SEATTLE — Three Seattle voters have filed charges to recall the publicly elected directors of the Seattle School Board.
Emily Cherkin, Jennifer Crow and Beverly Goodman have accused the school board for failing to oversee a timely transition to in-person teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We need to hold our elected officials accountable. The Board failed to adequately oversee the timely provision of adequate in-person educational opportunities to students during the COVID-19 pandemic as compared to the great majority of other school districts,” Cherkin said. “A lot of children are not OK.”
Other charges include accusations that the board approved measures to shrink the size of play areas at a number of schools. The charge claims research shows the benefits of outdoor play for children is especially crucial after a year of remote learning indoors.
The board also stands accused of disregarding issues related to student data protection, selling school property without holding a public hearing and much more.
Crow, the mother of a second grader, said, “I have seen questionable decisions, lack of foresight and failure to act on important issues from the Seattle School Board for years.”
After the charges are served to the Board, the King County prosecutor will write up a list of charges. The King County Superior Court will hold a hearing on the charges, and if the court feels the charges are valid, then signatures can begin to be collected to request a recall election.
KIRO 7 has reached out to the Seattle School Board for comment.
Cox Media Group
