False Alarm!

I have great news for public education reformers everywhere: Seattle Schools Superintendent John Stanford’s recent colossal and incredibly stupid political blunder — an apparent attempt to blackmail taxpayers into supporting his vision at the voting booth on February 3 and boost his already whorish salary at the same time (See John Stanford: Employment Agency?) — was only noticed by one Seattle resident!

The latest addition to local media’s Stanford-almost-got-a-job (maybe) collage appeared in the January 8 issue of The Seattle Times (“Seattle’s two levies focus on repairs and programs,” Tamra Fitzpatrick) [No longer online]. In it, we learn that Lisa Macfarlane, who is chairing the pro-levy campaign for Schools First (administrators second), said it’s not clear that people have paid much attention to recent talk about Stanford bailing out. “She estimates that campaign volunteers have talked with more than 3,500 voters in the last couple of days — during the time of news reports about his possible departure — and out of those calls, there has only been one question about Stanford leaving.”

If a teacher had reported that only one in five voters had mentioned the one-day Stanford crisis, I would have sneered. One in a hundred would be preposterous. But one out of 3,500???

But if it was reported in The Seattle Times, then it must be true! (Or did Lisa just get her facts turned around — one out of 3,500 taxpayers didn’t mention Stanford’s screw-up?)

Steering clear of the Pinocchio Club, Macfarlane said, “I think people recognize it for what it was — a rumor.” She added, “He’s not going anywhere, He’s committed to the district.” Like a televangelist, I can feeeelll Stanford’s commitment!!

Fitzpatrick’s article also noted that Schools First’s campaign kicked off with speeches by Mayor Paul Schell, King County Executive Ron Sims, John Stanford, and School Board President Barbara Schaad-Lamphere. So where were all these politicians when I tried to pump them for education policies during their campaigns? It’s like the reincarnation of Mayor Norm “Nice” Rice — beg like a whore for money the taxpayers imagine will go to help their kids, then hide like a hare when citizens ask how the money is being accounted for.

A colleague told me about a January 8 KOMO Radio broadcast that suggested Stanford’s departure is tied to the levy. I called KOMO for verification. Evidently, Stanford was referring to his long-range plans; the levy’s fate will apparently determine whether Stanford remains on board after his contract expires in July 1999.

Excuse me? How can Stanford make plans 1 1/2 years in advance when he has so much trouble navigating one day?

But perhaps I’m fretting about nothing. The important thing is that the General’s political blunder — incredibly stupid even by Stanford’s standards — combined with some of the most scatterbrained reporting one could imagine, was apparently noticed by just one voter. And I suspect Seattle’s public education mafia will ultimately con him or her into voting yes on the February 3 education levy.

Who says John Stanford doesn’t understand democracy?