Rep. Pat Sullivan and Sen. Joe Fain, legislators from the 47th District, were two of the principal negotiators who helped find the final pieces of the McCleary puzzle.

District legislators – Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, and Reps. Mark Hargrove, R-Covington, and Pat Sullivan, D-Covington – fielded questions from more than 200 people who packed a room at the Golden Steer Steak ‘n Rib House for the town hall meeting.

Senate Bill 5064, introduced by Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, would designate school media as “public forums for expression” and make students responsible for determining content so long as it is not slanderous or libelous, unjustly invades privacy, violates federal or state law or encourages students to break school rules or commit crimes.

“It’s about expanding the culture of freedom of speech and freedom of the press so that more students have an appreciation of that early on,” Fain said. “Beyond that, we need watchdogs.”

Senate Bill 6233, sponsored by Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, follows a wave of efforts nationwide to clarify students’ rights to free speech in publications and broadcasts, regardless of whether students are participating in a class or if schools financially support the media.

Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, and his wife, Steffanie, hosted a holiday reception fundraiser at their home for the Auburn Public Schools Foundation on Dec. 15.

The state Supreme Court "missed the mark" recently when it found the voter-approved initiative that created charter schools in the state unconstitutional.

"It's our responsibility to ensure all students receive a quality education," Fain said. "All-day kindergarten expansion is prioritized for schools with the most at-risk students from low-income and minority families, who are disproportionately left behind by our current education system. This will help students begin their academic career on the right track and ensure a child's academic achievement is not determined by their zip code."

State Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, recounted to attendees his first meeting with Sefrioui several years ago when Sefrioui told Fain about his vision for a charter school. "He talked about the technology," Fain said. "He talked about the hurdles and he talked about the people he wanted to get involved. He talked about the steps he was going to take. As much as I am a believer in this model and what we are doing here, I looked at him and I thought to myself, 'My goodness, you're crazy.' And he very quickly made me, and a lot of people, a believer of what is about to start here today."

Fain also addressed the students who will make up the first class at Excel and the challenges they may encounter.

"This is going to be tough because it is new and it is different ...," he said. "You are going to be the ones, you students are going to be the ones to determine whether your friend learns their material and gets their homework done. That is what community is all about. That's what this school is all about."

Kent Reporter

"Sen. Fain and Rep. Sullivan share our vision of improving public education for all of Washington's students," said LEV CEO Chris Korsmo. "LEV is proud to endorse these two candidates for reelection."