based on time like this.

In such a linear structure all these spirits cannot be heard.

In this paradigm.

I apologize for how we think.

Vine Deloria one of us greatest intellectuals said when he went to school when he went to college.

He was a C student.

He could have been an A student he said but he had to indigenize everything.

He had to make everything native.

He's one of our greatest intellectuals had to work harder at succeeding under this value system and at 4. 3. 2.

1. And my time's up.

Can I be offered some more time.

The value system.

Being the way it is and alignments.

We're the.

First people here.

The quality of our time when we say equal rights.

Does not accommodate our tenure here.

On this continent.

We are 1 percent.

Of the population.

In almost all settings.

And this institution of clear sky.

Allows us to be proud of who we are.

They've invited gold medal winners like Billy Mills.

They've invited.

Many.

Intellectuals like Josie Ross of the Blackfeet Nation.

And Suquamish Nation.

Billy Frank Jr.

And most of these people any of you people that are so called educated in the white man system don't even know who they are.

I come from the Dakota people.

And I've met.

Browning Indians and I got relatives over in Browning Montana.

They don't even know where the word teepee comes from.

In Montana education system.

I'm Dakota.

Teepee means home.

In the.

American Indian Museum in Washington D.C. They inform educated people that are from Harvard.

Are from University of Washington said we don't live in teepees anymore.

Well please make it so.

That the teepee of Clear Sky continues to exist at Robert Eagle Staff High School who is Mni Kwanju Lakota.

And he come from a teepee in the United States which is our home.

Everybody lives in a teepee.

Even each one of you.

And that stuff is taught at a place like.

Clear Sky.

I hope.

That.

I'd like to say more but I can't have time.

Please reverse the decision to terminate the partnership between Seattle Public Schools and UNEA clear sky programs that would effect them from their sacred land of Robert Eagle Staff and Licton Springs.

I now cede the rest of my time to Logan.

My name is Logan LeBeau I am Cheyenne River Sioux and Turtle Mountain Chippewa.

I am a Garfield student.

Where.

Ethnic studies is currently being demolished.

I.

Don't know why but.

They're ceasing to teach that class.

I had very little education in public schools.

Of Native history besides.

The Trail of Tears and the devastations of it.

The only place I've ever found actual education of the.

Good parts of my native history is at Clear Sky.

I. Really hope that.

You hear all of us and you acknowledge that we are here and that we want.

To.

Continue.

Our.

Our educations of ourselves.

So.

Thank you.

I'm going to take the rest of his time.

My name is Chae Se-yeon and I spoke last time I recently became curator for the Seattle Asian Art Museum and we're in full support of UNEA.

The work that they do is honestly work that the school public schools has failed to do and they're literally doing your job and then you're kicking them out.

And then you're going against his treaties and his laws from all this history.

So if you really think about like what side of history you're on like think about what's happening in the world with Trump and all this racism and the immigration you know like this we don't we don't we live in a world where we need to stop thinking about just the past and upholding racist values because of the legacy.

We can't use past racism to justify future racism right.

Like they've already experienced enough racism.

So please reinstate them.

It's effective.

It's meaningful.

It's work that you can't do that provides You know that actually fulfills your mission better than you guys.

Right.

And then when you think about relationships in the community you're hiding behind a lot of lies to terminate this kind of violence that it creates is a lot more than just committing ending a program because now they have to go explain to their funders what's going on and the overwhelming effects of racism cannot be understated.

So if you guys in your positions of privilege and power please see this please hear us please have a heart for this.

Thank you.

Next up for public testimony we have Vicki Pinkham followed by Cullen Daxson and then Lisa Connick.

I'm Vicki Pinkham I'm ceding my time to Elizabeth Pinkham.

Hi dad.

Hello my name is Elizabeth Amalia Molly Pinkham.

I'm Nimiipuu Tlingit and Mexican.

My Tlingit name is Uditi which means strong wind coming.

I'm an alumni of UNEA.

I'm here.

I'm sorry that I'm here again.

And.

To be asking the district leadership to do the right thing again.

I have four items.

One the Duwamish resolution adopt the resolution as amended include.

It as a part of.

The.

Proposed instructional.

Materials adoption to reopen the African-American Academy and the indigenous and Indian heritage high schools to ensure that all students are successful not just the highly capable.

Three relocation do not relocate.

Lipton Springs Ballard that school is on sacred sites of the Duwamish nation and Lipton Springs is supposed to be a native focused school.

However they need funding and support.

But the superintendent is not allowing funds towards them.

She recommends that we move to a poor run down.

School in Ballard that no one wants.

Now.

The overcrowded R.E.S. students are assigned to Brawview Thompson and Whitman.

Put them.

Back there.

When R.E.S. was Wilson Pacific.

A rat infested.

No toilets.

No running water or drinking water or heat.

That school was accessible.

Acceptable in your eyes.

For American Indians.

But now.

Now that it's rebuilt we are no longer welcome.

For the superintendent's evaluation.

My recommendation is that she remains on.

Prohibition or be released.

She.

Needs to address the.

Issues of intent.

Institutional racism against American Indians and Alaskan Natives.

And African-Americans.

She talks about student equity bringing the.

Bridging the gap for all students but refuse to help them be successful.

In 1945 Elizabeth Heratovich a Tlingit woman advocated for civil rights in the state of Alaska in her speech she stated asking you to give me equal rights implies that you.

That they are yours to give.

Instead I must demand that you stop trying to deny me the rights that all people deserve.

Today 74 years later Seattle native kids are being discriminated against and being pushed out of schools.

They are still mistreated.

The SPS district has a history of not doing things right.

But I guess we natives shouldn't expect the district to do right things by us.

They don't even want to help.

They don't even want to do the right thing for thousands of other students are being assaulted.

In their schools every day.

It's shameful.

It's a shameful day in.

The history of Seattle Public Schools.

That you're.

Allowing the genocide to go on.

Hello I am Colin Zack or Selena Zackius I am a tribal Toyota tribal member.

My ancestor has.

Cultural significance in this area.

He is a healer and he originated in the Licton Springs area.

He used.

His powers to heal.

He'll heal people and.

I'm a Clear Sky and UNA staff and mentor.

I'm here to request.

To reconsider taking away the partnership with our program and let us stay at Robert Eagle Staff.

Which was Indian heritage.

There is a cultural.

There is a culture where Indian students thrive in this area.

Our kids have done amazing projects.

I feel they.

Felt the sacred of the sacredness of the area so to speak.

