What Happened at City Hall:
And Why We’re Still Showing Up
Last Thursday, FEEST showed up at City Hall ready to fight for their vision of safety, care, and justice in schools. We stood beside Councilmember Rinck and a coalition of community partners to support four critical amendments to the FEPP Levy—amendments rooted in years of student-led organizing.
But when it came time to vote, only one of those four amendments passed.
And even that win came at a cost—City Council voted to remove the phrase “school-to-prison pipeline” from the amendment, calling it “too controversial.”
We’re disappointed. But we’re not backing down.
🗓️ Monday, June 16, is the second and final day of public comment on the FEPP Levy.
If you care about youth leadership, real safety in schools, and investing in what students actually need, this is the time to speak up.
👉🏽 Sign up to give public comment (in-person or via Zoom)
📧 Email all councilmembers — Subject: Support Amendments to the FEPP Levy
What is the FEPP Levy?
The FEPP (Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise) Levy is a voter-approved fund that supports key programs in Seattle’s public schools, like early learning, K-12 academic support, and college and career readiness. The current amendment cycle was an opportunity to make sure these public dollars reflect the real needs of our communities.
What We Fought For
FEEST partnered with Councilmember Rinck’s office to support the following community-developed amendments:
- Amendment 1: Ensure school safety approaches are non-punitive and do not contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline. (Passed with changes: “school-to-prison pipeline” language was struck.)
- Amendment 5: Restore funding for Fresh Bucks, giving families better access to fresh, healthy food. (Did not pass.)
- Amendment 7: Expand funding for restorative justice training and programming in schools.
(Did not pass.) - Amendment 8: Increase support for immigrant and refugee communities and other groups most impacted by systemic barriers (Did not pass.)
These are real, community-rooted solutions that students have been organizing for—loudly and clearly—for years.
Watch the Press Conference + Council Vote
💬 Youth Testimony + Community Power
Before the meeting, Councilmember Rinck hosted a press conference where FEEST Youth Organizer Yuna delivered a powerful testimony that reminded councilmembers exactly what’s at stake. You can read her full speech below.
Her words—and those of other speakers from Seattle Student Union, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, WA-BLOC, and Washington Youth Alliance—moved the room. Together, we made it clear that our communities are paying attention, and we’re demanding more than lip service—we want real, lasting investment in youth.
Thank you all for centering the voices of young people into the narrative. And an intentional thank you to Councilmember Rinck for prioritizing the voices of young people and community, by calling for this conversation.
My name is Yuna, and I am a youth organizer for FEEST. FEEST is a youth-led organization that trains students of color and working-class youth to build collective power and organize for change in their schools. We work in schools in the South End, and our students represent communities that are historically under-resourced and unsupported. My role is to echo the unified voices of young people, their schools, and communities who have experienced the impact of this levy firsthand.
WE believe the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise Levy and Amendments 1, 5, 7, and 8 are a reflection of the values and priorities young people, especially youth of color, have been demanding for years.
FEEST’s work and impact has been strengthened by these resources, and so has the work and impact of many of our partner schools and organizations who share our values and priorities. These dollars build stronger schools and stronger communities.
In 2020, we listened, and were led by, students in Seattle Public Schools when they said that police presence in the halls was causing more harm than good. We joined WA-BLOC and Black Minds Matter to call for the removal of police officers (often called School Resource Officers) from Seattle Public Schools, collecting over 20,000 signatures. And we won. That campaign wasn’t just about removing harm, it was about building something better: real safety, community care, and healing.
And it is working.
These equity-driven investments are already improving outcomes for young people. DEEL’s 2022 FEPP report highlights gains in academic achievement, lower dropout rates, greater safety and belonging, and families feeling more centered in the education system.
I’ve heard powerful first-hand accounts of what these investments mean to our City’s youth. One student shared, ‘I understand that students can make a change with their voices (and I am) now more confident in myself and about the impact I have on my community.’
These amendments fund fresh food, restorative justice, and tangible support for youth and families navigating systemic barriers. They make it clear: public dollars should be used to support, not criminalize, young people.
We urge the council and the school board to prevent the return of officers in our school and to pass these community-developed amendments and this levy. Let’s keep investing in what works.
Thank you.
What Comes Next
This is not the end of the story.
We’re continuing to meet with school board directors and district staff about the moratorium on police in schools, and we’re committed to making sure students’ voices lead this conversation, like they always have.
But right now, we need your help.
Let’s keep showing up. Let’s keep demanding more. Let’s keep fighting for a city that sees students as full people and funds what they need to thrive.
👉🏽 Sign up to give public comment
📧 Send an email to City Council:
council@seattle.gov
📧 Email councilmembers and tell them: Support the amendments. Keep police out of our schools!
Show FEEST some love!
FEEST is able to support Seattle youth as they change their communities for the better due in part to the generosity of people just like you. Join the movement by donating today, or sign up for our newsletter to get the latest and greatest news straight from FEEST headquarters!