Really? We are still going with that tired old quote of Seattle chews up superintendents and spits them out.

We do not.

John Stanford died. No one's fault.

Joseph Olchefske left amidst a financial scandal. Not the community's fault.

Raj Manhas did try but was not a good fit for the district. He was here about 4 years (national average).

Maria Goodloe-Johnson. Left after a financial scadal. Not the community's fault.

Susan Enfield. Was an interim who did not want to go through a vetting process and left before the Board even had a chance to offer her the job. Is that the community's fault?

Most people do try to maximize their opportunities in their job search and superintendents are no different. Enoch went through the process and decided the fit wasn't there. Husk did the same (plus had another job offer). Neither probably wanted to see themselves rejected.

Welcome to Seattle, Superintendent Banda. What can I do to help?

Sanford was the last good superintendent, and he was good prior to dying, which made him a legend.

Gee, how many superintendents ago is that anyway?

How many board members have come and gone, and yet ... still are here?

Obviously, we are electing morons to be board members.

A great way to help would be to stop posting to the divisive and misleadingly named blog
http://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/

@David_Smith: Melissa speaks for me. You don't.

Perhaps she does speak for you but she is unelected, the title of the blog "save seattle schools" suggests rather confrontationaly that there are groups out to destroy them, and her past record has been to start with a "What can I do to help?" followed pretty shortly by vociferous barrage of criticism of school board members or superintendents who do not "listen" (i.e., do not agree with her). How can we have an effective school district when there is so much energy being devoted to creating factions? Why put our superintendents in the unreasonable position of having to pander to so many special interests rather than just answer to the School Board? This does not happen to anything like this extent in Bellevue, Shoreline or any other local school district with much better schools. It would be more constructive if Melissa Westbrook ran for the School Board where I am sure she would get your vote and possibly mine too if she had a commitment to working with the 6 other members.

With respect David, Melissa isn't half as divisive as some of the other 'civic' and 'advocate' groups in town. I'll name names: The Alliance for Education under the leadership of their Corporate Reform minded 'CEO' Sarah Morris. Get her outside her business community echo chamber and she divides the community just by walking into a room. Then you've got the funded-by-national-union-busters Stand for Children in town. They landed here a couple of years ago and use wads of national cash to mold the district to their wishes. Their leaders practically spat in vitriol at the district the few times I listened to them at events. Oh, don't forget 'Democrats for National Reform' which is backed by NYC hedge funds pushing charters. The former head of League of Education Voters Lisa MacFarlane jumped ship and is drawing a salary there, sending out increasingly pointed and negative missives on that blog. (CONTINUED)

Then you've got League of Education Voters which apparently has forgotten its origins and instead pushes All Charters All the Time for the state of WA - instead of addressing the many complex issues here at home -- and has a leader Chris Korsmo who lobs bombs at the district through weekly, awkward blog postings. The Seattle PTSA? Don't even get me started with their non-inclusive leadership and their own political agenda. Look at the rude comment by its legislative chair in the Seattle Times story about our new superintendent. Speaking of the Seattle Times, there's also Lynne Varner. That's a rock we don't need to overturn in this too-long post. (CONTINUED)

But I will end by saying, Melissa's blog is written and fueled by unpaid parents and community members who care about their schools and that is far more valuable than high tech millionaires (Raikes of Gates Foundation, the parents of Bezos, Nick Hanauer) who 'dabble' in ed reform without the on-the-street knowledge of problems and solutions in our SPS buildings.

No, David, Melissa is not the problem. If you want to be met halfway, perhaps she could be viewed as the steam vent of the problems identified by the vast majority of the public with little powerbroker access, little personal money and certainly no Paid Ed Reform position. I'll take the many voices of the community (you see them as factions) to the Command and Control of the monied civic elite every single time. In short, I and a great many others (much to the chagrin of the aformentioned self-appointed powerbrokers) will stick with Melissa. Thank you.

Actually the blog's name is Seattle Schools Community Forum but we kept the URL because it was so well-known.

The Save Seattle Schools name came about because it was started by a mom who, during school closures, wanted to save her school from closing. Hence "Save Seattle Schools."

The only way to speak out is to run for School Board? I hope not. Activism is alive and well in this city and I think it undemocratic to think the only way to be active is to run for office.

If you want to see if I have been reaching out, informing and working with School Board members, please file a public disclosure request with SPS for e-mails from me to any of the Boards over the last 15 years. You'll find plenty of evidence that I have tried very hard to work WITH them.

