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.
Seattle, WA
Where to watch Seattle Mariners vs Los Angeles Angels: TV channel, start time, streaming for Apr. 5
What to know about MLB’s ABS robot umpire strike zone system
MLB launches ABS challenge system as players test robot umpire calls in a groundbreaking season.
Baseball is back and finding what channel your favorite team is playing on has become a little bit more confusing since MLB announced plans to produce and distribute broadcasts for nearly a third of the league.
We’re here to help. Here’s everything you need to know Sunday as the Seattle Mariners visit the Los Angeles Angels.
See USA TODAY’s sortable MLB schedule to filter by team or division.
What time is Seattle Mariners vs Los Angeles Angels?
First pitch between the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners is scheduled for 4:07 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, Apr. 5.
How to watch Seattle Mariners vs Los Angeles Angels on Sunday
All times Eastern and accurate as of Sunday, April 5, 2026, at 10:03 a.m.
- Matchup: SEA at LAA
- Date: Sunday, Apr. 5
- Time: 4:07 p.m. (ET)
- Venue: Angel Stadium of Anaheim
- Location: Anaheim, California
- TV: FanDuel Sports West and Mariners.TV
- Streaming: MLB.TV on Fubo
Watch MLB all season long with Fubo
MLB regional blackout restrictions apply
MLB scores, results
MLB scores for Apr. 5 games are available on usatoday.com . Here’s how to access today’s results:
See scores, results for all of today’s games.
Seattle, WA
New York Sirens beat Seattle Torrent in front of sold-out MSG crowd in historic game for women’s hockey
History was made Saturday night at Madison Square Garden as the New York Sirens played the Seattle Torrent before a sold-out crowd.
It was the first time a Professional Women’s Hockey League game was played at the iconic arena.
The ceremonial puck drop didn’t just signify the start of a game, but a new era in women’s sports.
“We got women in space right now. We got women on the ice,” Queens resident Aaimz Davis said. “We got women everywhere.”
For Sirens season ticket holders, a sold-out MSG to see their ladies play was less of a “who would’ve thought?” and more of a “it’s about time.”
“Women’s sports have come a long, long way and this just means– this is just an awesome feeling,” fan Patricia Fraser-Morales said.
“You had the Liberty, yeah, OK, then you have Gotham, the soccer,” fan Myrna Morales-Fraser said. “Now you have hockey.”
It was a history-making game for the sport — both the first home game at the legendary arena for the Sirens, and the first time it’s drawn a crowd this big for women’s hockey.
On hand to mark the occasion was 39 Grand Slam-winning tennis great and trailblazer Billie Jean King.
“My dream has always been to help women’s sports grow because I come from a time when nobody cared about women in sports. It was horrible,” she said. “So when I see this, and I’m so happy I’m still alive to see it, you have no idea.”
Girls from the New Jersey Colonials youth hockey team, coached by Sirens Coach Greg Fargo, were excited and inspired. They see themselves going far, hoping to see their names up alongside the legends’ banners at New York’s center-stage arena.
“Maybe it’s gonna start growing more and more, and it’s gonna inspire more girls,” player Quinn Doherty said.
To give fans even more reason to celebrate, it ended up being a thrilling 2-1 shootout win for the Sirens.
The NFL draft is less than three weeks away, and one of the things I keep hearing is people excited about the idea of the Seattle Seahawks trading up from pick No. 32 in the first round.
Stacy Rost: What we can learn from Seahawks’ NFL Draft history
I’m not necessarily opposed the idea of trading up, but I want to throw two big caveats in that. One, I’m not giving up any of the picks from next year, certainly not next year’s first round. Next year is supposed to be an incredible draft. This is supposed to be a mediocre draft where there are starters, not stars. If you got the opportunity to get stars next year, I want to take as many of those as possible, so please do not trade away certainly your first-round pick for next year.
But then Brock Huard has brought up this whole idea of trading up for Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love because he’s the best player in the draft. He might very well be right that he is. You know what I just can’t get myself to agree to? It’s trading up for a running back and certainly not trading next year’s first-round pick and this year’s first-round pick and probably more than that to get up into the top 10 for a running back, for a skill-position guy.
Should Seahawks consider trading up for NFL Draft’s top RB?
Look, you were just barely able to keep me on board with paying $225 million for wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Rashid Shaheed knowing that you’re gonna be spending a whole bunch of money on cornerback Devon Witherspoon. I love all those players. I get nervous about spending that much money that far away from the line of scrimmage.
You wanna now go trade two first-round picks and try to get a running back? I’m sorry, that’s where you lose me. I just can’t go that far. I don’t care how good he is. I’m out.
This post is a transcript of the video at the top of the post. It is edited for clarity. Catch Mike Salk weekdays from 6-10 a.m. on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk.
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