Parents and educators urge Issaquah School Board to boost behavioral staffing and curb elementary edtech use

Aaron Marsh, a physical‑education teacher, opened public comment at the May 28 Issaquah School Board meeting by criticizing recent staffing cuts and urging the district to “govern with integrity” and follow state law and district policy when making personnel decisions. Marsh said the district’s choices risk outcomes similar to those seen in neighboring districts.

Tessa Hurley, an ISD substitute teacher and co‑president of the Endeavor PTSA, described a second‑grade classroom that became "unsafe and unsustainable," saying the experience led her daughter to develop severe anxiety and take medical leave. Hurley said the classroom saw repeated evacuations, thrown objects, profanity and physical disruption; she called on the board to review the district’s current inclusion model and to prioritize trained behavioral staff so classrooms are safe and instructional time is protected.

"True inclusion requires a robust infrastructure," Hurley said, identifying the problem as “a crisis of capacity, not a lack of classroom management skills.” She noted that families presented the board with a formal petition on May 7 and asked the board for a clear plan of action.

A parent who identified herself as Allison told the board she fears that excessive classroom use of digital platforms produces “shallow learning,” urging an opt‑out option and more traditional materials such as books and pencils. Allison said her elementary child could not recall facts learned through an edtech program she used in class and warned that edtech can function as a “Trojan horse” undermining instruction.

Online commenter Shua echoed Allison’s concerns, reporting volunteer observations that students often struggle to navigate platforms or treat them as distractions rather than instructional tools.

The board did not respond during the public comment period, consistent with the posted public‑comment rules. The speakers asked the board to prioritize hiring behavioral staff, clarify the inclusion model, and review classroom edtech policy so families and staff can see how the district will act.

What happens next: The district’s later agenda items included a monitoring report on student well‑being and a strategic‑plan discussion that administration said would fold student voice and operational priorities into next steps; board members repeatedly requested clearer implementation plans and metrics for staffing and student support.