Attorney Preparing Lawsuit Against Highline Public Schools Over 10-Month Records Delay

Editor's Note: The following letter was submitted by Highline parent and attorney Kristen Price for publication. It reflects the author's opinions and legal assertions regarding Highline Public Schools' handling of Public Records Act requests related to the reassignment of Raisbeck Aviation High School Principal Therese Tipton. The Highline Journal has requested comment from Highline Public Schools and will update this page if or when a response is received.

To the Editor at The Highline Journal,

As a practicing attorney, local resident, and taxpayer in Highline Public School District 4, I am writing to share an alarming update regarding the district’s ongoing lack of transparency surrounding the sudden, involuntary reassignments of Raisbeck Aviation High School Principal Therese Tipton and actions taken against other school leaders.

I am currently preparing to file a formal public records enforcement lawsuit against Highline Public Schools in King County Superior Court under RCW 42.56.550.

In an effort to quantify the exact taxpayer cost of these administrative maneuvers, I submitted heavily constrained Public Records Act (PRA) requests through the district’s online portal. To eliminate any administrative burden or "vague search" excuses, I strictly limited my requests to just three specific district custodians, a narrow 60-day date range, and precise keyword filters regarding the outside legal counsel the district retained against Principal Tipton.

The district’s response, signed by Public Records Officer Michelle Terry, is a textbook example of unlawful administrative obstruction.

Highline Public Schools has issued blanket 9-to-10-month delays on these narrow requests, pushing fulfillment all the way into late April and May of 2027. Most egregiously, the district claims it requires nearly a full calendar year just to produce a single, static, pre-existing document: their master contract and retainer agreement with outside law firm Pacifica Law Group.

Under Washington state law, stalling access to critical financial and administrative records during an active window of public oversight constitutes a "constructive denial" of public records. The burden of proof rests entirely on the school district to prove to a judge why running a basic, automated keyword search takes nearly a year. They cannot do so.

Our community’s tax dollars are meant to fund classrooms and support educators, not to be funneled into premium downtown Seattle law firms while the administration illegally builds a wall of silence to shield itself from accountability.

I have formally logged my final statutory objections with the district, giving them five business days to correct these absurd timelines. If they fail to comply, I will be moving forward with a Motion to Show Cause in Superior Court. Because the PRA carries mandatory fee-shifting provisions and heavy daily financial penalties for non-compliance, the district’s decision to hide these records is actively exposing Highline taxpayers to massive, unnecessary financial liability.

The RAHS community, our students, and our taxpayers deserve answers now—not in May of 2027. I will keep The Highline Journal and the community fully updated as the court filings are finalized.

Sincerely,

Kristen Price
Licensed Attorney & District 4 Resident/Taxpayer
Highline Parent and Advocate

Note to Editor/Public: I am a licensed attorney in the State of Washington; however, I am bringing this public records inquiry and potential enforcement action strictly in my personal capacity as a local resident, parent, and taxpayer. I do not represent Principal Therese Tipton, and my statements regarding the district's statutory non-compliance under Chapter 42.56 RCW are made solely on behalf of public transparency and community oversight.

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