PARKLAND, Wash. — Parents at a Parkland daycare are calling for change, after they say people are constantly camping, using drugs and leaving trash on the property.
Kathryn and Devin Todd told KIRO 7 they’ve been taking their two sons to Cadence Academy Preschool since they were babies.
In the last year and half, Kathryn says the problems have been piling on around the daycare.
“I love this school; I love these teachers. They’re a part of my family, we’ve been going here for 5 years, and it hurts to watch them have such difficulty,” Kathryn explained. “I’ve had to call for fires that are lit right next to the school. You know trying to make sure people aren’t indecently exposing themselves in front of classroom windows.”
Devin says they trust the daycare and do not want this to be a reason to take their kids elsewhere.
“It’s a really hard decision to see if we take them somewhere else or really sometimes there’s just no options for months,” he said.
Devin says there are strangers surrounding the school at all hours of the day. Cadence Academy Preschool installed a fence and motion sensor lights to secure the building, but the Todds say it’s not enough to keep people out.
“There’s an encampment just down the street that is kind of the main spot where everybody’s at,” he added.
Just this week, parents got an email from Cadence Academy Preschool informing them that the school would be closed Monday. It stated that staff “discovered a window had been unscrewed, indicating someone had gained entry” over the weekend. Police reportedly did a sweep of the building for trespassers and other items.
“They’re curious and as a parent, how do you explain to your kids that it’s not safe to go to school because somebody broke a window open,” said Kathryn.
In the same email, the regional spokesperson added that the school “often serves as a safe haven at night.”
“We are not notified when they’re used as a safe haven at night so we’re not notified the next day or if there was an incident after hours that we may be walking into the next day,” Kathryn explained.
On Tuesday, the Todds told KIRO 7 a stranger walked through the playground while kids were playing. They say trash and drug paraphernalia are often left behind, and the staff that are left to deal with it.
“They’re awesome at what they do and they’re educators, but they’re not private security. They’re not able to have the equipment to handle that type of garbage or that biohazard,” said Kathryn.
The Todds say they’ve taken their concerns to the city, who’ve responded with police sweeps that don’t seem to stick.
“You see the sweeps, but then I would see it in the morning and then you come for pick up and they’re right back,” she said.
A Cadence Academy Preschool spokesperson responded to KIRO 7 with a statement:
“The safety and well-being of our children and staff are our top priorities. For over 35 years we have served the community, and we remain committed to maintaining a secure and nurturing environment within our school. We have already taken several steps to ensure the safety of our premises, including increased a fence installation and motion sensor lights. We continue to work closely with local law enforcement and the City Council to address the situation.”
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