Which Washington leaders have been naughty or nice this year? Santa’s hacked list sheds some light.
NOT saying the Russians were involved, but The Seattle Times editorial board has obtained a highly classified document from a sovereign village far to the North. We’ve read the data and checked it twice, confirming the hacked document is a copy of Santa Claus’ naughty or nice list.
Now, after stockings have all been either stuffed or stiffed, here is an abridged list for Washington, a blue state having a bit of a blue Christmas after a bruising presidential election.
At the top is U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, who while leading from the minority Democratic Party, pushed through a desperately needed revision of federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act. Joining her in Washington, D.C., is Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, former state senator, social-justice activist and the first Indian-American woman elected to Congress.
Outgoing Interior Secretary Sally Jewell, who will return to Puget Sound, canceled coal leases on federal land and moved to protect the Arctic from offshore oil exploration.
Our state is blessed to have great education champions. Among them is Ricardo Sanchez, founder of the Latino/a Education Achievement Project and new member of the state Board of Education. He fought for in-state tuition and college financial assistance for students without legal residence status.
Highline Public Schools Superintendent Susan Enfield has been changing the culture in a district serving many low-income students. Changing lives is Nathan Gibbs-Bowling from Tacoma’s Lincoln High, Washington’s 2016 teacher of the year.
University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce launched a $5 billion capital campaign to keep growing the institution’s impact.
Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin, off the field, has been raising awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement and testifying before a state task force. Speaking of fields, the Seattle Sounders MLS Cup win and the UW Husky football team’s breathtaking performance is warming hearts far and wide.
Underground, Bertha is chugging along after a long delay.
The plight of our homeless neighbors bears sober reflection year-round. Local leaders are stepping up in big ways. Paul Allen of Vulcan, Howard Schultz of Starbucks, Jeff Bezos of Amazon and several other business leaders are making major contributions to end or prevent family homelessness. Seattle Mayor Ed Murray is shaking up how the city funds homeless services, requiring results.
Hizzoner also made the naughty list for discarding neighborhood district councils — as did Transportation Director Scott Kubly for the waste of money for buying Pronto and his role in backing new electric bikes.
Obviously this list is not complete. Send us your thoughts of who has been naughty or nice: letters@seattletimes.com