Gina Topp is running for the open seat vacated by incumbent Leslie Harris, who isn't running for re-election. She is the chief legal counsel and policy advisor to King County Executive Dow Constantine and served on the boards of the 34th Legislative District Democrats and the Seattle Sports Complex Foundation.
Like other candidates for school board this year, Topp's platform listed on her website is somewhat vague. If elected, she aims to cultivate a safe and welcoming environment for all students, empower educators, and engage parents. In her interview with The Seattle Times, Topp stated that her plan for the budget crisis is to advocate for more money from the Legislature - an idea that incumbent Liza Rankin has said was unlikely to succeed because of the recent increase in funding already coming from the state.
Despite this, we believe that Topp has the strongest experience of the available candidates for this seat. She has two opponents on the primary ballot. Rosie McCarter describes herself as a neurodivergent, two-spirit mom of three, and a proud Cherokee and Joseph's band of Nez Perce. She states that as a parent ambassador and peer educator, she wants to tackle the district's budget crisis without making cuts to vital programs, though she does not say where cuts would be made or where additional revenue will come from. She also states that all students, regardless of income, should receive free meals, that systemic racism in schools must be addressed, and that the highly capable program needs fixes. However, she offers no additional information on her website about how she would accomplish this.
The other candidate is Maryanne Wood, who does not appear to have education advocacy experience. She states that her childhood on a dairy farm made her value hard work, and she has six grandchildren in the district. Wood's top message is "no to school closures," and she also says that she will "dial back the mega schools that are already planned at Alki, Rogers, and Montlake."
Topp's experience and progressive endorsements make her the best choice in District 1 for Seattle School Board Director.
Gina Topp is running for the open seat vacated by incumbent Leslie Harris, who isn't running for re-election. She is the chief legal counsel and policy advisor to King County Executive Dow Constantine and served on the boards of the 34th Legislative District Democrats and the Seattle Sports Complex Foundation.
Like other candidates for school board this year, Topp's platform listed on her website is somewhat vague. If elected, she aims to cultivate a safe and welcoming environment for all students, empower educators, and engage parents. In her interview with The Seattle Times, Topp stated that her plan for the budget crisis is to advocate for more money from the Legislature - an idea that incumbent Liza Rankin has said was unlikely to succeed because of the recent increase in funding already coming from the state.
Despite this, we believe that Topp has the strongest experience of the available candidates for this seat. She has two opponents on the primary ballot. Rosie McCarter describes herself as a neurodivergent, two-spirit mom of three, and a proud Cherokee and Joseph's band of Nez Perce. She states that as a parent ambassador and peer educator, she wants to tackle the district's budget crisis without making cuts to vital programs, though she does not say where cuts would be made or where additional revenue will come from. She also states that all students, regardless of income, should receive free meals, that systemic racism in schools must be addressed, and that the highly capable program needs fixes. However, she offers no additional information on her website about how she would accomplish this.
The other candidate is Maryanne Wood, who does not appear to have education advocacy experience. She states that her childhood on a dairy farm made her value hard work, and she has six grandchildren in the district. Wood's top message is "no to school closures," and she also says that she will "dial back the mega schools that are already planned at Alki, Rogers, and Montlake."
Topp's experience and progressive endorsements make her the best choice in District 1 for Seattle School Board Director.