The Seattle Times editorial board recommends: Debbie Carlsen for Seattle Public Schools District 1

Liza Rankin, the incumbent running to retain her Seattle School Board seat representing North Seattle families, says the state’s largest school district is teetering on the precipice of major change. Agreed. In fact, change is already afoot — though not the kind Rankin would wish.

The district is facing a mammoth $131 million budget hole, which will likely mean closing schools. And parents are pulling their children out, which will only lead to further financial strain since Seattle Public Schools’ budget is tied to its enrollment.

Two things, however, remain the same as ever: miserable outcomes for kids who are the “farthest from educational justice” — as the district describes low-income students of color — and a persistent lack of transparency on areas of major concern.

These trends suggest the need for fresh eyes and a willingness to challenge budgetary guidance from the school district staff.

Toward that end, The Times editorial board is endorsing Debbie Carlsen, who promises the kind of skeptical scrutiny that is the duty of elected officials. The primary is Aug. 1.

To be sure, Rankin is deeply knowledgeable about education policy — she can cite Seattle’s school regulations by number. But that wonkiness mattered little to families who found her inaccessible at precisely the moment when connection to community was needed most: in the wake of a fatal school shooting in Rankin’s district.

Rankin says she felt “nauseous” voting in favor of the current teachers contract, because she knew it would lead to the draconian budget cuts Seattle schools face today. Yet, she did not act on her discomfort. Instead, she fell in line with the recommendations of Superintendent Brent Jones and labor leaders.

That’s not serving as a responsible steward of school district resources, though Rankin promises fiscal prudence if she gets the job again. In the next breath, she says money isn’t really the issue.

“We could have double the budget and still not improve student outcomes,” she told The Times’ editorial board. “We have got to be ruthless about our spending and be really honest with ourselves” on what improves outcomes for students. “We have to get really serious.”

Absolutely true. But the time for that kind of seriousness around money was last summer, when the teachers contract was being negotiated, since salaries — as Rankin knows — determine the bulk of school district spending.

In contrast, Carlsen offers an urgency to right the district’s financial ship and a full-throated call for greater community engagement.

During what is sure to be a fractious year of tough choices, Carlsen’s emphasis on connection will be much needed to bring families back into the fold.

In District 1, many of them lost trust in Seattle Public Schools after the shooting at Ingraham High School last fall. That was the moment to convene a community meeting where worried parents could voice their concerns.

But there was no such response, perhaps because Rankin sees gun violence as a societal issue, rather than a problem for schools to tackle. Maybe so. But the persistent disconnect while parents begged for information was disturbing. Whatever Rankin’s personal position, communicating with one’s constituents in a forthright and public manner about something of this magnitude that happened inside a school is a board member’s job.

With a background in mental health and LGBTQ advocacy, Carlsen should bring an emphasis on inclusivity and rebuilding connections with the community. Both will be sorely needed as Seattle Public Schools faces a critical moment.

Editor’s note: This post was updated after the August primary.