And felt that.

This is where we belong.

The art and the location should not be taken away.

But to aspire and grow as a community.

It will be.

It will be the children who.

That will be lost and always looking for a place to call home.

And when people come to Clear Sky in that building.

That is where the culture is and should stay.

Can I exceed my time to Robert Upham.

Exceed my time to Marcus.

Hello I'm Marcus Shriver.

I am.

A mentor with UNEA and have been for about a year and a half.

And I have never seen a program that has been more engaging.

More helpful and more needed than UNEA.

The program focuses on native education which I have never seen before.

And that is extremely important.

As it is ignored in every other piece of education that I've seen and grown up with.

Thank you.

My name is Lisa Koenig.

I'm an ally and a fifth generation.

Alumnus of Seattle Public Schools and my children.

Have and are attending Seattle Public Schools.

In those six generations.

I don't think there's ever been anything more outrageous than Native American students being evicted.

From Robert Eagle Staff campus.

By the sacred site of Licton Springs.

And I cede the rest of my time to A.J.

Aguara.

My name is Amadanio Joseph O'Guar III.

I am from the Colville tribe on my mother's side and from the Nimbay tribe of Nigeria on my father's side.

And.

Last year I graduated out of the Seattle Public School System a school system that failed me and has continued to fail my sisters younger sisters and other friends of mine that I've known.

But I made it through thanks to Seattle Clear Sky Native.

Youth group.

Through that group we have learned many values of community mentorship and actually acting on our rights as citizens the very first citizens in order to advocate for ourselves and future generations.

I cannot understand.

How.

Our native group would be kicked out of a school that is named after a very well-known native educator who was very successful in his years here at Seattle.

It is very wrong and disheartening and it breaks my faith in our school system.

For now.

For what I see.

I don't know how long it will be more.

Injustice towards different vulnerable communities of color even the very first people.

I don't know how long that is going to continue for.

For all I know.

Maybe we should have it so our own people from the community need to rise up.

And take leadership to where we will not be treating different groups as just numbers or inconveniences that need to be moved out of the way.

We will not look at any group as just a number too small to do anything about and worth too much resources to even help out.

Thank you.

Next up we have Jim Simmons followed by Alex Zimmerman and Genesis Alcala.

Afternoon.

I'm Jim Simmons.

Teacher.

Principal central office administrator retired Seattle Public Schools.

And honorary member.

UNEA.

Advisory board.

Council of elders.

I want to ask you to please.

Support.

Director Pinkham's amendment to restore the African-American Academy and the Indian Heritage High School.

That amendment is.

Both welcomed and long long overdue.

These were both highly successful and acclaimed schools serving long ignored students.

And families.

That should never have been closed.

They should have been nurtured and expanded.

Rather than destroyed by a series of ill advised.

Central office.

And school board decisions.

And with that, I will cede the balance of my time to Mr. Alex Escorcega.

My name is Alex Escarcega and my name is Alex Escarcega and I'm an enrolled member of the Assiniboine Sioux tribes of Fort Peck and I'm going to be a senior in the next school year.

Currently I attend Ingraham High School.

As we all know it is a mainstream school with no consistent native curriculum.

We are all different whites blacks Latinos Asians.

Everyone seems represented in their diversity while natives are ignored.

It is in learning about our differences that we can come together.

That is what diversity is.

I believe if I had been attended attended a high school that is more native focused I would have felt more welcome and less of an outsider.

If natives could be more included I believe native students could get a lot more assistance which would raise our grades and open more opportunities to achieve success in high school and beyond.

There is a longstanding promise that was made by previous superintendents to revitalize the Indian heritage school that was a school that could have met my needs.

Since that hasn't been an option UNEA has been my go to support system for nearly 10 years.

Having it removed from Robert Eagle Staff Middle School is a major blow to the native community.

The location has historical merit as a meeting place for Native Americans and that continued in recent decades when it was Indian Heritage School.

Natives have a long history for forced relocation and it has just another example of that.

I have younger siblings that are still in school.

I encourage the district to establish an MOU with UNEA and revitalize Indian heritage to give them better opportunities than I had incorporated native studies into their curriculum.

Hi I'm Genesis.

Next up we have Alex Zimmerman and Genesis you'll be next.

Zee Heil my Dory Fuhrer.

I kill her.

Get out.

Get out.

Get out.

Get out.

Out.

Yes.

Out.

Out.

Excuse me.

Out.

Excuse me.

Out.

Out.

Excuse me sir.

Get out.

No.

I won't allow this.

No.

Seattle is a number one fascist city in America.

Come on Seattle is a number one fascist.

Every place you go man.

I give you a chance to speak.

Give me a chance to speak.

This is the board meeting he has the right to speak.

This is exactly what I told you about fascism.

Please stand down.

A fuhrer with Nazi Gestapo principles is exactly who you are.

And I spoke right now.

Why.

That is different between American Indian and Jew.

It's not different.

Million killed by Jew.

Million killed.

Why.

Why.

No I wasn't speaking about killing India.

No.

If he has a First Amendment right to speak please let him speak.

Can the community members please stand down.

Genesis it's your turn.

After Genesis we will have Yesenia Tega followed by Aiden Carroll and then Jennifer Dunn Carlton.

Hello my name is Genesis and I'm from the Chichimeca tribe and I have a few words to say.

Clear Sky has done a law for me in the past year and I and.

Helped me get in contact with my roots.

I'd really hate.

To see.

The.

Partnership.

Determinate.

And I. And I urged you.

To.

Reconsider.

I saved my time to.

To Rebecca.

So.

I just want to say.

Denise I heard great things about you from the Crow Nation.

And so I was hopeful.

When I first heard you were coming to become our superintendent.

I've been disappointed since.

I'm sorry.

I sent you a letter and it never got a response.

Sarah and any of the volunteers at UNA you'll never see them on public television.

Claiming that they passed through indigenous people's day.

You'll never see them.

Lying to you.

About.

Or telling you a foster kid can't stand with your family and then using that same foster kid for their.

Native success graduation rates.

I have great respect for Sarah and UNEA.

My kids were pushed out of Seattle Public Schools.

You allowed a principal to unenroll them from their school.

Without telling me or my family because I wanted STI curriculum there.

My family has been abused by this school district and I fill two choice transfers out every year to go to Edmonds to drive a half an hour more out of my way.

To let my kids go to school somewhere where they don't have to be ashamed of being Indian.

I urge you.

