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Parents tell Tonasket board bullying persists; district stresses supports and FERPA limits
Summary
Two parents recounted ongoing bullying at Tonasket schools and urged community action; district staff described a surge in student-support referrals, upcoming parent trainings and said discipline occurs but personnel are limited by FERPA from sharing student details.
At the Feb. 25 Tonasket School District board meeting, Autumn Fulk, identified as a mother of a middle-school student, described her child's experiences with ongoing bullying and urged the community to take steps to stop it. "She wants the community to come together to stop the bullying that continues between students," the minutes record.
Another attendee, Jody Batton, described bullying that has affected "her students" and said she received help from school staff. Board members and staff listened during the public-comment portion of the meeting and did not take a formal vote on specific anti-bullying actions at that time.
Middle School staff member Trisha Roach told parents the MS has received "100s of forms" this year documenting student-support needs and said administrators have prioritized caring for students and staff after a recent tragedy. She said discipline occurs but the district is constrained by federal privacy law: "the school can't disclose student information, as the district is bound by FERPA (the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)."
Roach previewed two community education events planned by the MS: a "Hidden in Plain Sight" parent night demonstrating how students may hide risky materials in their rooms, followed by staff training the next day. The administration also highlighted planned workshops on online safety for parents.
The board did not announce immediate new policy changes at the meeting; parents and staff indicated the district is tracking incidents through support forms and follow-up but that specifics of disciplinary measures are kept confidential under FERPA.
