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-My name is Ben Gitenstein.

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I'm running for Seattle
School Board because I believe

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every kid in Seattle deserves
a great public school,

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and Seattle schools
should be great

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for every kid and every family.

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Our city is home
to the most talented educators,

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the most innovative companies,

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and the most supportive voters
in America.

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But if we don't make a different
choice in this election,

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we risk losing much
of what we've spent

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the last few decades building.

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Over the next two years,
our schools face

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more than $200 million
in budget shortfalls,

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and that's after using
our rainy day fund

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to get out of
this year's budget crisis.

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As a result, the district is
quietly but relentlessly

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moving to close
neighborhood schools

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in a misguided attempt to
cut costs and drive efficiency.

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But closing schools won't bring
back the thousands of kids

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we are losing
in declining enrollment.

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And it won't shrink
our operating costs

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or balance our budget.

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Even worse, closing schools

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will not shrink
our disgraceful achievement gap.

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Today, only a third of
the students who most need help,

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those furthest
from educational justice,

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are meeting targets
for math and reading.

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We need a new vision
for Seattle Public Schools.

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We need to expand the programs
that bring families

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to Seattle Public,
not shrink them.

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We need to embrace neighborhood
schools, not close them.

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We need to challenge
the status quo, not accept it.

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I was endorsed
by The Seattle Times

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because I am willing
to ask hard questions

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and speak truth to power.

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As your school board director,

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I will fight school closures,
demand better outcomes,

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and work for a bolder
and bigger new future

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for Seattle Public Schools.

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I would appreciate your vote.