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The 47th District: Issues, Insight & Interaction

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Education Issues Pending

February 5th, 2010 at Fri, 5th, 2010 at 3:28 pm by lesliehamada

 

By now you have seen the headlines of the ruling of KC Superior Court Judge Erlick in his ruling to fully fund Education. Of course, the State has the right to appeal this ruling. In addition, this ruling carries no timeline for the Wa. State legislature to comply with the ruling. Many factors are still up in the air but it is an important ruling because it forces our legislators to begin to at least have conversations on how we are going to address these issues. It comes at our most challenging economic times. I am confident that the good people of Washington will find a way to creatively make things work more effectively for all the Kids in our State. The make  up of our schools and the times have in my opinion changed so dramatically that our school system has not been able to keep up. What worked 10 years ago may not work today. We have new issues as a society to deal with and competition that is Global which never happened when I attended school. I think just like in our Politics we have to start listening to each others opinions in a more civil way and just because we have differences of opinion—not be so quick to just walk away from the table. We need to find that common link to humanity and the common good and start gearing all our policies and conversations toward it. On another Education Issue and really a health issue. Before the Rules Committee which just passed out of the House Education Committee is a Bill which would help reduce costs to Washington State in the obesity column. It is HJM 4002 and it carries no money with it. Urge the rules committee to pull it out for a vote. Your health costs and mine could benefit from it.

I look forward to an open exchange of topics and issues that I am heavily involved with from day to day. In the meantime—

Make each day matter because none of us knows how many we have. Seize the moment–

the busy Bee buzzing on the streets

Leslie is a wife, mother, & grandmother. She has worked in marketing, communications, & writing professionally. For the past 17 years she has resided in the Covington area and doing volunteer work in the King County Area. While her children attended University Place Schools she was actively involved in youth activities and PTA. She was in executive leadership in the organization as President in school PTA on all levels. In addition she held a District PTA leadership position. Currently her youngest child Lisa is a teacher and last year was recognized as NASPE 2009 High School Physical Education Teacher of the Nation. Her two sons are employed in Computer and engineer firms. She has two beautiful grandchildren. Leslie's pride & joy is Pee Wee Hamada her stay at home Cocker spaniel and her inspiration for her first Children's Book: "Pee Wee's Adventure In the Woods" which addresses boundaries for young children and safety issues through an exciting animal book. Leslie has been actively involved in her Community volunteering for over 40 years. She has mentored in high risk elementary schools since college. Presently she is Director for emergency services for her church Kent United Methodist. She is Chair of the Kent Ecumenical Network Board. It is her sixth year on Catholic Community Advocacy Board. She received an award last year from Governor Gregoire for work with felons. This past year she was recognized for work in social justice and poverty by the South King County Human Service Commission. Last year she received an award from the Southern Sudanese Organization in Seattle. In 2005 she received the SKC Award for the Spirit of Caring. In 2005 she traveled to San Francisco to work at the Soup Kitchen of Glide Memorial and help with immigrant Chinese pre-school students at Gum Moon Community. Her passion is working with kids and social justice issues. Presently she is working to start a Kids Boxing Program in the Kent East Hill area to give the kids a great after school program.

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