Perspectives
The following Letter to the Editor was submitted by Tommy Butzerin, a verified Highline resident, and contributor to The Highline Journal.
His testimony was shared with the Highline School Board on February 11, 2026.
[NOTE FROM EDITOR: Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Highline Journal or Daniel Media. If you wish to submit a story, photo, article, or letter, please email us at info@thehighlinejournal.com. We look forward to hearing from you.]
Hi, my name is Tommy Butzerin.
Tonight, I want to comment on the legislative report discussed at the January 21st meeting regarding potential state legislation that would limit what were described as “frivolous” or “burdensome” public records requests. I understand that responding to certain requests can place a strain on staff time and resources, and I respect that this is a legitimate problem that administrative staff has to contend with.
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Editor's Note: This is in reference to comments made by Highline's Legislative Liaison, Director Stephanie Tidholm, regarding Highline's support of Senate Bill 5920 at the January 21, 2026, School Board Meeting. She stated in her Legislative Report that "It would allow school districts to accurately charge requesters who make extremely broad or burdensome public records requests in an effort to help discourage frivolous public records requests. That would be amazing. I'm super excited to see how that goes."
However, I am concerned about the district expressing support for legislation that would further restrict public records access. Terms like “frivolous” are subjective, and how they are defined and applied matters greatly. Public records laws exist to ensure accountability and transparency. There are already established legal exemptions, including protections for student privacy under FERPA, but these limits are clearly defined by law. Additional restrictions could unintentionally reduce access to information that the public has a right to see.
I also want to note that the outgoing legislative liaison who spoke about this issue seemed enthusiastic about limiting records requests. Regardless of intent, that comes across as excitement about restricting information. That is not a good look for a district that says transparency is a core value.
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Senate Bill 5920, described on the WA State Legislative site as "Providing protections for school districts against burdensome public records requests." Currently, it is an active bill in the Senate, and it has moved to the second reading. After the second reading, it will be voted on by the Senate Chamber.
For parents who have students in the district, it is often difficult for them to clearly understand how their students are performing. Academic data can be complex, and the way results are presented can make it challenging for parents to gauge the full picture. This is certainly true of iReady statistics, for example. In that context, supporting legislation that narrows access to records may give the impression that transparency is being reduced rather than strengthened.
If transparency is truly a core value of this district, I encourage the board to ensure that any advocacy at the state level reinforces that commitment and increases clarity, rather than limiting public access to information.
Thank you for your time.
-Tommy Butzerin
[NOTE FROM EDITOR: If you wish to submit a story, photo, article or letter, please email us at info@thehighlinejournal.com Even if you wish to remain anonymous, please include your name and phone number so we may contact you privately. We look forward to hearing from you.]
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