Cops Called After Fight Erupts At Wash. State School Board Meeting

EVERETT, Wash. (The Blaze/AP) - Educators can be pretty passionate about helping children. But, apparently so can school board members. A disagreement at an Everett School Board meeting got so heated, police were called to intervene:

The Daily Herald reports a tussle erupted Tuesday night during a closed door session after a long and divisive public meeting. The dispute centered on the job performance review of Superintendent Gary Cohn.

Things heated up when school board member Jessica Olson turned on a small videotape machine and other board members objected. Here's where the details get a bit murky.

Board President Ed Petersen says he reached over to turn it off because he didn't want the private discussion to be made public. Olson says she was worried he was trying to confiscate her recorder. Then the argument reportedly got physical.

Olson's video recorder was working for part of the time and she showed the film to Herald reporters (see above). While the video doesn't show the fight per se, it's evidence that something less than professional went down (watch for the turning moment at the end of the clip). HeraldNet.com has more:

Olson said Dutton [another board member] grabbed her and began wrestling with her. She said while that happened, Petersen [board president] stepped up and restrained her from behind.

Olson said she told the pair, "You guys have just assaulted me." She then dialed 911.

Everett police Sgt. Robert Goetz says statements were taken from those involved, but no arrests have been made. Click here to read a transcript from the video.