To talk to us.

To sit down and learn the truth.

And listen to the native community that's.

Working with the kids no one else wants to work with.

Because I'm a former foster kid too.

And I tell all my kids I work with at UNEA.

They can always find me there.

They can always come back there to Sarah.

And I'll be there waiting for them.

Yesenia Tega.

Thank you.

Aiden Carroll.

Hi I'm Aiden.

I. Have worked with with UNEA first and last as a volunteer for three years and five months.

I took about five weeks off to graduate from college two weeks ago.

But I. Would like to explain a few things about what's.

Happening.

I'm the.

Sorry I can't I'm the point of contact for UNEA with the.

School partly because the people who run UNEA.

Are working.

They're volunteers they don't have time to come here.

In the middle of the day and yet I never got a request to meet.

With.

With.

With with the principal Marnie or with the point of contact Katie who's who's been.

Nicer to us.

I believe you're all well intentioned so I want to explain the context of what's happening because I'm not sure that there's been really.

Facts.

Out there.

Consistently.

I. There's a.

Excuse as it were that.

We could just.

Start.

Paying for the space.

But.

That.

UNEA can't afford that.

It has a tight budget on grants and things as part of why I'm not going to be working I want to be a volunteer.

It's it's not as simple as just you know leave.

Our or pay.

But.

Part of the reason UNEA is here there's a context and there's a history is 10 years ago a bunch of kids found it to save their school.

10 years and they didn't the district got rid of it and 10 years before that the beloved principal Robert Eagle Staff who was the heart and soul of the community the principal and the basketball team leader and the.

Everybody dance team leaders everybody's best friend died of a heart attack at 42. And the school.

Was shaken.

Understandably and never the same.

And that's.

Part.

Part of what happened partly gentrification which I'm going to tie this back to you asking us to pay rent.

Rising rents have displaced more and more people who used to attend UNEA.

I do the outreach and calls for them.

The community is being forced north and south by rent.

So I guess I'm asking for a form of rent control.

Which I know there's a rally council member Sawant is pushing for on July 12th.

Yeah.

And I'd like to thank council member Sawant for standing with us and and for rent control for the sort of communities who can't afford to attend UNEA because they have to drive so far now.

And.

I as I said I believe you're well intentioned.

I live in District 2. I have worked there.

I've gone to school in District 3. And I work in District 4 sometimes.

And.

I. I think.

I.

Sort of forgetting what I was going to say.

But.

We have.

About 10 students who go to Robert Eagle Staff the last two years.

More who go to Licton Springs K-8.

Which is not big enough to hold the program.

There's nowhere else to hold it really because.

When.

Indian Heritage High School was got rid of 10 years ago.

It was moved to a couple small windowless rooms on the second floor of Northgate Mall and there's no room there either.

We have a bunch of students from there.

There's also a bunch of students who come here from Ryther which is the modern equivalent of a home and a school for orphans and foster kids.

And there's no room to hold it there either because you know that's not connected to Seattle schools.

UNEA exists because Seattle Public Schools has not been doing its job.

To support Native kids.

Well the other thing we're accused of is not filling the connection to their learning goals.

Anything regarded to supporting these kids raises test scores self-confidence and caring about school.

You have to support kids and get them.

You know.

The.

Mouthful hierarchy of needs.

Get them to care.

That is all.

It is not fair to the rest of the community.

It's not fair what you're doing but thank you for listening and I hope that you are good intentioned and are willing to understand what's actually going on here.

Thank you.

Next up we have Jennifer Dunn Carlton followed by Jonathan Greenberg.

And lastly Darren Hu.

Hello.

My name is Jennifer Dunn Charlton.

I'm a teacher in Seattle Public Schools and I have recently voluntarily displaced myself from Nathan Hale High School.

I would like to cede the rest of my talking time.

To our summer in core.

My name is Harsimran Kaur.

I go to Nathaniel High School and I am here along with my peers from around Seattle to talk to you all about what we want to change on how we teach students of color's history and to teach about marginalized countries.

My history of Fiji is never taught.

I only learned my history from other members of my family.

And for when I'm taught my history such as India it is from the white perspective such as war colonizing death and the so-called fair trade which is blinding the next generation of their true culture and their history behind colonization.

We need to change how we teach students of colorist history.

We need to change how we see students of colorist history and we need to teach about the indigenous people and history of this land and respect them.

To the superintendent and the school board.

In school.

We are taught to hold up to our actions.

We want you to prioritize ethnic studies because my school struggles to talk about racism.

They always seem to push my truth to the side.

My teacher Ms. Charlton is the only teacher I know that teaches ethnic studies.

It has made our class have more links to each other and to be able to talk about other systems of oppression which is why we need ethnic studies to educate and to be represented.

Recently we hosted an open forum about racism at school.

Students of color spoke about their personal experiences and about how they felt.

One student quote unquote said that not everyone's point of view is expressed.

And that.

Quote unquote.

They teach negative parts of their history end quote and to also coach our teachers to not assume anything about students of color and to be more supportive and listen to how they feel.

Meaning as to not target students of color such as to treat to treat us with respect and to let us express who we are.

You heard my truth.

Use your power.

Thank you.

I cede my time to Erica Ijeoma and Anissa Royden.

My name is Erica Ijeoma and I'm a junior at West Seattle High School and I'm also a member of the NAACP Youth Coalition and I have been in the Seattle Public Schools District my entire educational career.

During elementary school everything I learned about Nigerian history was from my parents.

My father would teach me about the Nigerian Civil War that took place in the late 60s and they hear the history of the Niger Delta region.

I knew I was lucky to have parents who could teach me about my history.

I knew I was lucky to have a viewpoint on West Africans that was not limited to slavery.

If my teachers weren't teaching me about Nigerian history what more did I not know.

Now I know there is more to history.

I know the social studies curriculum doesn't even begin to cover my history or other minorities.

I know Chinese history is more than railroad workers and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. I know Spanish history is not limited to American exploration.

But what about my peers who didn't know that.

My peers who felt undervalued because they did not have the opportunity to learn about a non-Eurocentric history.

My name is Anissa Roydad.

Like Erica I grew up without being taught my history or my culture.

I didn't even stop to think about it because what I was taught was that whiteness was the norm.

Now that I can name the injustice and reflect on it.

I wonder how much of a loss it was.

What knowledge and appreciation and empathy and confidence and sense of identity did I lose.

We've heard a lot of talk from the district.