Good luck to the new Super. But a reader some distance removed from the Seattle Public Schools and observing the "education politics" involved in the selection process could reasonably conclude that the Board went for the lowest common denominator, someone who would adhere to the status quo. You in Seattle can judge how well the status quo has worked for you.

Please stop bashing the blog. It is one of the few ways that parents can find differing perspectives on the District. I'm a SPS parent and find the blog a useful source of information. It's not my only source, but I greatly appreciate its existence. When other prominent media like yours continue to bash it, it only reinforces the need for its existence, as an alternative viewpoint.

The blog is a LOT more informative than this lousy 'zine. Melissa is much more equanimous than I am, even though we've both seen and heard the kind of garbage going on behind the scenes at JSCEE. But now there is a light at the end of the long, dark tunnel.

We love our schools, we love and want great teachers who feel supported and respected. We are sick of (insert DistrictWatcher's list here) trying to buy our schools out from under us. How about you butt out?

So basically anybody or any organization that is interested enough to get involved and has resources but which does not subscribe to your views should "butt out". What a truly great recipe for progress.

Sorry, but Crosscut, Seattle Times and other media outlets do not provide sufficient coverage of SPS to keep me up and educated on the issues. The District seems to go out of its way to make it hard to find information, and stay up-to-date on issues. Without the Seattle Schools Community Forum blog, my knowledge about things that impact my kids and other kids in the community would be severely limited. As with any publication (Crosscut included), I don't agree with everything posted or commented upon. But I definite appreciate and need the information. This is a very valuable public service, in my opinion. And the fact that everyone volunteers their time and talents make it that much more worth supporting.

David_Smith writes that Melissa Westbrook should stop blogging:

"A great way to help would be to stop posting to the divisive and misleadingly named blog http://saveseattleschools.blogspot.com/"

Then, when someone suggests that his comments are not welcome, he writes:

"So basically anybody or any organization that is interested enough to get involved and has resources but which does not subscribe to your views should 'butt out'. What a truly great recipe for progress."

But David_Smith, isn't this your recipe? Are you unwilling to eat your own cooking? Isn't this exactly what you recommended to Melissa Westbrook? She is certainly interested enough to get involved and she has resources, namely knowledge, experience, contacts, good will, and a very well-read blog. But she does not subscribe to your views, so you say that she should butt out - she should stop posting to the blog.

Funny how you feel insulted when you get your own advice right back at yourself.

John Stanford died. I don't see how we could have kept him in the position after that. Who at Crosscut would have wanted to keep him?

Joseph Olchefske overspent $32 million dollars and resigned. I'm not sure that we could keep him after that. Who at Crosscut would have wanted to keep him?

The entire first half of the CACIEE report is a blow-by-blow description of how Raj Manhas utterly failed to fulfill any of the executive duties. Who at Crosscut would have wanted to keep him?

Maria Goodloe-Johnson was a total disaster whose habit of lying to the board, mis-informing them, dis-informing them, and just plain refusing to inform them, finally eroded their trust to the point that it was gone. On top of that she failed every implementation she attempted. Who at Crosscut would have wanted to keep her?

Those are the last four superintendents. I'd love to hear the people who kvetch about the turnover to tell us which of those we should have kept.

Coolpapa your are right - Ms Westbrook should continue blogging.

However I find it disingenuous of her to write above

"Welcome to Seattle, Superintendent Banda. What can I do to help?"

when about 24 hours earlier she speculated on her blog (which I too read) in response to Mr. Enoch dropping out.

"This is very genuine and generous of Mr. Enoch to say this but I truly believe he could see the process had been corrupted and wanted no part of it any longer. No one likes to feel like they are window-dressing for another candidate. And so, despite all the controls and new consultants, Seattle Schools once again cannot hang on to its full complement of superintendent candidates until the end of the process."

How can such comments that bring into question the legitimacy of the search possibly be of any help to the incoming Superintendent?

David, on KUOW yesterday, the president of the school board himself intimated that his colleagues were leaking information. If that doesn't call into play the legitimacy of the process, I don't know what does. This is the Board President. Not a blogger.

You know - Opining about this decision is fair game for every media outlet in town, many of whom have talked about both the search and the recommendation. Melissa and Charlie's blog has done no more, no less, though I would argue it has a fair amount more insight into the community state of mind than, certainly, Crosscut. CONTINUED

A lot of us are starting to notice that there isn't a politician in town who has stuck a hand out in welcome to Banda. You want to talk dysfunctionality? Perhaps look past the citizens and bloggers and media and look at our civic "leaders". They appear to be undermining - or at least not exactly welcoming - from the get-go. THAT sure looks like pandering to behind the scenes factions. And again, look at all the above groups I mentioned. Any ONE of them saying something positive about this hire. Hell no. Not a one. Want to be unimpressed with someone(s). Pick a politician. Pick an education "advocacy" group. Yah...Advocacy for our district's success my a**.

