According to the Seattle Channel, Bass, the incumbent vying for a third term in office, is running on her 8-year record for Seattle School Board Director, District 5. She cites the examples of her early support for ending the school district’s racial tiebreaker and her consistent advocacy for a student assignment plan based on neighborhood schools.
Smith-Blum is running as an innovator. Her ideas include adding foreign language instruction to all elementary schools and the elimination of middle schools in favor of K to eighth grade. Among her five bold ideas are making “school hours the same as adult work hours” and requiring all students to participate in Chinese- and Spanish-language immersion programs. Co-owner of the Butch Blum clothing store, she also brings a business sensibility to her approach. For instance, she stresses Starbucks-like customer service, which would have the district tweeting community members with the board agenda.
