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Parents tell Issaquah School Board they want clear timeline and protections after Spanish-course disruption
Summary
Multiple parents urged the Issaquah School District to provide clearer communication, a timeline and student safeguards after a personnel investigation removed an Issaquah High School Spanish teacher from classroom duties, leaving about 150 students with disrupted instruction, parents said.
Several parents used the public comment period at the Issaquah School District board meeting to press district leaders for clearer information and faster action after a teacher in the high school Spanish program was removed from classroom duties pending an investigation.
“Communication from the district to affected students and families has been minimal and inadequate,” said Melissa Stefani, a parent of a sophomore and a senior at Issaquah High School, adding that about 150 students were affected and had gone roughly 18 school days without what she described as appropriate instruction. “We are asking the district to communicate clearly and directly with these students. Let them know what is happening. Provide a plan.”
Other parents said the lack of response from district officials has eroded trust. Jason Lane, a parent at Endeavor Elementary, said families and staff have made repeated requests for information for about three weeks and have received “almost no response.” He asked whether a formal investigation has been started and what safeguards are in place for staff, saying parents are seeking procedural clarity rather than confidential case details.
Julie Carr, a parent of a senior enrolled in Spanish 4, described classroom disruption after the teacher’s removal and urged the board to balance timely action with First Amendment considerations: “It’s been close to 30 days,” she said, and the length of the investigation has been “very disruptive to the learning and the education of many students.”
Board members did not discuss case details in public; the district emphasized at the meeting that it cannot comment on personnel investigations but later moved into an executive session to review allegations involving a public employee. The board also agreed to convene a 30-minute executive session under the relevant state statute to review the performance of a public employee, citing statements made during public comment.
Parents called for several specific steps: a clear statement of what district policy applies when allegations are raised, an outline of protections and safeguards during investigations, and a timeline for updates to families and staff. The district did not provide those procedural details during the public comment period. The board directed staff to take the matter into executive session.
The district did not disclose additional specifics about the investigation during the public meeting. Further administrative or investigative steps are expected to be discussed in executive session or in later public updates if permissible.