You say that quote ethnic studies has positive benefits for every Seattle student and that it is quote one significant factor contributing to opportunity gaps.

Opportunity gaps you strive to close.

But ethnic studies is still not mandatory.

You claim to believe in the lasting change that ethnic studies will bring.

But the.

But.

An ethnic.

Studies department of one.

One person.

For an entire district.

Is not an investment.

It's unsustainable.

We've heard a lot of talk from the district and it's time for some action.

Fund the ethnic studies department so it can meet the needs of the entire district and expand important training resources.

Like the Summer Institute.

Stop the displacement of ethnic studies teachers like Jesse Hagopian and Tess Williams and Jennifer Charlton.

Adopt the since time immemorial curriculum maintain ties with programs like UNEA and mandate ethnic studies so that every student has the education they deserve.

Thank you.

Darren Hoop I cede my time to Bruce Jackson.

My Angelou speaks of a cage bird singing and each day I see our students of color singing that fearful trill.

In the cage of the current.

Mastered narrative as created.

There's a world among the clouds.

But they don't even know they can fly.

Institutionalized racism is a is a cage.

Ethnic studies could be our key.

We break our study of those wings into four essential categories identity.

Who are we.

Who were we.

Who do we want to be.

For people of color these questions are never asked in school.

Why.

How do we answer these questions.

What do we do with the answers.

What would happen if we taught self-awareness pre-American history.

Knowing our identity changes the way you approach the world knowing.

Your identity changes the way you see yourself knowing all of us knowing our identities changes everything it ends colonization and ends.

And begins collaboration it.

Ends the study of them and begins the study of all of us.

It ends oppression.

And begins freedom.

Without teaching identity.

We are maintaining the cage.

Power and oppression.

What has been done to us.

What is the founding of this nation cost people of color what does oppression look like.

What are the patterns of this oppression.

How have we.

How have these patterns.

Shaped this nation.

How have these patterns of oppression changed our perception of self.

And the way we currently live in.

And the world we currently live in.

What do we have in common in this oppression.

And do we want to maintain this bar in our cage.

Resistance and liberation.

What have we done to end this oppression.

How have we changed this nation through our resistance.

What have been the cost of that resistance.

How have we gained the freedom we have.

What do we have in common with this struggle.

What differences are what are the differences what.

In our.

In our past what have we done to create.

Positive lasting change.

Without creating.

Without teaching resistance and liberation we are denying the importance of its existence and.

Creating another bar in this cage.

Action.

How do we redefine this nation to be a country for all people.

How do we work together to create a lasting change how do we dismantle.

Institutionalize racism and create a.

Internal desire for all of our students to be creators of change.

How do we.

Use what we have learned.

In the previous lessons to remake.

A world that appears to have lost its way.

And is in desperate need of new voices.

Education without action leads to complacency and apathy.

And becomes another bar in this cage.

I speak for ethnic studies because I see our people.

I see ourselves as a at a press.

We can fall backwards into a stubborn abyss of.

Ignorance and oppression.

Or we can create wings for.

Each and every one of our students.

We can continue to worship the cage without through our inaction.

Or we can even continue to make that cage stronger by using the current master narrative or we can fly.

We can fly past those bars.

To the promise of a new day.

Let this be our new day.

This concludes public testimony this evening.

This concludes public testimony this evening.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for coming.

And telling us your truth.

We are listening.

We appreciate you being here.

It is time on the agenda for board comments which board director would like to go first.

Director Burke.

I will follow on Director Harris's gratitude for everyone that took their time out of the evening to join us.

And a few topics to discuss.

Important meeting this evening.

And.

Some really important topics.

So I'll start.

With where we started which was with the Meany Middle Schools BWB drum line.

Which was amazing.

You know and.

It.

Amazing complex synchronization it's really cool and lots of foot tapping from my colleagues.

So that was a great way to start the evening.

Some of the other things that have.

Have gone on for me.

I had a community meeting.

Which was lightly attended so it's definitely a sign of summer.

Summer is coming.

Less people are coming to director meetings.

Some of the topics.

That were discussed.

Included.

The.

Since I'm a memorial resolution that we're talking about this evening.

Space at Robert Eagle Staff Middle School.

Which.

was also somewhat of a topic.

And then I got some.

Great reinforcement a really powerful conversation from an SPS educator.

About what our commitment to equity really means in the schools in our hiring processes in our data collection.

So I always appreciate those meetings.

I do not have another meeting scheduled and for the rest of the summer I will start them back up.

In August or September.

Some of the other work that's going on.

I would like to speak to the community from UNEA and Clear Sky.

And thank you for sharing.

Your passion.

For.

Supporting.

Students.

Students in Seattle students beyond Seattle.

Ultimately when we sign up for this role as school board directors.

We do it because.

We think we're making a difference for students.

And that we can make a difference for students and we can make systems better.

To also help students.

And.

What I heard today.

And what I've been.

Reading.

In in in the comments.

Is that we do need.

To go to a place of healing.

We have a common mission.

And centering the students.

Is it's a shared commitment.

So it.

Makes me a little sad.

Well actually a lot sad.

When.

So many people that have put so much passion and so much energy.

On all sides all all parts of the conversation.

Into supporting students.

Feel like their contribution isn't valued.

And so it's not.

You know we're doing amazing work in our schools.

And outside of our schools and there's lots of people doing it and we sit up here.

Behind a wood dais and thank them for it and.

Try to.

Provide systems and supports and funding and motivation.

Reinforcement for that great work.

And.

I'm not.

Interested in questioning the truths of others as they're shared with me I try to.

Hear them.

Be thoughtful about them.

And.

When.

When we when we can't.

When we can't align those truths.

It feels like there's work to do.

So my ask to.

To district leadership to staff to UNEA.

Is to put the students first to go to a place of healing.

To.

Try to find the places where.

Where we are working together.

And put that at the beginning of our conversations because right now all of our conversations.

Are starting with the places where things are not working.

It's starting from the places of conflict and it makes it a really difficult.

Way to enter healing.

So that would just be my hope as a director and my ask to everybody.

Is.

Start from the places where we have joint success start from the places where we have commonality.

And build from there.

Another topic that came up this evening in in public testimony which is also near and dear to my heart is around the work in ethnic studies.

And I. I thank the community for their continued advocacy for ethnic studies.

Ethnic studies is a topic which before I was on the board.

From my education from my upbringing I didn't know existed.

I can say that now.

It's been a difficult thing for me to.

Say.

But it's.

A clear.

