Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell

On March 22, 2010, the Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Community Roundtable members agreed to send an advocacy letter to Governor Chris Gregoire expressing strong support for E2SHB 3026 which deals with the civil rights of students in public schools. I volunteered to draft the letter, which was eventually signed by Roundtable members, making it clear that education is a key to resolving race and social inequities. Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Community Roundtable includes institutions and organizations across the region, all committed to racial and social justice, and includes community based organizations, philanthropy, education and other public entities. Seattle’s Office of Civil Rights leads and staffs the Community Roundtable. On November 19, 2009, I introduced the Community Roundtable legislation whose mission and purpose was supported by the Council by a vote of 9-0 and signed into law by the Mayor. We want all of our kids to have the tools, support, commitment and environment to succeed. I believe we are all accountable: parents, kids, our community and our public school system. This legislation is intended to support this accountability.

What does that mean to you?

E2SHB 3026 moves the state and our city towards the closure of the achievement gap in our Seattle Public Schools. If enacted, the bill prohibits discrimination in Washington public schools on the basis of race, creed, religion, color, national origin, military status, and sexual orientation, among other things. What makes it unique is that it directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to make rules and regulations to eliminate such discrimination, and allows private court actions to be brought for violations of the law and rules that are developed.

My commitment is to make sure our state and city leadership stay informed of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative activities. We want to keep intact Seattle’s reputation for being on the cutting edge. We must continue to preserve our image as being inclusive, accountable, and forward-thinking for all, including our future citizens — our children.

Below is the text of the letter to Governor Gregoire.

March 22, 2010

Governor Chris Gregoire
Office of the Governor
P.O. Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

Dear Governor Gregoire:

On behalf of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Community Roundtable, we would like to express our strong support for E2SHB 3026 which deals with the civil rights of our students in public schools. We ask that you sign the bill into law in its entirety. This bill represents one of the recommendations made by the Achievement Gap Oversight and Accountability Committee and establishes a new chapter in the Common School Code of Washington State that prohibits discrimination based on race, creed, religion, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status and sexual orientation, among other things. It authorizes the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to make rules and regulations to eliminate discrimination and – most importantly – to monitor local school district compliance with the anti-discrimination policies.

Strong support of this bill was voiced at the March 18, 2010 Race and Social Justice Community Roundtable meeting. In addition, many of our individual organizations have gone on record as supporting this bill, and we are looking forward to your leadership on this important issue.

Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Community Roundtable includes institutions and organizations across the region, all committed to racial and social justice, and includes community based organizations, philanthropy, education and other public entities. Seattle’s Office of Civil Rights leads and staffs the Community Roundtable. The Roundtable’s mission was approved by a vote of 9-0 in legislation proposed by the Seattle City Council on November 19, 2009 and signed by the Mayor. We’ve attached a complete list of Roundtable members for your information.

Thank you for allowing us this opportunity to support legislation that is concerned with the rights and protections of our students. We appreciate your support on issues of race and social justice throughout the state.

Sincerely,

Councilmember Bruce Harrell, City of Seattle
Devon Abdallah, Arab American Community Coalition
Estela Ortega, Director El Centro de la Raza
Dorry Elias-Garcia, Director Minority Executive Directors’ Coalition
Paola Maranan, Director Children’s Alliance
Audrey Haberman, Director Pride Foundation
Gerald Hankerson NAACP
Vicki Asakura, Director Non-Profit Assistance Center
Sarah Freeman People’s Institute Northwest
Tom Tierney, Director Seattle Housing Authority
Julie Nelson, Director Office for Civil Rights, City of Seattle
Denise Klein, Director Senior Services
Cheryl Cobb, Director Solid Ground
Sue Sherbrooke YWCA
Will Pitz, Director WA CAN
Lyman Legters

cc: Representative Sharon Tomiko-Santos (37th District)
Representative Claudia Kauffman (47th District)

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