Seattle Interagency Academy rocked by 6 student deaths in 6 months

Six students from a Seattle alternative high school have died from suicide and murder this year. Who were they and why hasn't this tragedy been front-page news?  Kaaren Andrews, principal of the Interagency Academy, sits down with host Katy Sewall following the memorial for their most recent loss, James.

 James (pictured above), was the sixth student that died this year at Seattle's Interagency Academy. Principal Kaaren Andrews was interviewed following a memorial service put on by his fellow students.  (Picture credit: Kaaren Andrews)

Who is Homeless?

Why are certain groups of young people - like LGBT and African American youth - far more likely to experience homelessness? 

​Crosscut's Editor-in-Chief, Mary Bruno moderates a conversation with expert panelists including Expert panelists include Shannon Perez-Darby, Youth Services Program Director at the Northwest Network, Eleta Wright, Outreach Case Manager at Auburn Youth Resources, and Megan Gibbard, Homeless Youth and Young Adult Project Manager of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County, Sara Rankin, Associate Professor of Lawyering Skills at Seattle University School of Law, Trai Williams, from Mockingbird Society and  Northwest Networks.

The Elephant In The Room: Why Can't Seattle Keep A School Superintendent?

Seattle has a hard time holding on to a school superintendent. But it isn't unique. It's a hard job with a very short tenure. 

Like football coaches and baseball managers, superintendents face opposition and criticism from many quarters.  This October conversation with 3 area activists is about the difficulty of finding a superintendent. Zithri Ahmed Saleem, director of education at Technology Access Foundation; Yalonda Gill Masundire, co-president of Community Parents For Public Schools, Seattle; Kimberly Mitchell is the Founder and CEO of Inquiry Partners. Steve Scher is host.

This is a program from Crosscut.com

The Elephant In The Room: Is Bertha Toast?

Seattle's multi-billion dollar Viaduct replacement tunnel is in trouble.

The shaky waterfront Viaduct has settled into the loose soil. Buildings and streets above the new tunnel have sunk and cracks have appeared in some streets and foundations. Bertha, the tunneling machine, is stuck. Digging the deep pit  in order to get access to the damaged  drill head may be making things worse.  How close is this project to getting tagged as a boondoggle.

Crosscut writers Matt Fikse-Verkerk and Knute Berger join Steve Scher at Zeitgeist Coffee, just blocks from the troubled project, to ask, Is Bertha Toast?

How May I Help? Encouraging Stronger Families Through Home Visits

Kids thrive in strong, safe and supportive families.  It seems basic common sense and it has been proven again and again through solid research.

Of course, no one sets out to be a poor parent.  The consequences for abused or neglected children are personally and socially devastating.  In a real sense, taxpayers accept an expensive laissez-faire approach to  poor parenting that winds up costing billions later in programs that try to undo the consequences of weak family situations. 

Here now, a conversation about the work being done to teach better parenting  skills in a way that opens up the opportunity to heal broken families and open fair paths to opportunity. Our guests are

Liliana Lengua, Professor of Psychology and the Director of University of Washington Center for Child and Family; Marcy Miller , Director of Home Visiting for Thrive by Five Washington, the state’s primary private partner in creating a statewide early learning system; Michelle Sarju, Director of Programs at Open Arms Perinatal Services, a non profit offering this community based program since 1997

How Can I Help? Encouraging Stronger Families Through Home Visits is hosted by Steve Scher and produced by Katy Sewall.

This  Crosscut Media Program supported by The Giddens Foundation

Pay Attention To Me: How Neglect Shapes The Brain

A neglected child is damaged socially, psychologically and physically. The developing brain of a neglected child is malformed. But end the neglect, the brain, body and mind heal.

Danielle Goodwin is a peer counselor for parents. She brings her own life story to the work. She was often neglected by her mother, a drug user. She was abused by a succession of men. She lived on the streets. She had 5 kids before court ordered counseling helped her turned her life around. Her story is told in Stacey Solie's 4 part Crosscut series on neglect and the brain. UW Assistant Psychology Professor Katie McLaughlin's work is at the cutting edge of new research on how the human brain is shaped by trauma. This conversation was produced by Katy Sewall and Steve Scher for Crosscut.