Seattlest Voters' Guide: Seattle School District No. 1 Positions 1 and 2

With the primaries quickly approaching, voters are scrambling to make tough decisions. The competition for the 4 Seattle School District director positions is steep; with multiple hopefuls in each race, just getting them down to 2 for the November election is kind of dicey. Luckily, though, in the primaries, you've only got to vote for who's in your district. But in the Fall, you'll be tasked with voting for all of them.

Here's some basic information about each of the candidates in the first 2 races--and who's endorsing them. We'll have information about the other 2 tomorrow.

Director District No. 1

Sharon Peaslee: Peaslee, who is a credentialed teacher, is focused on removing blame for the achievement gap and poor test scores on teachers, and promises a more community-oriented approach. She's endorsed by Cliff Mass, and feels strongly that better materials and curricula can help close the achievement gap.

John Cummings: Armed with a Masters in Special Education, Cummings is coming out swinging against the past actions of the School Board and Superintendent, who is now gone. He places emphasis on hyper-local leadership, while denouncing the over-testing of Seattle's students. He's currently an educational consultant, and has worked in the past as a teacher, and is, like many of the runners in these races, looking for more empathy for teachers, and less for administrators. He doesn't list any endorsements.

Peter Maier : Maier, the incumbent, has sat on the School Board for the last 4 years, and is less critical of previous behaviors than his opponents. However, he does use his experience to point out what achievements there were in Seattle's schools during that time, under his leadership--achievements which are often over-shadowed by the district's many blunders. Maier seems strong on many issues, but like a lot of incumbents, is very much relying on experience. His endorsements are many, including the Seattle Times, 4 members of the Seattle City Council, and several lawmakers in Olympia, including Adam Kline.

Director District No. 2

Jack Whelan : Jack Whelan is a businessman, who approaches public schools like businesses. For the last 25 years, he's been on the faculty at the Foster School of business. He's got a clear-cut plan of attack, but it may be a little too financially-motivated for some voters. He doesn't have a website yet, and doesn't appear to be campaigning as hard as some of his opponents, but he is also endorsed by Cliff Mass and Where's the Math.

Terrence J. Menage: A teacher and educational advocate by profession, Menage's issues with the current School Board and previous Superintendent are similar to many in this race. He's critical of the previous mishandling of funds, as well as the perceived lack of communication between the board and those whom their decisions impact. He also doesn't seem to have any endorsements or a website, but is highly educated and passionate.

Mark T. Weber : You won't see yard signs for Mark Weber--he doesn't believe in them, because they are wasteful. Even his website is economic, with information crammed into every corner. The self-described "entrepreneur" describes a comprehensive plan that re-builds the school district from the ground up and throws out special interest groups. His website features an exceptionally lengthy description of everything that is wrong with the school district, but offers few concrete solutions. He lists many endorsements, but most of them are personal.

Sherry Carr : Sherry Carr currently sits on the School Board, and, like other incumbents, is trying very hard to remind the public of all the good that the schools have done under her watch, including the purchase of new (albeit controversial) textbooks, heightened accountability for teachers and students, and the (also controversial) neighborhood-based reassignment plan, which was put into place two years ago. Carr is, like Maier, by the Seattle Times, the Municipal League of King County, and scores of public leaders from the City and County Councils, as well as Olympia.

Kate Martin: Unlike many of the challengers in this race, Kate Martin doesn't have a background in education, though that may not be a bad thing. Her experience, rather, lies in urban planning, which may give her a unique skillset in a position that is, at times, as much about facts and figures as it is about educational approaches. However, her lack of educational experience may also make it difficult for her to be empathetic to teachers and other administrators. She's also doing a lot of footwork--literally. Her use of social media and campaigning give her high visibility, and she's even been spied walking around Green Lake on sunny days to reach out to voters. She's endorsed by the Stranger, the King County Democrats, and Cliff Mass, to name a few.

Summary: Essentially, everyone knows that the school district is pretty broken. The specter of nasty audits and corrupt politicking is enough to have gotten a lot of folks riled up and running for positions, which makes the fields dense with angry, determined people. However, those who have already been sitting on the School Board seem to know that making serious policy change is easier promised than done, and the incumbents are trying hard to keep the public in their corner.

Pick the candidate whose experience you most believe in and whose beliefs most closely aligns with your own, factor in who's endorsed by the local voices you trust the most, and you'll be alright.

We'll be back with the other 2 districts tomorrow.