Student and recent-graduate speakers press Sumner-Bonney Lake board on walkouts and broken desks

At the Feb. 17 Sumner-Bonney Lake School District board meeting, public comment included a forceful critique from a 2025 graduate and a separate student safety concern.

Tristan Wolf, identified as a 2025 graduate, told the board he was "beyond disgusted" that students were allowed to leave a closed campus during walkouts and said that, in his view, the district had violated Washington state law (he referenced RCW language as stated in his remarks). Wolf also criticized the district’s handling of mask enforcement in a prior period, objected to perceived political or ideological instruction in schools, and said he would not enroll his son in the district. "It is honestly beyond disgusting that we are required by state law to bring our kids to a place that cannot even keep them in the school," Wolf said during his three-minute comment. The board did not respond to individual public comments during the allotted audience comment period, consistent with the rules the board read at the start of the period.

A virtual speaker, Anthony Johnson, an eighth grader at Mountain View Middle School, used his time to ask about learning equipment and safety after seeing a desk break in class. "I was wondering what the district is doing to improve learning equipment like desks and chairs because I've personally seen a desk break in class," Johnson said, adding that broken furniture can cause injuries and distract students from learning.

The board’s public comment rules — read aloud before comments began — state comments are taken under advisement, not debated during the meeting, and speakers may not name specific staff, board members or students. After public comment concluded, the board moved on to a scheduled bond project update and later adopted resolutions and contract approvals related to the Tehaleh Heights Elementary expansion.