In this episode of Rainy Day Recess, host Christie Robertson interviews Vivian Song, a candidate for the District 5 seat on the Seattle School Board. As a former school board director making a comeback run, Vivian brings insider knowledge of Seattle Public Schools' $1.2 billion budget and her perspective on the board's challenges. She expresses frustration that "we haven't made much progress" on equitable budgeting since 2021 and argues the district struggles with community engagement—pointing to reactions over school closures, bell times, and option schools. Her platform centers on restoring institutional structures like Finance committees and Friday memos, addressing budget areas like bus transportation and substitutes, and finding a superintendent who can create long-term visions instead of "lurching from crisis to crisis." She proposes systematic community feedback tracking modeled after City Councilmember Debora Juarez's newsletters and advocates for a hybrid approach balancing school autonomy with district oversight. With experience on multiple levy oversight committees and international school systems, she offers a data-driven perspective shaped by previous board service. Listeners are encouraged to check out interviews with other District 5 candidates and stay informed for the upcoming elections.
Timestamps:
- 01:07 Interview start
- 01:19 Lightning Round
- 06:07 Main interview questions
- 17:55 Preview of other D5 candidates
Contact us at hello@rainydayrecess.org.
Rainy Day Recess music by Lester Mayo, logo by Cheryl Jenrow.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.