Michelle Sarju is running for Seattle School Board in District 5. Sarju is a former midwife, social worker, and PTA member who currently works with King County Public Health.

Sarju wants to make sure that all children in the Seattle Public School system have a chance at a quality education. Her campaign platform includes closing the racial gap in student opportunity, valuing alternative evidence-based metrics for success above standardized tests, providing social and emotional support for students, and investing in an anti-racist curriculum. She believes that in order to care for students during in-person learning, schools must provide more mental health support. Sarju is committed to not simply going back to normal post-COVID, but instead addressing root causes to make our school system stronger and more equitable than ever.

Sarju is running against Dan Harder, a Boeing engineer who is running on a reactionary, Trump-style agenda focused on pushing out honest and age-appropriate curriculum that teaches students about our history. Harder would use this excuse to explicitly walk back progress made in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Seattle Public School system. He lacks a vision for the role beyond Trump politics and has no community or elected experience.

We recommend Michelle Sarju for Seattle School Board in District 5 because of her clear, progressive vision and the broad support she has earned from our partners and local leaders.