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Parents report assaults, classroom disruptions; board urges staff follow-up
Summary
Several public commenters described on-campus assaults and frequent classroom disruptions at district schools and said they had seen little accountability; the board and superintendent said staff would follow up and pointed to reporting resources.
Multiple parents told the Washington Unified board on Jan. 23 about assaults and repeated disruptive behavior at school sites and asked the district to increase accountability and follow-up.
Kelly Gomez, a parent of four children in the district, said her son was assaulted twice on campus and gave other recent examples in which substitute and classroom teachers were mocked by students and incidents resulted in minimal apparent disciplinary consequences. Gomez said she attended a school meeting where staff praised a decrease in suspension rates, while students reported that adults "don't do anything" about behavioral problems.
Board members and the superintendent acknowledged the comments, asked district staff to follow up directly with affected families and reminded the public that certain discipline outcomes involving other students are confidential. Superintendent Hildreth and trustees said the district will ensure staff contact the parent and that there are online reporting options for bullying and misconduct.
The board also noted that some parents asked for clearer communication about steps the district is taking to address vaping and restroom safety at River City High School; trustees requested status updates and more information for the affected school communities.
Why it matters: Parents described incidents that they say affect student safety and learning. The district committed to follow-up, and board members asked for staff to provide contact and case follow-up while respecting student privacy laws.
