[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a Letter to the Editor, written and submitted by a verified resident. It represents the opinion of the author, and does not necessarily reflect the views of South King Media or its staff.]
Taking a public stance against a school bond and levy is not an easy position for any parent to take. But voting “No for Now” on Highline’s $600 million tax package feels absolutely necessary given how school staff and administrators are treated by this district—a harsh reality that is constantly glossed over by well-funded PR campaigns, the PAC, and the purely performative nature of recent school board meetings.
The well-respected principal of Raisbeck Aviation High School was abruptly removed and placed on indefinite administrative leave through the end of the 25-26 school year. This happened because she stood up to the Superintendent and cabinet for what she believed was in the best interest of the top High School in the District and its students. As an apparent punishment for fighting back against the district regime, she was even barred from participating in her students’ graduation and is now being held in district office purgatory. Despite deep concern and outrage from families, the district has provided zero insight or path forward.
Unfortunately, this retaliatory culture is not an isolated incident. Parents currently have a pending public records request seeking to uncover exactly how much taxpayer money is being wasted paying the salaries of sidelined administrators and staff who are no longer actually working for our schools.
Yet, as the district bleeds leadership and wastes funds on extended administrative payouts, they are asking voters to approve a massive $600 million capital bond and tech levy this November. Our grassroots coalition is voting “No” because we refuse to hand a blank check to an administration that actively works against transparency and front-line educators.
This hostility toward public oversight is plainly documented in the administration’s draft 2027 Legislative Agenda, recommended for board approval this Wednesday. Given the board’s history of rubber-stamping the administration’s wishes, it is unlikely to receive any legitimate scrutiny from a school board content with the status quo—the exact lack of accountability that led a School Board Director to resign in 2025 over “irreconcilable issues” with respect to transparency.
In this proposed legislative agenda, Highline complains that they spend over $500,000 a year responding to public records requests. They are currently paying a state lobbyist $43,000 annually, part of whose job is to advocate in Olympia to weaken the Public Records Act so the district can put requests on hold. They are also lobbying to lower the local bond approval threshold to a simple majority, making it easier to pass taxes with less community consensus.
The irony of their complaints is staggering. When community members recently submitted a simple records request just to see a list of the open requests the district is complaining about, we were told it would take over two months just to generate that list from their automated system. This extreme delay does not reflect a community abusing the system; it exposes a bureaucracy so inefficient that basic transparency costs taxpayers half a million dollars a year.
Our educators and students deserve fully funded, safe, and modern schools. But our community also deserves a district leadership team that plans responsibly, respects its building leaders, and doesn’t spend taxpayer money lobbying to restrict our access to public documents.
A “No” vote this November isn’t a “never.” It is a demand for the district to return to the drawing board and present a plan grounded in genuine accountability.
Thank you to those who have made it this far reading. A “No” vote this November isn’t a “never”—it is a demand for the district to return to the drawing board and present a plan grounded in real accountability. Our kids deserve the best learning experience possible, which comes most efficiently with genuine community, front-line educator, and District partnership.
– Kristen Price
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