(The Center Square) – Seattle Public Schools Boardmember Michelle Sarju is calling for new councilmembers to join the district’s Discipline Appeal Council who better relate to students prone to receiving disciplinary actions.
“Some of us know that the disproportionality and discipline in this district essentially upholds the school-to-prison pipeline,” Sarju said in a Seattle Public Schools board meeting on Sept. 13.
The action report appoints members to the district’s Discipline Appeal Council for a three year term, starting on Oct. 24, 2023. Sarju said the goal of her action report was to provide clarity around what the council should be looking for in an appointee to the board.
The Discipline Appeal Council is the school board’s designee to decide certain discipline appeals. Any student or parent/guardian can appeal suspensions, expulsions and emergency removals issued by a hearing officer to the Discipline Appeal Council.
In July, the Seattle Public Schools Board revised the policy governing the council, allowing the board to appoint members. Councilmembers must be a part of the Seattle community, but not employed by Seattle Public Schools.
An application for people interested in joining the council was posted in August, with 73 applications received as of Sept. 12. Sarju said the desired applicants will have a good understanding of child development, as well as direct lived experience.
“Our appointees will be reflective of the student’s most-impacted by district student disciplinary decisions through race, ethnicity and experience,” Sarju explained. “Our appointees must be knowledgeable about state and district student discipline rules, policies and procedures.”
The district’s 2023-2024 budget states that the superintendent will not allow school and district initiatives to go forth without engaging students of color furthest from educational justice and their families.
The budget adds that Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones will not allow the use of disciplinary actions as a substitute for culturally responsive behavioral and social emotional support for students.