"A great way to help would be to stop posting to the divisive and misleadingly named blog"

What a truly great recipe for progress.

"such comments that bring into question the legitimacy of the search"...? Mr. Smith, did you hear DeBell hint that someone leaked search results. Did you know that DeBell seems to regularly use biased media (Crosscut in particular) and underhanded comments to backstab his fellow board members?

The blog and www.scribd.com/SPSLeaks provides invaluable information about who is REALLY sabotaging our district: the undemocratic process; the twisted TFA hiring; the ethically-challenged administrators. No comments are necessary. Just read it and weep.

It is my ardent wish that SPSLeaks can be retired. But as long as (insert DistrictWatchers list here) don't butt out, it is not going to happen. Greer, Bridge, and Morris will not be permitted to work in darkness.

Peter Jackson, you have your facts wrong. The school board selected Mr. Banda as our next supe on Sunday night. They chose him over Dr. Husk. She withdrew the next day (Monday morning). That was the sequence of events.

Mr. Banda was chosen. Dr. Husk was not. Mr. Enoch withdrew before the selection was made.

Banda was the first or second preference of various members of the SPS parent community. I for one am optimistic about what he brings to our district and will do my best to help him succeed.

Sue p.

Sue P. is correct. Please adhere to a high level of journalism and correct your error.

Thanks, Sue P. I was just going to ask how they arrived at the conclusion that they know factually the series of events. I think the fact that Mr. Banda said yes in spite of the challenges these posters describe makes him the perfect candidate. He's taking on what the others wouldn't.

Building trust is what he promoted. I'm all for that. And in the statement from the Board, that was a deciding factor.

(continued from last post)

David Smith, the fact that you want certain voices to be heard and not others is precisely why we need to build trust in this city. Promoting all sides of issues is what good journalism used to be. Don't look to Crosscut for that. Or any of the other so-called pro-ed blogs and groups. The SSS blog may have a point of view but so do all the others. It is still the most objectively informative blog of all the media I've seen. I highl regard Brian Rosenthal at the Times because he keeps everybody on his radar screen. I hope the Times continues to give him the freedom to do so.

We need more good journalists, not less. Charlie and Melissa work hard to keep that blog active and accurate. Thank you both.

Thank you and I agree 100%. Journalism is a lost function, nevermind 'art'.

And what a disingenuous and blatantly false headline: "again picked as the only option" You don't know that.

Brewster, you deep-sixed your journalistic credentials a long, long time ago.

Please scroll down and review the e-mail between Frank Greer and Michael DeBell. Then, check on Frank Greer's political connections.

http://www.gmmb.com/about/leadership/

http://www.scribd.com/doc/87838852/The-Kingmaker-Speaks-for-

I'm ok with Melissa's blog. As a matter of fact, I welcome their perspective and transparency. Thinking first ammendment, here.

Count me in as a SPS parent who is happy they chose Banda. Either Enoch or Banda were wonderful choices. Husk was a big hell no.

Let'll all give Mr. Banda a warm welcome and offer of support. So glad he said yes!

Ditto. Too bad the politicians in this town can't be gracious.

I do welcome Mr. Banda, he is coming into a mess, but let's give him support and welcome.

That email was between Smith-Blum and Geer, Arnold talking about DeBell. If I opened the correct one.

Social engineering, huh? We 99%ers sure aren't in the game, are we?

morthender, scroll to pg 2...

So Frank Greer is our "unelected" school board leader. I guess Smith-Blum has had her hand slapped. The puppet-master, Frank Greer. Maybe that explains the reticence of McLaren and Peaslee to be too vocal? Am I reading this all correctly? What can we do to take the power back?

Does Mr. Banda have a chance to succeed in this controlled climate?

Banda has a chance to succeed as much as anyone. Let's hope he is nimble, intelligent and skilled at negotiations, and a pillar of virtue.

Then, let's hope all who lob slime at him are noticed for who they actually are.

Then, let's hope our children receive an actual education, and go on to become stellar citizens who do not push unreasonable agendas, fight petty fights, and stoop into the gutter to snipe at their peers.

common1sense

Amen. I have submitted my resignation. I hope Mr. Banda accepts it and is 100% willing to conduct his new district's business in the light of day. I realize there will be a learning curve. But our democracy was founded on the will of the people. Mr Banda, you have our will. Please don't abuse it like some of your predecessors and their cronies (like quasi-media outlets)