How loopholes in Washington state law can protect abusive school staff
In Washington state, if a teacher or other certified school staff commits serious misconduct, like abusing students, districts are required to report it to the state for investigation – and possible revocation of that person’s certification to work in schools.
But that rule doesn’t cover staff who are not certified, like coaches. That’s just one of the loopholes KUOW investigative reporter Ann Dornfeld uncovered in a new story. She also found these lax rules around reporting abusive coaches may let them get jobs at other school districts.
Dornfeld sat down with Soundside host Libby Denkmann to explain more about these loopholes, and how they relate to sexual abuse allegations at Garfield High School in Seattle.
Listen to the full conversation between investigative reporter Ann Dornfeld and Libby Denkmann by clicking the play button at the top of the page.
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Libby Denkmann
Host, Soundside
Libby Denkmann joined KUOW in December 2021 as the host of the midday show Soundside. She’s a native Pacific Northwesterner who grew up in Redmond, graduated from the University of Washington and covered local news as a producer and reporter with KIRO Radio.
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Ann Dornfeld
Reporter
Ann is a reporter on KUOW's Investigations Team. Previously, she covered education stories for KUOW for a decade, with a focus on investigations into racial and socioeconomic inequities.
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Noel Gasca
Producer, Soundside
Noel is a producer for KUOW’s midday show Soundside. Prior to joining Soundside, Noel worked as an online editor/producer with KUOW’s web team. She’s also a proud graduate of KUOW’s RadioActive program.
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