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Adams Elementary appointment draws sustained public criticism; board hears calls to pause and review personnel records
Summary
Parents and community members pressed the district over the appointment of Anitra Jones to Adams Elementary, citing prior substantiated complaints at Rainier View and asking the board to pause the appointment, add findings to personnel records, and consider a temporary 'hold‑harmless' budget to protect the school from enrollment loss.
An extended public‑comment session at the Seattle School Board focused on the June‑appointed placement of Anitra Jones as principal at Adams Elementary, with dozens of parents, educators and union representatives urging the district to pause the appointment and to clarify why prior substantiated complaints did not appear in Jones’s personnel file.
Superintendent Ben Shuldiner framed the appointment as the result of a closed search and contractual obligations, and he acknowledged the community’s pain over how the meeting introducing the principal had unfolded. Shuldiner described Jones as an award‑winning educator and said he would continue to explain decisions and engage with the community.
Adams speakers cited state and union findings they said documented discrimination, high staff turnover at Rainier View during Jones’s tenure, and alleged violations affecting students with special needs. Several parents and PTA representatives asked the board to: pause the appointment pending a transparent review of how prior concerns were documented and considered; add State Examiner/union findings to the personnel record so future placements reflect documented concerns; and explore a district 'hold‑harmless' budget provision to protect Adams’s funding for up to three years if enrollment falls as a result of the appointment.
Board members did not take an immediate vote on any personnel action during the meeting. Directors and staff indicated they were monitoring community concerns and planned follow‑up: the superintendent said he had fielded emails, offered to be accessible to community members, and reiterated a commitment to clarify processes and ensure communities are heard. Several directors told the public the board’s role is oversight rather than direct hiring authority, which the superintendent retains under district practice.
The public record and testimony from parents asking for added documentation and procedural transparency will be part of the board’s ongoing review, and the superintendent said staff would continue to engage Adams families and bring relevant information to the board.
