-Hello, Seattle.
I'm Kathleen Smith, a parent of two
and candidate for school board director in District 2.
I bring a deep appreciation for education and expertise
in data science to this role,
but I'm not just a data nerd.
I bring strong progressive values,
aiming to help our public institutions serve our city.
First off, to support our schools
and the educators working with our kids,
we must advocate for more progressive revenue.
Next, let's talk about inequity in our schools.
To address inequity, we need to start with the problem.
Some schools do not have enough resources.
Last year's school closure plan seemed to start with the plan,
but didn't have the data to justify
how it would solve the problem.
We need to invest in under-resourced
neighborhood schools
and increase access to option schools.
Every family deserves an appealing local school,
but different students have different needs.
To quote a tech slogan,
we need to make easy things easy and hard things possible.
Access to basic education should be easy
and for families and students
that need more specialized services,
we need to make their journey possible.
We must invest in safety and support for our students.
Students fought for and deserve city funding for mental health,
and I am excited to partner with the city
in providing safe infrastructure, transit,
and affordable housing.
I want a Seattle where working families are supported.
Families need schools and with dropping enrollment,
our schools need Seattle families.
Finally, we must listen to Seattle's diverse communities
and the student voices clearly expressing their needs.
Data isn't just numbers.
Good data tells a story,
and we need to listen to and use real data
to advance real equity in SPS.
I am proudly endorsed by the public educators union,
Seattle Education Association,
"The Stranger," King County Democrats,
the Alliance for Gun Responsibility
and Tech 4 Housing.
I would be honored to have your support this November.