SPOKANE, Wash. – Try again in November? Or wait until 2024? These were the two primary options floated by the Spokane Public Schools executive staff to the school board during an executive session Wednesday afternoon, the first executive session since voters rejected the district’s $200 million bond request.
“We know the outcome of the election,” Superintendent Adam Swinyard told the room, “and we also know the needs of kids at Madison, and Adams and Garry Middle School and the other schools that were on that ballot… they didn’t go away.”
The bond discussion was handled in two parts: what happened and what’s next.
“Misinformation is swirling pervasively like a wildfire on apps like NextDoor,” Swinyard said.
NextDoor, an application where people can connect directly with those who live around them, frequently came up in discussion. The board and executive staff said they made their case using facts and arguing in good faith, but said through social media their opponents spread falsehoods that could’ve been the difference between hitting the 60% threshold needed to pass the bond.
Another major factor identified during the meeting, the Spokane County GOP’s decision to come out against all major levies and bonds on February’s ballot four days before the election.
“After years of service as a school board member and on the state board of education, I’m just disappointed (Spokane GOP Chairwoman) MJ Bolt’s legacy will include defunding public education in Spokane County,” Board President Nikki Lockwood said. “I just hope we can get past this partisan thing because it hasn’t been like that in the past.”
With several options on the table, the soonest being adding a bond question to the November 2024 General Election, the board and executive staff felt no rush in determining their options.
Superintendent Swinyard and the rest of his staff were given the go-ahead to start reaching out to gather community feedback, and bring back solid proposals for the board to discuss at a future meeting.