Indicator of something that.

As a system we need to improve.

And I just want.

To make sure people recognize that.

There's a huge amount of passion a huge amount of energy.

And a desire to do it faster.

But we have to do it right.

And so some of the things that are in place you know we talk about a graduation requirement.

And there's a risk that a graduation requirement could be a one and done situation.

And what we really need is an infusion.

So we're doing work around our policies for adopting instructional materials.

So that we can.

Supplement and formally approve as a board.

Ethnic Studies components.

Not just as a graduation requirement for high school or a single class but as a element of any.

Or every class as it's appropriate.

As identified by our educators who are awesome at this.

We're going to have a methodology.

That the board can approve that.

Supplemental material what we are calling extended core instructional material and in doing so we can fund it.

We can provide professional development around it.

We can build it into all of our schools all of our classes all of our grades where it fits best where it's been identified as having the materials having the need.

So I'm.

I'm really grateful to the community for pushing on it.

And I want you to continue pushing on it and know that we're not just looking for a one and done.

We're looking for an institutional solution.

One other topic that's going to come up later that we may not.

Not have a chance to get to all.

Completely I wanted to acknowledge.

The student community workforce agreement.

This is going to come up as an introduction item and I know that we had some guests.

That joined us.

We're hoping to also testify and share we talked to them a little bit at the break.

And it's a conversation it's much like our capital projects.

We.

Spend years.

Funding.

A building.

And then we spend a short period of time.

Creating it.

And then we spend years enjoying it and benefiting from it and it's the same sort of thing with.

This agreement.

That it's going to take some time to build it.

And we're going to benefit from it for years and years.

So I want to acknowledge the partners that have helped us work with that.

And thank any construction partners and craftspeople.

That joined us that are still here.

That's a really important element as well.

I will defer my comments regarding the.

Amendment specifically to when those come up.

Thank you very much.

Next up.

Board feedback.

Director Pinkham.

Thank you sir.

Director Pinkham.

Thank you to everyone that came here tonight and spoke.

Speaking your your truths and.

Hopefully you know.

Letting.

Everyone here know that.

Other voices do need to be heard.

You know with.

UNEA with ethnic studies.

There.

Thank you all for coming here and.

Being part of this.

Public school system.

You know so.

I'm seeking that we do raise everyone up.

Firstly and let me back up a bit as director.

Burke mentioned the Meany Middle School drum line.

I really enjoyed them.

And but for some reason in my mind I kept on thinking about cowbells there needs to be more cowbells.

That's a Saturday Night Live reference.

If people aren't following there.

But I want to thank them for coming here and.

Want to mention also that I was proud to be part of the UNEA rites of passage that my daughter is now finishing up middle school and moving up to high school next year.

And we're very honored to have LaDonna Brable Allard as a keynote speaker there.

I mentioned her because.

She opened up her.

Home.

The for the sacred stone camp at the Dakota Access Pipeline protests.

And.

She got to be there and share with the students you know this is the change that you can be.

You know let.

The system sometimes get you down.

Let you know that you can still stand up for what you believe in.

And I think they're showing it here tonight by.

Coming here.

We also had the privilege of having Michael Bendolillo Deola there as our MC.

The former super.

OSPI Native American education.

Director.

Is that what.

It's kind of what you used to do I think in in Montana.

I remember the title but I want to thank him for being there and thanking all the graduates out there as well and the people that supported him.

My next community meeting will be June 29th from 1030 to noon at Broadview.

And maybe I can offer that as a time.

For.

Our school districts to get together.

Where UNEA.

The district office if we have the time let's get together and see what we can do if we can come up with a memorandum of understanding I have this time set aside.

If other people can make it.

Let's get the conversation going.

Let's not wait until next year.

Let's not wait.

Any longer than we have to because I think we can go forward in a positive.

Way.

And.

I felt.

I personally must say blindsided when I saw that letter come out because.

I should have been.

Hey Scott.

I know you're connected to the UNEA how can we help out.

But I wasn't.

And so.

Some.

In some way I felt hurt.

That.

No one acknowledged my.

Contributions.

I also want to take this time.

To explain my amendment even though it is going to come up I'll have some time but I don't.

Mean to disparage the Muckleshoot nation the Suquamish nation.

Or.

Snoqualmie nations.

Yes they are our sovereign nations rounded because they're federally recognized but we have a lot of other.

Nations out that are seeking federal recognition and the Washington state recognizes Chinook.

Duwamish.

Some Nooks and Bans that are seeking federal recognition that they are in a sense.

Organizations.

They officially can't be called.

Tribes in a sense as we look at the definition of what tribes are but.

I want to definitely acknowledge that.

There is the Duwamish people that are seeking that kind of recognition.

Same with other tribes around this country this nation the Lumbees of North Carolina.

You know there's tribes that we need to acknowledge and.

I just want to.

Voice my support for them.

Voice my support of the Muckleshoot to be able to say they're self-determined and.

Appreciate that.

Mr. Stevens came here and shared his.

Views and perspectives.

You know I.

Just want to make sure I acknowledge them as well.

Qeˀciyéẁyéẁ and I'll say the rest of my comments until later.

Hi Joanne.

Hi Vicki.

Hi Molly.

Qeˀciyéẁyéẁ.

And thank you.

For lending him to us these past four years.

We well appreciate.

The families pay a heck of a price for our service.

Director Geary.

Next up.

Thank you.

Thank you.

As always for everybody coming and testifying.

I appreciate it very much.

As Aiden Carroll said.

There's perhaps a lack of facts.

And I would appreciate understanding more because there's something about the conflict with UNEA.

That I just don't.

Understand.

I'm not understanding.

Why.

When we have such a strong Native presence on our board.

And it seems a lot of different groups within our city working around the benefit for our students.

That we still don't seem to have a way.

To engage.

In.

A conversation.

Around as Director Burke was saying our mutual interest of supporting our students.

So.

There needs to be more information.

Shared.

And I don't know if it's a matter of.

A misunderstanding of.

The.

What's happening.

Or a misunderstanding or a misalignment of our policy.

I read our policy.

It's an older policy while people were talking.

And I believe that there is room for improvement in that policy in terms of what it says.

And perhaps some room.

In the policy or in the procedures for thinking about.

As we.

Look at the policies and the changes that.

Could be made in it.

How that would then be reflected in terms of creating.

Different options for different relationships within the superintendent's policy.

Based upon.

The interests that we outline in the board policy.

