Parents, a former employee press Eatonville School District on bullying and staff safety

A parent and a former district employee used public comment time at the Eatonville School District board meeting to press the board on student behavior and staff safety, saying current practices can leave classrooms disrupted and employees exposed.

Darren Slezak, a parent and community member, praised district progress but asked the board to measure the academic impact of ongoing behavioral disruptions and to clarify when repeated harmful behavior should trigger stronger interventions. Slezak said such incidents "lead to lost instructional time, inconsistency in the classroom, and in some cases, a meaningful reduction in the amount of time students are actually able to engage in learning." He asked what the district measures now, what triggers higher levels of response, and whether the district is advocating for policy changes at the state level.

Jennifer Steele, who identified herself as a former Eatonville School District employee, presented a two-page resignation letter to the board and described repeated staff-safety incidents during her employment. Steele said she had experienced multiple physical threats and that she and her family were threatened at times, and that those incidents were not always taken seriously by the system. She told the board she had photos and documentation and that she had limited what she would read in public because of privacy rules.

Board members acknowledged the concerns raised. One board member thanked speakers for bringing their concerns forward and urged that people use the district's established complaint and reporting processes so staff can investigate the incidents and protect students and staff. The board’s public remarks emphasized listening during public comment and that some matters require follow-up outside the public meeting.

The meeting record shows no immediate policy vote tied to the public comments; however, the board discussed existing processes and said staff would follow up where appropriate. The speakers who raised concerns and the board did not reach a formal resolution on specific policy changes during the meeting.