As Garfield High School recently welcomed parents to school for curriculum night, decisions are being made that could hard-reset the school year for many students. After Seattle Public Schools failed to correctly estimate enrollment at Garfield by 123 students, Garfield is losing funding equivalent to two teaching positions, and potentially hundreds of students will have their schedules rearranged. 

This process, often referred to as an “October Shuffle,” is common practice at SPS. Last year there were many high profile cases of shuffles at elementary schools, which made class sizes smaller to meet state requirements. This year at Garfield, class sizes are smaller after a year of shootings that left many with safety concerns about the school. Now, in addition to the immeasurable pain the community is feeling, Garfield is teetering on the edge of pandemic-esque uncertainty.

According to Garfield teachers, the shuffle could at worst, result in two teachers leaving, and at best (though still not good) mean some teachers go part time. Although this decision was made by the district, the painful process of choosing which teachers to either show the door to or take classes away from is left to the teaching body. This process of deciding which departments will bear the brunt of cuts is creating internal friction at Garfield; every department is vital and cuts to any of them will be detrimental to teachers and students. Any possible outcome ends in a massive strain to a department. No matter what happens, the only thing that is certain is the unpopularity of these cuts.

Read more about the October shuffle in the next issue of the Messenger.