About 100 parents and community members recently crammed into the Adams Elementary cafeteria after Seattle Public Schools announced that Anitra Jones would be the Ballard school’s next principal. The appointment lit a fire under the crowd, setting off a tense, hours-long meeting where families insisted they deserved a real say in who runs their neighborhood school. Their anger goes back to Jones’ tenure at Rainier View Elementary, where complaints from teachers and parents, along with a state ruling, still hang in the air.
As reported by FOX 13 Seattle, nearly 40 people stepped up to the microphone during a Seattle School Board meeting, while protesters held signs urging the district to rethink the move. The station quoted Adams PTA vice president Kerry Lynd and parent Christine Tryba, who called for an “open hire” process that would let parents and teachers participate directly in choosing the principal.
Past findings at Rainier View
In 2024, a state labor hearing examiner concluded that Jones unlawfully discriminated against several Rainier View staff members because of their protected union activity and ordered Seattle Public Schools to withdraw negative evaluations and change certain practices, according to The Seattle Times. That ruling, combined with long-running complaints about staff turnover and student discipline at Rainier View, sits at the center of the objections now coming from Adams families.
District response and the meeting
Superintendent Ben Shuldiner has described Jones as an “award-winning educator” and said he understands the community’s passion, but he told reporters he was unsettled by how the cafeteria meeting played out, FOX 13 Seattle reports. District chief of staff Bev Redmond urged families to give Jones a chance, and officials said the school board is reviewing the concerns raised by parents and staff.
Legal and contractual constraints
Washington law provides protections and formal procedures for continuing-contract certificated employees that can restrict how districts remove or reassign principals. The rules are spelled out in RCW 28A.405.210. Those requirements help explain why district leaders say their options are limited and why community members are pressing so hard for more transparency around leadership decisions.
What comes next
Adams families say they plan to keep pushing the school board for an open hiring process and clear safeguards for staff and students. School officials say they will continue listening and reviewing possible next steps. Union leaders and advocates, for their part, say they will closely monitor Jones’ placement and may consider further action if they feel the district is not adequately addressing the community’s concerns.