So there's work to be done there and I can see that where some discussion can happen.

That.

That is a conversation.

That needs to happen.

And it needs to happen perhaps over time.

I appreciate.

It needing to happen now.

But we as a board I also appreciate that we as a board.

Instruct.

Our district.

To do things in a certain manner.

And that manner is to engage our communities.

And.

Allow for time to process to think through.

What the implications are.

We don't want unintended consequences.

But.

There is something here.

For you all to be here.

That puts us on notice.

That there is a fix that it is upon this board.

To figure out.

So that.

We don't have.

This happen.

I hear you when you say that Wilson Pacific.

Was fine when it was Wilson Pacific.

But now that it's Robert Eagle Staff it doesn't appear to be so fine anymore.

That is something that I hear and I hear with regard to Licton Springs as well.

And that's important.

To me that we as a district honor.

what has been said in the past and we need to figure out a way for our policies to align with our procedures and with our ability to serve our students in a way that is appropriate and honors the promises that were made.

That all is very very vague.

I understand.

But what I get out of it is that more work needs to happen and it needs to happen around a review of the policy so that we can implement it consistently and we don't have to create one off MOUs for every group that we have a relationship with unless we define why and when we're going to create those one offs based upon specific.

Reasons so there is that I agree completely with what Director Burke said around ethnic studies.

It needs to be integrated because a one off.

requirement that would likely be put in high school while that would be a good thing is too late.

As you all know you hear that people are lost by high school in terms of not hearing about themselves and not reflecting not feeling that education is meaningful to them or that they are meaningful to the school population that they are forced to be a part of every day.

So I would really like us to really focus continually focus on ways to create voice.

And I want to say and I said this earlier today on a walk with a friend.

That.

I am so thankful.

To live in a time when you can come even with anger and share that information.

With me.

I am really.

Profoundly thankful that I get to live in a time when people are fighting to hear their voice to make their voices heard.

From all different corners.

Because.

It just resonates with me.

It makes.

My life.

So much better.

And I can't imagine why.

Even when it's uncomfortable.

That people don't value.

That opportunity to learn and expand themselves as human beings we clearly have such great capacity for expansion.

And I welcome.

The expansion that you forced me to go through.

And that I have gone through on this board.

So.

My respects to all of you for coming to us and talking to us.

It is a hard job.

And we do like to hear thank you for the good things too.

So please when you can.

Come and talk to us about that because it.

It can be hard.

So.

Thank you everybody.

My meetings for this next month will be Tuesday mornings July 9th and 30th at Zoka on Blakely from 8 to 9 30 in the morning.

Director Mack and then Director DeWolf.

Good evening.

The passion that I heard tonight was moving to me I got tears in my eyes because.

Community is important.

It sounds like.

The community of UNEA and the work that's been going on has been very important to a lot of people.

And I do recall back in 2013. The testimony at that time and the board support for that and I do recall.

Various statements being made over time and the naming of Robert Eagle Staff Middle School.

I attended the opening of the murals.

And.

We as a board don't have a direct decision making point around this decision because it's not a board decision.

It is a the agreements with our organizations that have have after school activities etc. part preschool is actually it's called a community alignment initiative.

And I pulled up the history of it because as Director Geary was saying I think we need some work on our policy.

We have this policy 42 65 that talks about it but the community alignment initiative is not something that transparently like the board votes on who they are or what they are.

This is something that district staff and the community work on together to to to work out.

And I wonder if maybe some additional transparency in that process and reporting back to the board around who are our partners and all of that might be helpful in that.

policy and I do agree with Director Geary that we need to work on that policy to move forward because at this stage I hear you and we as a board don't have a decision making point on this point other than to request additional support from the superintendent and staff to consider continuing the conversation and seeing if there's a way to work this out in a positive way which I would like to request.

I also echo my colleagues statements around ethnic studies and the importance of it.

We've passed the resolution and we need to integrate it.

We need to it needs to come forward in the form of some sort of resolution that actually makes sense in our policies it can't just be a one off and a one and done.

I fully agree with that and I hope that we can find a way to move that forward.

Sometime soon.

I was also incredibly moved in this last week with graduations.

I got to be at Center School and Ballard High School and there's a lot of great work going on in the district and there's a lot more that that we have to do.

And I'm just I'm proud of everyone for their truth.

And I'm incredibly proud proud of the folks that.

that build community and reach out to each other because that's so critical.

So school's out tomorrow.

I want to wish everyone a happy summer and safe summer and we'll continue working.

President Harris do you want me to just go.

Thank you.

Thank you.

President Harris.

First as a citizen of the Chippewa Cree Nation of Rocky Bow Montana.

I am grateful to live and serve in a city that is the ancestral homeland of the Duwamish people the Muckleshoot Nation and the Suquamish Nation.

We acknowledge them as custodians of this land since time immemorial.

And as guests and in many of our cases as settlers on this land.

We extend our deepest gratitude and respect to their ancestors.

And elders past present and future.

Thank you especially to the students who came out today.

I think that.

I want to at least.

Just commend.

You for coming and speaking your truth.

It is.

You have immense immense courage.

For being able to speak your truth to us and to see you come out and spend your Wednesday evening.

Is very humbling.

So thank you for your spirit and advocacy.

On behalf of your peers for today and seven generations into the future.

I am also grateful my colleagues Director Burke Director Harris and Director Mack as well as our labor partners from the building trades Superintendent Juneau.

Fred Podesta.

For your.

Continued collaboration.

And support in bringing community workforce agreements one step closer to reality here.

At the Seattle Public Schools it would be a first in the state.

When passed and we are really excited about leaving a legacy.

That continues to invest deeply in our community.

I also want to just extend some gratitude to the school leaders.

I was really grateful to be able to attend the.

Garfield High School graduation.

The Nova High School graduation and the Seattle World School graduation and I.

I have weak tear ducts.

And these ceremonies are.

Absolutely moving.

And it is so exciting to see our students graduate.

And specifically at Nova and Seattle World School.

The students each get an opportunity to talk about their.

School experience their graduation and their next steps and it's always so moving.

And actually I want to share a little bit a little story from the Garfield High School graduation we had 18 valedictorians at Garfield High School.

I don't remember that many when I was a kid.

So they each came up and they did a shared speech.

And at first I thought it was just going to be kind of funny.

Witty or maybe using words and terminology that I don't.

Necessarily use or know like lit and.

All the other fun words.

I know I'm old now.

Jesus.

But.

But what was really exciting what was really exciting about.

