Media Reports

2022

February 11, 2022

Utah is now working to make its schools safe.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2022/02/11/utah-has-schools-that/

February 10, 2022

“Hundreds of school buildings across the state, from tsunami zones on the coast to seismically active areas inland, face a high risk of serious damage,” said Sen. David Frockt (D-Seattle), the sponsor of SB 5933

https://www.shorelineareanews.com/2022/02/senate-unanimously-approves-major.html

February 10, 2022

The Washington Senate has unanimously approved a measure that would allow older schools at high risk of threat from earthquakes or tsunamis to get state dollars to replace or retrofit buildings.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2022-02-10/washington-senate-approves-seismic-safety-bill-for-schools#:~:text=The%20Washington%20Senate%20has%20unanimously,to%20replace%20or%20retrofit%20buildings.&text=Feb.%2010%2C%202022%2C%20at%203%3A18%20p.m.&text=OLYMPIA%2C%20Wash

January 31, 2022

Most Washington voters think upgrading our seismically vulnerable school buildings is a state responsibility, NPI poll finds

January 28, 2022

A bipartisan group of state senators proposed putting a referendum about the retrofitting or relocation of unsafe schools on next November's Washington ballot. https://www.kuow.org/stories/earthquake-safety-of-schools-on-ballot-on-washington-coast-feb-8-possibly-statewide-in-november

January 26th, 2022

Big news! Meaningful school seismic safety bills have been introduced in the Legislature- https://www.nwprogressive.org/weblog/2022/01/big-news-meaningful-school-seismic-safety-bills-have-been-introduced-in-the-legislature.html

 

January 19, 2022

(The Center Square) – The Washington State Department of Natural Resources last year released its school safety report after a four-year investigation. Officials in Washington state have identified 561 school buildings that could be at risk from a seismic event such as an earthquake or tsunami.  https://www.thecentersquare.com/washington/hundreds-of-washington-schools-in-danger-from-seismic-shifts/article_c4880ce6-7967-11ec-ad50-ef1c70a0fcfc.html

 

The OSPI along with the Washington Geological Survey, part of the Department of Natural Resources, has surveyed 561 school buildings. https://www.king5.com/article/weather/earthquakes/state-chipping-away-at-surveying-washingtons-most-seismically-vulnerable-schools/281-f5835597-6e8e-4c98-a964-a7d4217a99fb

2021

December 29, 2021

“Public education is supposed to be the great equalizer in our democracy,” reads the complaint filed Tuesday in Wahkiakum County Superior Court. “Our state government’s failure to amply fund the Wahkiakum School District’s capital needs, however, does the opposite. It makes our public schools a perpetuator of class inequality.”

 

November 21, 2021

"IT’S NOT HARD to design structures to survive earthquakes relatively unscathed. Critical facilities such as hospitals and fire stations are required to be built for “immediate occupancy,” the higher standard that Beaverton wanted to apply to its new schools. All it takes are bigger footings, more robust shear walls, stronger connections and more steel bracing, Yu explains."

 

September 12, 2021

Hundreds of Washington schools start new year with ‘F’ on quake safety, Tom Banse (Northwest News Network, Sept. 12, 2021 6 a.m.)  https://www.opb.org/article/2021/09/12/washington-schools-not-earthquake-safe/

2019

July 2, 2019 

Major quake would cause loss of life at many Washington schools, study finds, KOMO  https://komonews.com/news/local/major-quake-would-cause-loss-of-life-at-many-wash-schools-study-finds

 

July 1, 2019

If a big earthquake hits, many Washington schools at ‘high risk’, Evan Bush Seattle Times staff reporter  https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/if-a-big-earthquake-hits-many-washington-schools-at-high-risk/

2018

March 28, 2019

72 percent of Washington schools at high risk from earthquakes, Glenn Farley, KING 5 TV, (3/28/2018 5:49:36 PM) https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/72-percent-of-washington-schools-at-high-or-very-high-risk-from-quakes/281-532980773

2016

July 15, 2016
We should be screaming’ with outrage: State does little to protect school kids from earthquake, tsunami, Sandi Doughton  and Daniel Gilbert Seattle Times reporters "https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/times-watchdog/is-your-child-safe-washington-state-does-little-to-protect-older-schools-from-earthquakes-tsunami/"