Parents clash over Lifewise program during Everett School Board public comment
Summary
Two public commenters pressed the Everett Public Schools Board on Lifewise: one urged the board to rescind permission for the program, calling it 'Christian nationalist' and alleging student recruitment; another parent said lawsuits won’t touch classroom funds and urged fact‑based debate.
Demara, a district resident, used her three minutes during public comment to urge the Everett Public Schools Board of Directors to end the district’s relationship with Lifewise, calling the organization’s materials and outreach "indoctrination" and asserting it operates as a "Christian nationalist" program in schools. She said a teacher told a parent she needed to send an opt‑out email and described a student‑distributed card that linked to Lifewise, saying that children were being "recruited" and that parents who opted their children out were not being protected. "This is yet another reason that the board should use the lawful power that it has and resend the permission that this board granted and kick Lifewise out. Lawsuit be damned," Demara said (public comment).
Tom Clark, an Everett Public Schools parent speaking online, contradicted part of the community narrative by urging accuracy and calm. Clark said litigation does not endanger classroom dollars because "school districts in Washington carry liability insurance specifically so that lawsuits like this do not touch classroom dollars" and described legal defense as handled through insurance pools. He said concerns about Lifewise’s role in classrooms are real and deserve "honest discussion" but argued that misleading claims about funding distract from policy debate. Clark also urged support for the Feb. 10 bond and levy measures.
Why it matters: The two comments captured opposing local reactions: one attendee urged immediate board action to remove the Lifewise program from schools, citing ideological concerns and student outreach; another asked the public and board to separate funding risk from program concerns and to discuss policy on merits. Board members did not take formal action during the meeting; public comment is recorded in meeting minutes and the district has said earlier it is responding to litigation involving the program.
Context and next steps: The Lifewise program and a related lawsuit were focal points in public comment. Tom Clark recommended focusing on factual accuracy about financial risk, while Demara pressed for rescission of permission to host Lifewise content or activities in district schools. The board’s agenda for subsequent meetings includes a January 27 schedule that will contain further district business; no formal votes on Lifewise were recorded at this meeting.
Ending: The board heard the comments during the allotted public‑comment time; no immediate board action was taken during the Jan. 13 meeting.