These students and I want to continue to just elevate the students that came here tonight.

You were in good company.

Because these 18 valedictorians and their shared speech.

For.

For the remainder of the whole speech.

Implored all of us.

As adults.

To adequately.

And effectively and meaningfully address the climate crisis because in 11 years.

We will have needed to adequately reduce.

And.

I mean.

Dramatically reduce.

Our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 because by 2050. We need to be at net zero.

Greenhouse gas emissions and so.

So I feel even more compelled.

To continue.

Continue working for these students particularly as we are graduating them to into a world that is deeper.

And scarier.

I want to also just give thanks to the parents from Washington Middle School and Bailey Gatzert Elementary.

We've had.

Kind of a wild ride this year so I was really grateful to speak with parents and families today.

I.

Do give out my personal cell phone to families.

And so I was really grateful to speak with some some parents today so I have some.

Comments that I'll be sharing as part of some of the introduction items come up.

And before I end my portion particularly because this is one of our last board meetings and.

Because I get to do this.

Recently I went back and visited my grandmother in May and I and I was gifted my Cree name and it's Bay Sin Ganiga Mot which means young buffalo leader and my grandmother.

Passed away about a week ago.

So I am still.

Partially grieving so apologies if I.

I'm a little emotional today but I wanted to read three poems.

They're very short.

President Harris I promise.

From Shikachi.

They put out a book.

Each year.

Of poetry.

And I want to be really thoughtful about the fact that what we heard tonight were from students and families and community and people that say that we do not serve our native students well.

And it makes invisible.

The students in this book.

And these students are absolutely served.

By our public schools.

I was one of those kids when I was in public school I did feel invisible.

And so I'm really grateful for this resource so thank you to Boo.

For really putting this together.

So I'm going to read these three poems and this and like I said this this year's book was called Proud.

And what greater month than pride month.

So this is from.

Aili Tamu.

She's Sioux and Samoan.

This first poem.

Is called Proud.

I'm proud of my auntie.

She is hardworking.

She helps kids in middle school and high school by supporting them through their issues.

She is a social worker.

She is very patient.

She is also important to my family.

She is somebody I can lean on for support.

She is the mom I wish I had.

She is a role model to me.

This year I've changed.

Due to her support and encouragement.

I hope to make her proud of me the way I've.

The way I'm proud of her.

This next one is by.

Jakari Barquette and he's Salish and Kootenai.

I'm proud of myself for not being locked up.

Because I'm making good decisions.

I'm proud of myself for still coming to school.

Even though.

Right now it feels like a waste of time.

I'm proud of myself for finding something to do with my free time and playing football.

And I'm proud of myself for being me.

And finally.

This one really got me.

So it's called he is pride.

I.

Especially grateful to my father.

These days.

So.

This is from Cody Stout and he's Cherokee.

I would like to be a father.

Because kids are cute.

I will help my kid with everything.

My father is the one.

Who I want to be like.

He is pride to me.

He helps me do things.

And learn new things.

He works hard.

I will be like my father.

A hardworking man.

And I would like to be.

A professional gamer.

Thank you.

Director Harris.

You are up.

Thank you.

What do I start.

As I was sitting here thinking about.

So.

As I was sitting up here.

Reminiscing in terms of.

How long I've been on this board.

I thought about all the work.

That was done.

In terms of.

The many things that I actually as a.

District employee.

That I did not.

Like or.

Wanted to change.

The saying that if you want to make changes you need to go where you change can be made.

So I decided to join the school board.

I realized that.

If I was going to make changes.

I need to be where my voice can be heard.

As a Pacific Islander.

In our culture.

Women are allowed.

To talk.

Only the chiefs are allowed to talk.

But in my family.

I was always outspoken.

I used to get in trouble all the time.

Because I spoke when I wasn't supposed to.

Well.

That carried over.

I.

Decided that if that was going to be an outspoken person.

I need to be somewhere where I can actually be useful.

In terms of.

Using my voice.

In the needs.

Of.

Many students.

Who don't get to be heard.

And being on this board has been.

Quite an experience.

And being able to work with.

Many people up here up here who actually have the passion.

To make changes.

It is.

To me it's very important being on this board because we're actually dealing with the lives of our students.

Our children.

They.

Education is what.

Makes it or change.

Either.

Successfully or.

Turn them the other side.

And I realize that it's a very important job.

So being on this board all these years.

I feel like I'm a part of these chairs that I'm sitting on.

Because I've been here so long.

But I believe that the changes that we make.

When you see the difference in the lives of kids.

It's worth it all.

And.

So I want to say thank you.

Seattle.

For giving me this opportunity.

To serve you and your kids.

And hopefully out of all the years that I've been on the board.

I've made some changes.

Because I want all our kids to succeed.

As a Pacific Islander growing up.

I experienced a lot of inequity and.

A lot of discrimination because a lot of people don't know.

Too much about Pacific Islanders.

But as a family that arrived here many years ago when there were no Pacific Islander nobody ever heard about who Pacific Islander were.

It was hard as a child to go through a lot of.

Struggles.

And.

Areas where people you know where you don't understand.

But as I go through those struggle now as an adult I realize how important it is.

To keep to the truth and making sure that every student in Seattle Public Schools.

Have their culture.

and belief in terms that.

All.

Of us educators are here to help support them in any way that we can.

So when they do leave Seattle Public Schools they'll have all the knowledge they need.

To be successful in their next life.

Thank you.

Seattle.

Voters for voting me on this board.

I appreciate all the years that I've been here.

And I believe.

And I hope.

That I've made some difference.

And that as I get ready to step down.

Hopefully the next person that comes behind me.

Will love.

These kids.

As their own.

As I love them.

It didn't make any difference.

What color what.

Ethnic group they were from.

They're all our kids.

And as a board director my responsibility.

Is to make sure that every student that enters a school.

Receive the education that they deserve.

And be able to leave and know that they've got that education.

And move on to the next level of their life.

Thank you Seattle for.

Giving me this opportunity.

And hopefully that.

It's something that I will always remember and carry as I lead this board.

Thank you very much.

Talk about a hard act to follow.

Holy smokes.

OK.

Last but not least.

Erin I wasn't joking about drumline lessons as part of the September board retreat.

I think it would be a.

Grand.

Grand.

Team building activity between board and senior staff.

Oh boy.

OK.

And.

And.

One of my highlights this last month.

Was leaning over to Brian Vance at West Seattle High School.

When the timpani player was playing.

