Shoreline Historical Museum Future Uncertain AGAIN!
photo credit - Vicki Westberg
Shoreline/LFP voters may recall that there was an eleventh hour negotiation hatched before the Shoreline School Levy/Bond election with the Shoreline Historical Museum. This deal involved an "Agreement in Principle" in which the Museum (located in the historic Ronald School) would purchase an adjoining property, and historic building would be moved a few hundred yards to make room for the new Shorewood HS. In exchange, there would be support for passing the Bond/Levy from Museum supporters. Museum supporters assumed this was all done in "good faith" by the parties involved and many agreed to support the Bond/Levy campaign and vote "yes".
Well now, unfortunately the idea of buying the adjoining property is doubtful, at least from the current owner. Another buyer, who had a longstanding arrangement (right of first refusal) with the owner has
agreed to purchase the property in question, that had been suitable to move the Ronald School to.
This leaves the Museum without a new location. And it leaves museum supporters wondering many questions:
•How was this likely outcome not known or anticipated by the School District and City who brokered and agreed to this deal?
•How is it that a Landmarked Historic building is left hanging in the balance?
•How is it that the School District proposed rebuilding Shorewood and asked the voters to approve $150 million in Bonds, with the intention that would lead to this circumstance? The voters assumed the district had solved this problem and was committed to save the museum before the Bond/Levy vote.
•How is it that a SEPA process was done by the school district, and cultural and historic elements were not considered of environmental significance enough "mitigate" in the plan (how will the building and community be affected if it is literally moved to a new location?)
•How can a City of 50,000 people face losing a cultural asset like the Shoreline Historical Museum?
•How can the Shoreline School District even think of destroying this treasure in order to build a fancy new facade for its shiny new High School?
•Isn't history a value in our community and local history subject taught in High School?
• And ultimately, what is the value of having a real Historical Museum in a real Historical Building in our City?
Answer:
It is an asset of nearly incalculable value to our community. And our school district needs to get back to basics in understanding these fundamentals of education.
Losing the Shoreline Historical Museum and Ronald School is NOT and option.
Our leaders need to find a solution.
Save Our Shoreline Historical Museum! Save the Ronald Elementary School!
photo credit-Janet Way
MLK Day Rally - photo credit Steve Schneider
Posts
As far as prioritizing a fancy facade for a shiny new high school over a more comprehensive or complete local museum goes. Here is one big picture look at this:
ReplyDeleteI am convinced that all public school systems in the U.S. tend focus on what our larger ruling class wants them to. That would be a limited rather than a big picture, full scope education. An "education" that will ready them for an institutionalized culture lacking in well rounded, fully aware, fully knowledgeable, very capable, graduates with full scope knowledge that such subjects as history can provide(For example,I haven't heard yet of 'The Peoples History of the World' by Howard Zinn ever being even suggested reading let alone a required one. Please alert me if it ever has or when it does.) Definitely one filled with competition via plenty of room for competitive sports. It is a known fact that it is essential to encourage such a habit as the competitive spirit if some leaders wish to divide and conquer so as to get what they want-competition for jobs to grow the growth economy and grow wealth for the few, and military enlistees to fight "the others not on our team". It doesn't appear that they prefer to focus on encouraging students to think broadly enough to easily create a truly peaceful, sustainable, and healthy world. I think just enough curriculum and sports ethics are tossed in to have us think all is well-or at least pretty good.
The fancy facade and school sounds like an intentional way to advertise the school as a local attraction. One that will attract hoards of more families, and one that anyone would feel welcome to enter. Only why would a wise, aware, clear thinking person wish to enter knowing what was sacrificed in order to to build that shiny new thing. Well, of course! We all need to be able to put history behind us and look forward to joining the wonderful world of buying shiny new things so that our growth economy can survive and all the Big Bankers, Big Corporatists, and War profiteers will be very pleased.
Deat JEDH,
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree with your statement;
"Only why would a wise, aware, clear thinking person wish to enter knowing what was sacrificed in order to to build that shiny new thing. Well, of course! We all need to be able to put history behind us and look forward to joining the wonderful world of buying shiny new things so that our growth economy can survive and all the Big Bankers, Big Corporatists, and War profiteers will be very pleased."
It is really a folly for the District to go down this road. It is the height of hubris. And ultimately, it will probably bankrupt the districts' voters who fund it.
We can have both a new High School AND a wonderful Museum in a Landmarked building. Why is the District making the taxpayers chose one over the other. It's a Hobson's choice.
All they need to do is design the building "around" the Ronald School and preserve this very worthwhile thing for our whole community, and give us something to be proud of, rather than something to break hearts and pocketbooks.
Thank you!