EVERETT, AUG. 26: Three Everett School Board incumbents issued a joint statement last week condemning a so-called “smear campaign” funded by a family of a former Everett student.
The incumbents are referring to a series of vague political postcard mailers and a website claiming corruption against one board member.
The Snohomish County Tribune reported that the family funding the campaign claims that adults were “heavily involved in designing and building” in the making of a robot for the Jackson High’s robotics team. They claim this created a “harmful environment” for students on the team.
The complaint is currently being investigated, a spokesperson with Everett Public Schools (EPS) said.
“Everett Public Schools takes all formal complaints seriously and follows its policies and procedures to investigate them. The district remains committed to providing a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all students, staff, and families,” EPS wrote in an email.
Anna Marie Jackson Laurence, currently the only board member to be targeted by the campaign, said the attacks are designed to distract voters from the real issues facing students and educators.
“These attacks are not about improving schools — they’re about punishing board members,” Laurence said. “Leadership is measured by commitment to service above self, not by how much money you can spend on a campaign. We won’t let intimidation undermine our responsibility to the district.”
Laurence was sworn in May 13, 2025 for Position 3 and is running for re-election this November. Joining her in the statement is Roman Rewolinski (Pos 1) and Jennifer Hirman (Pos 2).
Voters elect five board members to represent the public’s views on how education should be governed locally, three of those are up for election. Each member serves a six-year term.
“Everett’s school board elections should be decided by voters — not by wealthy individuals creating political action committees to bankroll smear campaigns,” the incumbents said in the press release. “Already, one of us has been targeted with misleading attack ads, and with multiple PACs now filed, it is clear that all three of us are expected to face the same treatment before Election Day.”
The political action committees (PACs) are all funded by James and Shelly Lee. There have been five PACs created according to state records, funded by the Lee’s and their business. The Lee’s have contributed more than $389,000 to the PACs.
Political mailers and the website call for voters to elect Tom Clarke, Laurence’s opponent. Clarke has publicly condemned the mailers, claiming to have no involvement.
“I have reached out to my opponent to express my support of civility in politics, and to agree to a campaign rooted in civility and respectful policy debate,” Clarke wrote on Facebook.
The Lee’s are not commenting at this time.
Corrected Wednesday, Aug. 27. Anna Marie Jackson Laurence was sworn in on May 13, not in March.
