The shared grievance: Sligar, who served for three years, said repeated barriers blocked her from bringing community concerns before the full board. She said getting items added to agendas often required months of follow-up, and concerns raised by parents and staff were regularly dismissed or filtered through administration rather than heard directly. Swiecicki, in her first term, described a similar experience, saying attempts to raise questions were met with defensiveness, vague legal threats, and silence.

A health factor: Swiecicki said that she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on March 2 and has not fully recovered from her first flare. She said board-related stress is making it difficult to manage her condition. She also flagged that the board had intended to discuss a Women's History Month social media post related to the trans community, but she said the item never made it onto an agenda.

Unresolved issues: Swiecicki listed several community concerns she said the board never meaningfully addressed, including queer inclusion, cell phone and screen time policies, class sizes, and staff cuts she said could hurt the district's most vulnerable students.