Northshore School Board Faces Intense Backlash After Voting to Eliminate Bothell High’s Campus Police Officer

The Northshore School Board is facing widespread community pushback following its 4–1 vote to terminate the longstanding School Resource Officer (SRO) program at Bothell High School. The decision, aimed at reforming the district’s safety model, has sparked strong opposition from parents and students who feel their campus safety is being compromised for ideological reasons.

Key Highlights:

• The School Board’s Decision: In a decisive meeting, four school board directors voted against renewing the district’s annual $103,000 contract with the Bothell Police Department. This effectively abolishes a campus safety program that had operated smoothly at Bothell High School for more than three decades.
• Ideology Over Community Input: Critics and local commentators argue that the board prioritized a predetermined progressive agenda over actual student sentiment. District surveys revealed that an overwhelming 77% of Bothell High students and families favored keeping the officer on campus, stating the position actively fosters a sense of security and deters violence.
• The Board’s Rationale: Board members who voted down the program argued that having an armed law enforcement officer on campus fails to align with the district’s equity and inclusion goals. They claimed a police presence can create anxiety for certain minority groups and suggested that school safety should be a shared responsibility managed exclusively by internal district staff.
• Replacing Police with Supervisors: To fill the security gap for the upcoming 2026–2027 school year, Bothell High will transition to utilizing two civilian campus supervisors. While these supervisors undergo training in implicit bias and restorative justice, critics point out they lack the equipment, legal authority, and specialized tactical training necessary to handle active, high-threat emergencies.
• Student and Parent Resistance: The community response was immediate. Hundreds of Bothell High students organized a massive walkout, marching directly to Bothell City Hall to voice their anger and demand the board reverse its decision. Parents have expressed deep frustration, arguing that stripping away an effective safety net leaves the student body vulnerable at a time when school violence remains a major national concern.

For more details on the community’s response to this controversial safety policy shift, watch this local news report on the Bothell High School SRO Protest. This video documents the immediate backlash from students fighting to preserve their campus police program following the school board’s decision.