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Parents urge restoration of recess and press board on alleged repeated assaults on a student
Summary
Two parents told the Everett School Board that elementary recess was reduced from 45 to 30 minutes and that a sixth-grade student has experienced repeated incidents despite a 'no-contact' agreement; the board acknowledged the comments and said it would "look into" the matters.
Two parents used the board's public-comment period on Oct. 25 to press the Everett Public Schools Board of Directors on student well-being and school discipline.
Lauren Griffin, a parent joining by Zoom from Tambar Creek Elementary School, said the district cut elementary outdoor recess by 15 minutes per day, reducing total daily outdoor recess to 30 minutes from what she described as a historical 45 minutes. "Given what we know from many national and international studies on the benefits in outdoor time to our elementary age students," Griffin said, the district should restore 45 minutes daily to support physical and mental health and attention.
In-person speaker Anna Garibay said her sixth-grade child with ADHD has been the target of repeated incidents — "more than 11 up to the date," she said — and that prior "no-contact" agreements have not prevented further incidents. Garibay said the student's depression has worsened and asked the board to take action beyond repeated contracts. "It should not be tolerated," she said of the behavior described.
Board response: President Lisonbee thanked both speakers and said the board would look into the concerns raised. No policy change or disciplinary resolution was announced during the meeting.
Why it matters: changes to recess policy and repeated behavioral incidents at a single school affect student mental health, classroom behavior and families' confidence in school safety. The parent statements included specific claims the board did not substantiate on the record during the meeting; staff follow-up or documentation was not presented in the session.
What happens next: the board acknowledged the comments and asked staff to review and follow up; no timeline was announced during the meeting. The speakers' comments will be part of the public record for the Oct. 25 meeting.
Attribution: quotes and descriptions come from the public-comment period of the Oct. 25, 2022 board meeting.
