Seattle, WA
Seattle Public Schools axes gifted learning over racial equity – The Heartlander
(The Lion) — If there was ever any doubt that “equity” was code for “worse education,” Seattle Public Schools has officially confirmed it.
In its crusade to achieve racial equity, SPS is effectively axing its gifted learning program, and even the teachers aren’t happy about it.
Back in 2021, SPS started developing its new “Highly Capable Neighborhood School Model,” which keeps advanced learners in the same classroom as their less academically inclined peers.
Hypothetically, teachers would provide additional services to the gifted students while providing regular instruction to everyone else.
The problem?
“I was a classroom teacher for 14 years,” said Reby Parsley of the Washington Association of Educators of the Talented and Gifted. “It’s really hard to provide services to students when you have a group of kindergarteners learning phonics and then you have a kindergarten[er] that’s, like, fluently reading Harry Potter.”
Seattle’s gifted learners were those who tested in the 98th percentile or higher and simply needed a different learning environment.
Previously, those students could attend a highly capable cohort (HCC) school with similarly advanced learners, and parents were grateful for the opportunity.
“It was a real lifesaver,” recalled Katie McAllister, whose son learned to read at age 4. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if he was in a neighborhood school because he can be really frustrating (to the teachers around him) if he’s not challenged.”
Now, gifted learners will experience exactly that.
According to The Seattle Times, teachers also will be required to create individualized learning plans for every single student – something no one has the time or resources to do.
Though the new model is worse for students, parents and teachers, it does claim to improve one thing: racial equity.
White and Asian students perform better on average in Seattle – and nationwide – than Hispanic and black students, and therefore are slightly overrepresented in HCC schools.
“Numbers would suggest that within our city … predominantly white children are more gifted than other cultures and races, and we know that is absolutely not true,” said Kari Hanson, SPS’s director of student support services.
When the Seattle school board voted to phase out HCC schools in 2020, even black parents protested, but were accused of being “tokenized.”
Sadly, public schools nationwide are dumbing down their academics for the same reason.
Chicago’s school board recently considered a pro-neighborhood school measure to prevent students from testing into “selective enrollment” schools – ones with much better academic outcomes.
Other districts are axing advanced math classes and homework, and inflating grades, all in pursuit of equal outcomes across racial demographics.
However, not all communities are taking the changes lying down.
In March, San Franciscans won a huge victory at the ballot box, approving a measure to reinstate algebra in 8th grade, nearly a decade after it was removed for the sake of equity.
Olympians Hilary Knight, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Erin Ambrose have all been placed on long-term injured reserve by their PWHL clubs after sustaining injuries during the Milan Cortina Games.
Kraken sign forwards Ben Meyers, Ryan Winterton to extensions
Knight, a five-time Olympian and captain of the United States team that won gold, will be out of the lineup for the Seattle Torrent indefinitely after sustaining a lower-body injury in Italy, the team announced Friday.
Knight had three goals and three assists for the U.S. at Milan Cortina including a goal in the 2-1 overtime win over Canada in the final. She has three goals and seven assists during the current PWHL season.
USA comes back to beat Canada in OT for women’s hockey gold
“While we’re eager to be at full strength and recognize the anticipation of Hilary’s return, we’re focused on putting her and our team in the best position for a playoff push,” Torrent general manager Meghan Turner said in a statement.
Minnesota Frost captain Coyne Schofield was placed on long-term injured reserve on Friday retroactive to Feb. 19 with an upper-body injury. Coyne Schofield scored three goals for the United States during the Olympics.
“I am incredibly proud of all our Frost Olympians who demonstrated true excellence on the world stage,” general manager Melissa Caruso said in a statement. “We are fully committed to supporting Kendall throughout her recovery, and our medical team will be working diligently to help her prepare for her return to the ice.”
The moves by the Torrent and Frost came a day after the Montreal Victoire announced that Ambrose has been placed on long-term injured reserve retroactive to Feb. 19 for a lower‑body injury suffered while representing Canada in the gold medal game. Ambrose had a pair of assists at the Olympics.
The Victoire’s Marie-Philip Poulin, Canada’s captain in Italy, was listed as day-to-day with an Olympics-related injury.
Victoire general manager Daniele Sauvageau said of the team’s Olympians “we are confident that they will be back in the lineup in the near future.”
PWHL influence apparent at Olympics with OT medal games
SEATTLE — Firefighters are responding to a car that drove into a ditch near Lake Washington Boulevard East and East Foster Island Road on Friday, according to the Seattle Fire Department.
Crews arriving at the scene reported that three people are trapped inside the car.
Firefighters were working to stabilize the car and get everyone out safely. Crews worked to remove the roof of the car to get everyone out, according to fire officials.
Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area while emergency crews respond.
The crash occurred in the area between the Montlake and Broadmoor neighborhoods, and traffic can be expected as emergency crews respond.
No additional information was immediately available.
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Dylan Holloway had a hat trick and added an assist in his return from a sprained ankle, Joel Hofer made 23 saves and the St. Louis Blues came off the Olympic break to beat the Seattle Kraken 5-1 on Thursday night.
St. Louis Blues 5, Seattle Kraken 1: Box score
Jordan Kyrou and Holloway — activated from injured reserve before the game — scored in a 23-second span early in the second period to give St. Louis a 3-1 lead.
Pius Suter added a goal and two assists to help the Blues end a three-game losing streak.
Holloway completed St. Louis’ first hat trick of the season with 3:01 left, scoring into an empty net for his 11th of the season.
Kaapo Kakko tied it at 1 for Seattle in the first period, and Philipp Grubauer stopped 26 shots. The Kraken were coming off a 4-1 loss in Dallas on Wednesday night.
Kyrou made it 2-1 at 1:12 of the second off a feed from Pavel Buchnevich on a break. Holloway poked the puck past Grubauer off a scramble at 1:35. Suter scored at 1:56 of the third.
St. Louis’ Cam Fowler appeared in his 1,100th game, becoming the 10th active defenseman in the NHL to reach the mark.
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Blues: Host New Jersey on Saturday.
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