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Parent says Mukilteo denied exchange student’s enrollment days before term; district asked to show flexibility
Summary
A parent told the board an Italian exchange student who had prepared to attend Mariner High School was denied enrollment days before school started and was admitted instead to Glacier Peak; the parent urged the district to prioritize compassion and accountability.
At the Mukilteo School Board meeting on Sept. 24, parent Paige Johnson criticized the district for denying enrollment to an Italian exchange student assigned to Mariner High School days before the term began.
Johnson said the student arrived after months of coordination, had received a schedule, taken placement tests, joined the swim team and attended school events but was denied admittance “near days before school started.” Johnson said the host family was forced to scramble and the student ultimately enrolled at Glacier Peak High School.
“It’s a strain on their family as well as on her,” Johnson said, describing long travel times to Glacier Peak and the Snohomish Aquatic Center for swim practice. She said the denial came after “some poor school district employee was doing their best but didn't know the intricacies of the policy,” and she argued the district should have shown flexibility and compassion in this case.
Johnson said the incident eroded trust: “That promise should have been kept… You should have shown that people matter more than policies.” She urged the board to back employees, act with integrity and prioritize students’ wellbeing.
The board acknowledged the comments and said it would respond in writing as appropriate; no formal board action on the case was recorded at the meeting.
