SEATTLE — Parents are pushing to recall the board president of Seattle Public Schools (SPS), claiming district leadership rushed the plan to close and consolidate schools, a plan that families have been fighting for months.
The families who filed the recall petition Friday in King County Superior Court wrote that Seattle schools are in a crisis and they believe SPS leadership needs to be held accountable for failed oversight of everything from the budget to academic outcomes.
“This is a people-powered campaign by parents around the city who are deeply concerned about the direction our public schools are going,” stated SPS parent Ben Gitenstein. He’s among the families to file the petition.
Parents allege SPS Board President Liza Rankin was the architect of the plan to consolidate four schools next year amid the nearly $100 million budget shortfall, and believe that there’s no evidence the plan will save money or improve education.
Gitenstein adds there’s an overall lack of district spending oversight, and that she has allegedly closed down community engagement and transparency.
“President Rankin led an effort to cut the number of school board meetings in half,” Gitenstein said. “People just want their voices to be heard and they don’t feel heard at all right now.”
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As for academic outcomes, families said the district is no closer than it was five years ago to meeting student achievement goals in math and reading.
“Every child deserves access to a high-quality education in a safe, supportive environment,” said SPS parent and former PTA President Janai Ray in a news release. “As an active member of the community, I have seen firsthand how the current administration’s decisions have failed to prioritize the well-being and success of our students.”
“I’m frustrated by the lack of accountability and the growing gaps in resources and support for families, and now we must hold leadership accountable through a recall effort,” Ray added. “Education is the cornerstone of our children’s future. We need leaders that truly serve the needs of students and the broader community.”
Parent Annie Becker’s three youngest kids at Sacajawea Elementary are at risk of having to change schools next year. One of her children is in the Extended Resource Program and has built relationships with crucial program staff. Becker worries about the potential impacts to education under the consolidation proposal, and believes now is the time to make a change in elected leadership.
“The likelihood of his paraprofessional being able to transfer with him is extremely low and that stability will be lost. What we know from the data is that when children have a school that has closed they lose two years of their education- they fall two years behind their peers. That is an outcome that I don’t want to see for my child or any child.”
If a judge allows the petition to proceed, petitioners will circulate it for signatures. Officials say 48,659 valid signatures of legal voters, or 25% of all votes cast for the board member, are required to place the recall on the ballot.
KOMO has reached out to Rankin for a response to the allegations. She was first elected to the board in 2019, then re-elected for a second term last year.