Parents and teachers press Washington Unified to address staff safety, unauthorized recordings and pay; Riverbank staff defend new principal

Dozens of speakers used public comment time at the Oct. 23 Washington Unified School District meeting to press the board on two interrelated concerns: growing community friction that district employees say has included unauthorized filming and harassment, and long‑running disputes over compensation for classified staff and teachers.

Maria Grijalva of the Latino Information and Resource Center told the board she had filed an HR complaint alleging that a Spanish‑speaking parent at Riverbank Elementary was followed and confronted by Principal Katie Rodriguez after the parent failed to sign in precisely. Grijalva said the principal called police within minutes and later filed a police report that the parent had refused to leave; Grijalva said that account was not accurate. "We filed an HR complaint against the principal because she was denying a reasonable…