Parents urge independent review after safety incident at Maywood Middle; board hears request

Vanessa Lang, a parent of a Maywood Middle School student, told the Issaquah School District board that families received no timely notifications after a recent safety incident and that the silence only amplified fear in the community. "Communication builds trust, silence destroys it," Lang said as she urged the board to improve follow‑up and transparency.

Lang told the board that on the day after the incident roughly 160 students stayed home because their families did not feel confident the campus was safe. She said communication was not sent until parents began calling one another and contacting law enforcement, and that many families heard conflicting information: "Had there been a timely transparent email acknowledging that a situation was developing, much of that fear could have been avoided" (public comment).

Lang said families organized a petition seeking a third‑party independent review of safety practices and potential Title IX compliance involving district administration, including the school principal and a vice principal; she reported the petition had grown to more than 300 community signatures in less than 24 hours.

Board members did not pledge immediate policy changes during public comment, but some directors noted the importance of clear, timely communication and the need to follow up with staff for details. The superintendent and staff later presented OE 14 materials and other agenda items; the board did not take a formal action on Lang's petition during the meeting.

What happens next: Lang asked the board to consider a third‑party review and to require clearer, faster notifications when student safety incidents occur. The district did not announce a specific next step during the meeting. The petition and parent concerns remain unresolved pending any future district action or a formal request from the board.