How to pass a school bond

Dissecting Sequim School District's winning strategy

The very institution responsible for educating our children has embraced a new strategy—one you’d never teach your own kids.

Do it during a special election

Voter turnout in special elections is typically lower than in general elections. In a small community like Sequim, where the school district employs hundreds of people, this lower turnout benefits the district. Those with a direct stake in the district’s success—employees, their spouses, neighbors, and friends—are more likely to vote, while many other residents may not participate in the election.

Change the ballot language

This time, the Sequim School District collaborated with a national law firm to draft the ballot language. For the first time, the bond amount ($145,950,000) was omitted from the ballot title and instead buried under nine lines of text. The ballot title was also changed from “school improvements” to “replace and upgrade deteriorating schools and improve safety.”

Keep a low profile

The ballot language was submitted to Clallam and Jefferson Counties in December, when many residents were unaware that a school bond would be on the February ballot. Anyone who felt the ballot title and description were not “true and impartial” or believed the language created bias for or against the measure had only ten days to challenge it. This was during the holiday season when public attention was focused elsewhere.

Endorsement

Receive support from the County’s largest private employer. With 1,000 employees, the Jamestown Corporation holds significant influence. Ironically, many of their properties have been converted into trust land and do not contribute to the school bond and levy they support.

Commissioners spread misinformation

The School District requested endorsements for the bond and levy from the Clallam County Commissioners, who complied. When asked whether interest was included in the bond amount, Commissioners Johnson and Ozias refused to answer. Commissioner Mike French incorrectly stated that the $145,950,000 bond amount included interest. In reality, the projected interest would add another $100 million, significantly increasing the financial burden on taxpayers.

Break rules, provide a template, and hoodwink

The Sequim City Council violated its own rules—and possibly state law—after the School District requested an endorsement of its ballot measures and even provided a template for doing so. The Council hastily scheduled a special meeting to approve the endorsement. The timing and communication of the meeting suggest an effort to notify supporters while keeping opponents uninformed.

Bend the truth

During the School District’s January 23rd Q&A session at the high school library, Director of Facilities Michael Santos explained:

"In modern education architecture, they have what's called 'the one button lockdown.' Somebody in the administrative space, if there's a problem, the one-button lockdown happens. Which means it locks all the doors. It doesn't matter what kind of campus you're on. Here [at Sequim High School] we can't do that, at [Helen] Haller [Elementary School] we can't do that. And the reason being is we can't electrify the doors. The reason we can't electrify the doors is we can't get the wire to them."

A voter asked a question:

Voter: “Are the security upgrades a legal requirement?”

Santos: “Yes. It's not specific as to means, methods or systems, but it says you must have certain access control, and certain means to lock the school down. That's the way the law reads.”

Voter: “So the wires to every door are a legal requirement?”

Santos: “If you want to lock the doors they are. Remotely.”

Later in the presentation, Director Santos clarified:

Santos: “I just need to clarify one thing. And to your question about security, sir. I just need to make sure I understood it in the right context. Were you asking me the question about security in the context of new construction or current state?”

Voter: “Well, both.”

Santos: “So, current state, we're grandfathered. Understand that. So, new construction it’s required. Does that make sense? So if we were to go back and do a retrofit at Greywolf and at the middle school, it's a requirement. So, as we are today, we're grandfathered.”

When asked to provide the law that requires a one-button lockdown, Superintendent Nickels sent a link to RCW 28A.335.010, which states:

"Every board of directors, unless otherwise specifically provided by law, shall... consider installing a perimeter security control mechanism or system on all school campuses, as appropriate to the design of the campus."

The law does not mention “require.” The costly one-button lockdown doors are merely to be “considered.”

Today’s lesson is…

Sequim School District’s new strategy can be summed up in two words:

Suppress transparency.