We, the concerned parents and community members of Maywood Middle School, are calling for an immediate, independent investigation into the Issaquah School District and school’s leadership—including Principal Erin Armstrong and Assistant Principal John Gardiner—regarding their handling of student and staff safety and Title IX violations.

Recent incidents have demonstrated a systemic failure to protect our children. Specifically, the administration has:

• Ignored Safety Concerns: Dismissed credible reports of threats, aggression, assault, drugs/nicotine and most recently weapons brought on campus allowing students who pose a threat to remain on campus without appropriate suspension or expulsion, even when conduct meets Title IX thresholds.
• Mismanaged Title IX Requirements: Failed to enforce federal and state mandates for emergency removals even when conduct met the criteria for sex-based harassment or physical assault.
• Subpar Investigations: Conducted internal reviews that lack transparency and thoroughness, often failing to involve law enforcement in cases of potential criminal activity. 
• Negligent Communication: Consistently failed to provide timely or transparent information to parents whose children were directly involved in safety incidents. Parents are often left in the dark about the status of investigations or the safety measures (or lack thereof) being taken to protect their children.

Why This Matters Now:

As of early 2026, the district’s own guidelines state that student safety is the "highest priority". However, current practices suggest otherwise. By allowing known aggressors to remain in the classroom, the administration is creating a hostile environment that violates the Issaquah School District’s Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying (HIB) Regulation 3207.

Our Demands:

1. Independent Audit: An external, third-party review of all safety and disciplinary decisions made by Maywood administration over the last 18 months.
   
2. Mandatory Parental Notification Policy: Implementation of a strict timeline requiring administration to notify parents of involved students within 24 hours of a reported safety incident.
   
3. Strict Enforcement of Title IX: Immediate removal of students who meet the criteria for "Emergency Removal" under federal law when they pose a threat to others.
4. Police Involvement: Clear criteria for when local law enforcement must be contacted to ensure student safety is handled by professionals when necessary.

Call to Action:
Sign this petition to tell the Issaquah School District that we will not accept silence and negligence. Our children deserve protection, and we deserve the truth.