Standing Up for Safety, Despite Threats

Recently, I have received direct threats of violence against my home and my elementary-age daughter, along with a coordinated smear campaign led by Mercer Island PTA and School Board members. These actions—publicly condoned by some in leadership—are designed to intimidate and silence me for exposing uncomfortable truths, including the district’s failure to protect students from predators.

I ran to advocate for our children’s safety and education, not to become a target. Yet instead of addressing the issues, current leadership has allowed a climate of fear, division, and cover-ups to persist. This is not leadership—and it’s why I will continue speaking out, even if I cannot appear in person at Board meetings.

Our community deserves transparency, accountability, and leaders who protect children, not their own reputations.

Message to the Mercer Island School Board that condoned these threats. No message was ever received by the PTA.

to daniel.glowitz, MaggieTai, Jody, Cristina, Deborah, Michelle, andreeves.ronser,

Due to direct threats of violence against my home, including a direct threat involving my elementary-age daughter, and an ongoing, persistent smear campaign carried out by the Mercer Island PTA and members of the Mercer Island School Board, I am unable to appear to publicly speak at the Mercer Island School Board at this time. Please withdraw my public request for a speaking time. These coordinated attacks have left me with no choice but to put my safety, and my family’s safety, first. What kind of PTA and School Board can condone this?

These online messages have been publicly condoned or supported by PTA and School Board leaders, including Jody Lee (MISD Council) and Sarah Karim (President, Mercer Island PTA). This is not simply disagreement — it is part of an organized effort to target and intimidate me for speaking the truth, while shielding those in leadership who should be held accountable for creating division, covering up misconduct, including predators in our schools, and silencing anyone who dares to demand answers.

I did not seek this role to become the target of threats, but to advocate for the safety and education of our children. Yet instead of addressing the issues raised, both the School Board and PTA leadership have allowed, and at times enabled, this climate of fear. These actions are not isolated; they are part of a long-standing pattern of failing to protect students, foster unity, and operate with transparency. The continued erosion of trust, accountability, and safety in our district makes it clear: those responsible for these failures have lost the moral authority to lead and should step down.

Several members of the community and press have been blind-copied on this message to ensure transparency. While I will not be physically present at public meetings under these conditions, I will not stop speaking out.

Brian