By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
While this morning’s West Seattle rally to save state-funded cooperative-preschool/parent education programs started gently – above, a “fund our schools” singalong to the tune of “Wheels on the Bus” – the message grew fiery, thanks to two locals.
We’ve been covering the situation, which involves the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges changing funding allocation in a way that would in essence defund the program, contending it’s not a workforce pathway. The board rotates meeting locations and was at South Seattle College (local program site and WSB sponsor) on Puget Ridge this morning, so that’s how the rally site was chosen.
The first West Seattleite to speak passionately about saving the program was Chris Lampkin, himself a co-op alum and dad, as well as deputy chief of staff for King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda:
Speeches were interspersed with signwaving and chants.
The other West Seattleite presenting an energetic defense of the parent-education program was State Senator Emily Alvarado, who’s also a mom of a tween and teen; she urged the board to “slow down” the process in hopes something can be worked out to save the program:
The crowd also heard from co-op program reps including educators who said the program was their pathway into the system, countering the contention that it’s not a workforce pathway. If something doesn’t change, the program could shut down as soon as this summer, unless $2 million in funding is found – and that’s a high bar for crowdfunding to clear. They’re trying other forms of advocacy too. We’ll continue following up.