08/15/2025
"Kathleen Smith Gets What Seattle Schools Need"
By The Anh Nguyen
An hour-long conversation about childcare affordability and low enrollment causing school closures was not the expected agenda for a school board candidate interview. Smith is leading the District 2 race into the General Election. Why did she run? "There weren't very many candidates," she explained. Without her stepping up, District 2 wouldn't have seen a primary at all.
"The closure plan feels like the decision was made before the data was collected," by the Seattle Public Schools, Smith observed. The district kept citing two reasons for closing schools: budget savings and equity improvements. Smith saw right through both arguments. "I've read about school closures in other areas - the cost saving comes from reduction in staff. I just don't see that this is a plan that's going to be addressing budget shortfalls."
Her take on the equity angle was even sharper: "The closure plan was not a reasonable solution." She highlighted something obvious yet overlooked - the district wasn't studying which students needed better support or creating targeted help plans.
Kathleen Smith Gets What Seattle Schools Need
B
When asked what she'd prioritize instead of school closures, Smith's response felt refreshingly grounded. "I don't think our enrollment is low enough to the point that we need to start shutting schools down," she said. "I think we should be talking about how can we meet the students and families and staff that are working in schools that are under-resourced compared to other schools." In simpler terms: address the root issues rather than avoid them.
Smith's five-year-old went through the Seattle Preschool Program right next to his future elementary school. The experience was so good it got her thinking bigger about what SPS could offer families. "I absolutely love the idea of bringing in more programs to use that space," she said, talking about school buildings the district claims are under-enrolled. "Even if it's just leasing the space to different programs or to the city to use for preschool." Think about it - instead of closing schools because they're "under-enrolled," why not fill them with programs families need? Childcare that connects to preschool that feeds into elementary school, all in the same community spaces, where parents know each other. That's the systemic thinking that could solve problems instead of just closing schools.
As for tech in school, she wants smartphones and devices out of classrooms entirely - and it's hard to argue with that logic. Even adults can't handle the distraction, so she put her phone away while working. But she's not interested in replacing teachers with iPads either. "There's a risk that it would be a lot cheaper to have a classroom full of students who are all given an iPad and left on their own to try to learn," she warned. Her platform is specific about this: "Smartphones and AI tools shouldn't quietly compromise student focus or emotional health. I'll push for clear, enforceable classroom tech policies that support learning without placing the burden solely on teachers." On AI, she wants both teachers and students to understand how to use it safely and spot misinformation. "Teaching students how to have a better level of information literacy is certainly called for."
What stands out about Smith is her approach. She doesn't start with political talking points or feel-good slogans. She begins with listening, looks at what the data actually says, and then builds solutions that address root causes. "If you want to include people from different cultural areas, the thing to do is you don't show up and tell them what you can do - you have to show up and listen to them," she explained, quoting advice from a multicultural work director.
What emerges is a picture of someone who understands both the technical side of running a school district and the daily reality of being a parent trying to make it work. Her vision of expanded childcare services, rational budget decisions, and actually listening to communities offers something SPS has been missing - competent leadership that serves families instead of bureaucracy.
The district is facing real challenges - budget deficits, enrollment changes, and community trust that have been broken too many times. Smith's not promising magic fixes, but she's offering something more valuable: someone who knows how to ask the right questions, analyze what the answers mean, and build solutions based on evidence instead of politics.
For District 2, that could make all the difference. As Smith put it: "I'm committed to do whatever I can to help strengthen our school system in the current political times we're in."
What would it look like if Seattle had school board members who actually understood data and the needs of parents? What could we build if we stopped closing schools and started filling them with the services families need? What happens when someone with real expertise steps up to serve? You'll have a better outcome.
