Bothell High School students walk out in support of resource officer program

Published 12:03 pm Monday, May 18, 2026

BOTHELL — More than 200 Bothell High School students walked out of class Monday morning to protest the termination of the school’s school resource officer program.

On May 11, the Northshore school board voted 4-1 to end the school resource officer program. Board members who voted to end the program said they heard concerns from community members who were scared to publicly oppose the program.

Students who walked out Monday said they felt they weren’t heard by board members and that having a school resource officer on campus makes them feel safer.

Officer Garrett Ware has served as the school resource officer at Bothell since 2017. The school resource officer program had been in place for more than 30 years.

The students, joined by parents and community members, walked from the high school to Bothell City Hall, chanting “We want Ware” and “Vote them out” — referring to the four school board members who voted to repeal the program. Some held signs that said “Our safety > your politics,” “Heroes don’t always Ware capes” and “Listen to the students.”

“The way that an SRO can form relationships with students is crucial to situations where we need to deescalate,” said Malik Lopez-Terron, president of the Black Student Union at Bothell High School and an organizer of the walkout.

On Thursday, the school briefly went into a hold in response to an incident with a student involving a kitchen knife, KOMO News reported.

“Just knowing that (Ware) was there really calmed a lot of our minds,” said Charisma Mannhalter, a senior at Bothell High School.

Students said Ware makes an effort to get to know students individually, and he always has snacks in his office for students who are hungry in the middle of the day.

Sophomore Rowen Burr recalled his first day of school as a freshman. He was sitting alone at lunch and Ware came up to him, complimented his outfit and started a conversation.

“That really meant a lot to me because I didn’t know who this guy was, and he didn’t know who I was, but he still came through and it really, really helped me,” Burr said. “My heart felt really warm from that.”

Carri Campbell, spokesperson for the Northshore School District, declined to comment on the school resource officer program because the walkout was not a school-sponsored event.

“The Northshore School District supports students’ rights to peacefully express their views, including through assembly and peaceful protest, consistent with Board Policy and students’ First Amendment rights,” she said in an email Monday. “Student walkouts that occur during the school day must be student initiated and student led.”

Jelena Krzeszowski attended the walkout with her son, a sophomore at Bothell High School. Krzeszowski grew up in Bothell and graduated from the high school in 2000. She said she hopes the school board votes to reverse its decision.

“Voting these board members out is going to be a lot harder than them actually coming to their senses to realize what the community wants and what these kids want,” Krzeszowski said. “Their voices haven’t been heard, and it’s unacceptable, and that’s why these kids are out here.”

Bothell High School has more than 1,800 students, according to the school website. It’s the last school in the Northshore School District to have a school resource officer program.

Starting next school year, Bothell will have two campus supervisors instead of an officer, consistent with other schools in the district. Campus supervisors are district employees that support proactive safety and security measures, respond to emergencies and mentor students, Campbell said in a May 12 email.

In 2020, the Edmonds school board unanimously voted to end the school resource officer program across the district following the murder of George Floyd and nationwide outcry over police brutality. Other school districts in Snohomish County, including Everett, Marysville and Mukilteo, still have school resource officers.

In a 2024 survey of Bothell High School community members, 77% of students either agreed or strongly agreed that the school resource officer program promotes student safety.

“Our purpose here is to show people that we know what we’re talking about, and that we don’t want to be misrepresented by our school board, and we want our voices to be heard.” Lopez-Terron said.

Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; jenna.peterson@heraldnet.com; X: @jennarpetersonn.