And saying can I have lessons please.

And he said sure come on down next year.

And when.

The young man.

Was returning.

The timpani.

To Chief Sealth International High School at the Southwest athletic field.

He gave me.

A chance to give it a go and it was.

Delightful.

Out there in the street.

While folks were going home.

Graduations again.

Empowering.

Inspiring.

Interagency.

The stories.

That were told.

The songs that were sung.

The families.

Who came.

Full of gratitude and our young people.

Who.

Have worked really hard and ascended heights and barriers.

Amazing stuff.

And again.

As mentioned.

Last meeting.

I'd like us to take a moment.

To think long and hard.

About the students that didn't.

Get there.

And what can we do differently.

To make them ready.

To get them the credentials.

To be ready.

For.

Life.

After.

They leave our care.

The.

Responsibility at this dais.

Is.

Betty Patu.

Has so.

Admirably put forth is.

Oppressive at times.

You lose sleep.

You take hits.

You become the target of folks that.

Disagree with you.

And it's hard not to take that personally.

It's very hard not to take that personally.

But you get up every morning.

And if your shoes match.

You try and do.

The best.

Job.

You can.

And I believe the folks in this building and on this dais do that.

Do we make mistakes.

We certainly do.

Do we try hard.

We certainly do.

Have we accomplished some really phenomenal things I think we have.

Have we stepped in it.

Yep.

Sure have.

And we need to own that.

And we need to fix it.

Course correct.

See I can talk like a.

Educrat.

course correct.

Make it different.

Speak to each other accept each other's wisdom.

And the wisdom that is brought forth in public testimony.

And on emails.

Is so very much appreciated.

Very sad goodbye to Karen Andrews.

She is leaving the district.

And she's left a mark with interagency high school.

And I guess one of the other things I want to call out is.

We read.

20. 25 names.

Of graduates of interagency.

That are incarcerated in the King County Jail.

And in the King County Juvenile Detention Center.

So that they could be there with us and hear their names.

Read out loud.

And.

And that's pretty powerful stuff.

And we need to continue.

Wrapping our.

Talented educators around those folks because they're facing even more.

Barriers and impediments.

Thank you sir.

The all staff staff gathering.

Denise was excuse me Superintendent Juneau.

Was not joking.

To see some of these folks dance is a real delight.

I wish I had.

Better control of my phone for video and we'll put it up there on the big screen next year.

Maybe some lessons first.

My next community meeting is on July 20th.

At the West Seattle library.

It's in the Admiral District.

It's one of the original.

Carnegie libraries.

Back to one in three shot of lasagna.

3 to 5. Saturday.

July 20th.

My last community meeting.

Lasted three hours.

Was very well attended.

And frankly pretty painful.

We talked a lot about communication.

We talked a lot about amplify.

We talked a lot about money.

We talked a lot about Washington Middle School and the rough year that that school has had and also about the concept of bringing in the technology access foundation to partner with us at a middle school that middle school has not yet been chosen.

Community engagement has been started over at Washington Middle School towards that end and to gather community feedback.

I was extraordinarily pleased that my predecessor Marty McLaren former director of District 6 sat next to me during that meeting all three hours and and I really appreciated that because I've got mad respect for her and her contributions to this district and she continues to serve on the African-American male advisory committee and she's got concerns about how we pick our leadership for the strat plan initiatives.

And I appreciate the depth of her knowledge very much.

Director Burke talked about healing others of my colleagues have as well and there is hurt indeed to be healed.

I believe more collaboration only serves us well.

I believe in early mediation or alternative dispute resolution and I'm very pleased to tell you that.

In the last four years as the legal department has used alternative dispute resolution and earlier mediation our bills have gone down and we have tried to rebuild and restore trust in the past.

I am also feeling a little burned and blindsided about the UNEA scenario and it's my hope that we can continue conversations Give respect to each other and figure out a way to move forward.

And keep.

The children.

First and foremost.

Ethnic studies.

I've heard some.

Should be a requirement.

Blended through.

To me that's a bi.

Bilateral choice.

And I would suggest it should be an and choice.

That it should be.

Rated throughout all of our our curriculum.

And it should also be a requirement for graduation.

Do we have the money to fund it correctly.

We do not at this time.

But I would suggest that.

The old adage follow the money.

One full time person is not enough.

To lift us off.

To do this work right.

And and I hope we can find it.

And I hope we can partner with some of the extraordinarily wealthy folks in this city.

To assist us to get there.

To more amply.

Fund.

Ethnic studies curriculum.

I think that the work that has been done.

To date.

Is extraordinary and exemplary.

Shown by the institute that sold out in about two days.

That means there is a.

Very.

Deep.

Thirst out there.

For our educators that want to learn.

And pass on a more relevant curriculum that looks like our students.

And mad props to.

Dr. Kyle Kinoshita.

Who has sponsored a great deal of this work and he is.

Going to be retiring.

And.

Remember the board doesn't hire people.

We hire the superintendent.

The superintendent hires folks.

She knows very well very strong passionate feelings about how and when we ramp some of this.

This up and how we do it.

I think we all agree on the why.

I think it's the how that that is tripping us up in some fashion.

And.

I look forward to continued engagement and collaboration on those decisions.

But well appreciate those are not board decisions.

We say goodbye to Director Patu.

We have an engagement process.

To a point.

Her successor.

And the next person that uses the word replacement in my presence.

It's going to get ugly.

Because people are not.

Replaceable.

That is a successor.

And on August 7th.

From 6 to 9 p.m.

we will have.

A candidate appointee.

Public forum at Rainier Beach High School.

We will be.

Uploading.

To.

The web.

All the appointment.

Appointees.

Interested candidates.

Letters of interest and their resumes and.

They can tell us why they want to be here.

Now if.

We don't have.

So so very many appointees.

It is our hope that we can take questions as well from the audience.

But stand by.

And collaborating and making seven schedules and staff work as far as.

Landing the dates.

See I can talk like y'all now.

Landing the dates.

Is.

Is.

Not as easy as it seems or feels.

So stand by.

And again we appreciate your feedback.

We appreciate your presence.

And I need to know from my colleagues whether we want to go through action items.

Or we want to take a 10 or 15 minute break because you have not had dinner yet and it is 730. And I might remind you that we also have executive and closed sessions after this meeting.

We will not be here however.

Over my mean little dead body.

Until 11 55 p.m.

again.

15 minute break.

We're at rest.

Thank you.

Yeah.

you