Seattle schools leader allowed ‘racist environment,’ NAACP says. Here’s her response

After the Seattle King County NAACP called for her removal this week, the superintendent of Seattle Public Schools responded to the organization’s claim that she hasn’t done enough to address problems with systemic racism, KOMO reported.

“I was actually really surprised when I read their press release and heard their press conference,” said Superintendent Denise Juneau, according to My Northwest. “I continue to remain committed to meet with them and work through these issues. I just know that we all have the same goals at the end of the day.”

Teachers, students and civil rights activists held a news conference on Oct. 20 and called for Juneau’s firing, KOMO reported.

“I don’t think she even cares about the Black community,” said president of the Washington state NAACP chapter Gerald Hankerson, according to KOMO. “Denise Juneau over the last three years has purged all Black male leaders in the Seattle Public School District.”

After the NAACP’s conference, Seattle Public Schools sent out a news release arguing that the district has an “unwavering commitment to racial justice,” as outlined in their Seattle Excellence plan.

Juneau argued that many of the Black men who were “purged” “chose to leave Seattle Public Schools for bigger and better roles in other districts and organizations, and a couple were asked to leave because of performance issues,” KING reported.

“Our district has actually surpassed its diversity hiring goal by an average of 10% in every category,” said Juneau, according to KING.

Juneau said that the percentage of school leaders who identify as people of color increased by 19% — from 35% in 2018-2019 to 54% in 2020, KOMO reported.

Rita Green, NAACP education chair for Alaska, Oregon and Washington, argued earlier in October that the district has “gone backwards” and that the district has “been a more racist environment,” according to My Northwest.

After listening to Juneau’s news conference by phone, Hankerson countered her statement regarding the “purge,” KOMO reported.

“The case is they went on to bigger and better,” he said, according to KOMO. “No, what they did was they had to jump ship to go to a place where they could feel safe without the fear of retaliation or her bureaucracy tactics.”

Juneau also pointed out that she identifies as a person of color and understands the impacts of systemic racism, My Northwest reported. She is the first Native American woman to serve as superintendent of Seattle Public Schools, according to KOMO.

“Being a native person and a tribal member myself, I have learned about, and I have experienced firsthand individual, institutional and systemic racism,” she said, according to My Northwest.

Juneau’s contract expires in July, according to KOMO, and negotiations on a new contract will start in December, My Northwest reported.

This story was originally published October 30, 2020 at 4:33 PM with the headline "Seattle schools leader allowed ‘racist environment,’ NAACP says. Here’s her response."