#111 - Rodents to Retaliation: Inside the Boise School District Controversy Parents Need to Hear w/Michelle Chung

May 11, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Michelle Chung spent years teaching family consumer science at West Junior High in the Boise School District, building close relationships with students and earning a reputation as one of the safest teachers in the building. She also spent years reporting mouse infestations to her principal, assuming the district was handling it. It was not until 2023, when students found decomposing mouse carcasses on sticky traps under sinks, that she realized the problem had never been addressed. By then, the mice had infested her ovens, dishwashers, sewing machines, and the dryer where she dried dish towels. She eventually contracted Lyme disease from tick larvae carried by white-footed deer mice—the same species that hosts the Western black-legged tick. She became deathly ill, underwent 57 infusions, and needed a hysterectomy. When she tried to hold the district accountable, they denied the infestation existed, accused her of crossing boundaries with students, suspended her for collecting evidence, and attempted to have her fired. She fought back, settled a personal injury lawsuit, and secured an agreement for a third-party inspection of her former classroom.

The Infestation and the Cover-Up

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What you'll learn

1 Rodents to Retaliation: Inside the Boise School District Controversy
2 Timestamped Outline
3 (00:01) **Episode Introduction & Recap** - Host welcomes back Michelle Chung and recaps her three-year nightmare with the Boise School District over a rodent infestation that led to her contracting Lyme disease
4 (03:31) **Background: Who Michelle Chung Is** - Chung introduces herself as a 23-year Idaho resident, teacher in the Boise School District, married to a former smokejumper, and mother of two
5 (04:31) **The Beginning: Three Years of Mice** - Chung describes how the infestation started in 2019 when she began teaching family consumer science at West Junior High
6 (07:12) **The Breaking Point: January 2023** - After Christmas break, students found decomposing mouse carcasses on sticky traps under sinks that weren't there before break
7 (10:18) **Retaliation Begins: Going to HR** - Once Chung reported the infestation to HR, her principal's attitude toward her shifted dramatically

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

A teacher found a mouse in her work bag. What she says happened next exposed something much bigger. And parents weren’t supposed to see it.

Episode 111 of The Wild Chaos Podcast features Michelle Chung, a former teacher speaking out about what she describes as a years-long rodent infestation and administrative cover-up inside West Junior High in the Boise School District.

To watch the episode in studio, visit: https://youtu.be/YvOGCZoh1v4

What started with droppings, traps, and dead rodents inside a classroom turned into a public battle over school safety, transparency, inspections, and retaliation.

👉 Before watching this episode, we strongly encourage you to watch the first two parts for the full timeline and context:

▶️ Episode 60: https://youtu.be/TGEeDXI-4GU

▶️ Episode 71: https://youtu.be/d00E3o42ht8

What started with a mouse found inside a teacher’s work bag turned into allegations of years-long rodent infestations, contaminated classrooms, administrative retaliation, and a public battle over transparency and accountability.

And The Line In Sand Michelle walks us through:

• Rodent infestations inside classrooms

• Dead rodents, droppings, and contaminated cooking/sewing areas

• Reports made to HR and administration

• The release of photos, videos, and emails to parents

• Claims of retaliation and pressure to resign

• Inspection disputes and legal language surrounding admissions and liability

We also discuss the broader issue many families are questioning right now: what happens when institutions appear more focused on protecting themselves than rebuilding trust?

Michelle shares the personal toll as well, including Lyme-related symptoms, expensive medical treatment, and the uphill battle of proving workplace-related illness and exposure.

This episode is not standalone — it’s the third chapter in an ongoing story involving school safety, public accountability, and the difficult questions parents and teachers are still asking.

👉 Watch Episodes 60 and 71 first, then come back to this conversation for the latest developments. Subscribe for more long-form conversations that challenge institutions and ask hard questions. Share this with a parent, teacher, or community member who should see it.

***Disclaimer: Always do your due diligence as a parent and/or faculty.***

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