David Douglas teachers tell board classrooms are unsafe amid repeated violent incidents

Multiple teachers described repeated violent incidents and chronic disruptions in David Douglas classrooms during the board’s public‑comment period, saying current supports have not prevented long‑term harm to students and staff.

At the board meeting, third‑grade teacher Amy Spencer described a student who “stabbed me in the shoulder area multiple times with a pencil” and left a lasting scar; she said behaviors in recent years left her considering leaving the profession. “It took almost the entire school year for them to be placed in a classroom that better suited their needs,” Spencer said, adding that other students in her class lost learning time and felt unsafe.

Third‑grade teacher Joe Spinrad told trustees he has experienced “significant difficulties with extreme behaviors” across three years at Gilbert Park Elementary and estimated the class lost about an hour of instructional time per day — “about 200 hours of instructional time” in one year, a conservative calculation he offered. He described repeated incidents including desk overturning, hitting and use of scissors as a weapon that required new classroom restrictions and reduced opportunities for typical lessons.

Kindergarten teacher Joanna Friedman said her student with an IEP frequently climbed on desks and required constant supervision. Friedman said a parent’s medical recommendation for a 1‑on‑1 aide was denied by the district, a decision she described as “disheartening” when staff and peers face safety risks during unassisted periods.

Elementary music specialist Jessica Jude said classrooms with 30 or more students — many of them language learners or students with identified special‑education needs — cannot safely absorb classmates who display clinically significant outbursts. “With class sizes over 30… we absolutely cannot handle one single student screaming all day long, punching adults and children alike, running up and down the halls and disrupting the learning of hundreds of kids,” Jude said.

Several speakers described physical injuries to staff. Colleen Valla read a statement from Nhan Dodson, who is recovering from surgery after an incident in which a student’s aggressive behavior caused a torn meniscus. “The physical pain was significant, but the emotional and psychological toll has been even greater,” the statement said.

Alice Everharder, president of the David Douglas Education Association, echoed teachers’ testimony and noted a bargaining outcome that created a “continuum of services” task force meant to identify a range of interventions from low‑cost classroom practices to major investments such as new programs or facilities. “Our administrators and our teachers need to know that you are behind them,” Everharder told the board.

Board members thanked speakers and signaled interest in more information. Superintendent Ken and staff acknowledged the district has a task force underway and that some changes, including staffing or placement changes, can be constrained by timelines, legal requirements and available funding.

What the speakers asked for in this meeting ranged from more rapid access to individual aides and appropriate placements to clearer referral and disciplinary pathways and faster turnaround on assessments that establish eligibility for special‑education services. Several witnesses urged the board to press state lawmakers for increased funding for high‑need students; union leaders and staff said district bargaining had already set aside funds for class‑size reduction to address some immediate needs.

The board did not take formal action on the testimony during the meeting. Trustees said staff would bring more detailed briefings and that the continuum‑of‑services task force would continue meeting to propose concrete options for the board to consider.

Ending: The board heard many speakers describe personal injury, long‑term instructional loss and eroding staff morale. District staff described next steps including continued task‑force work and follow‑up briefings to trustees.