Vancouver Public Schools board president Kathy Decker addresses the crowd Tuesday during a Vancouver Public Schools board meeting at
Bates Center for Educational Leadership. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)Photo Gallery
A Hudson’s Bay High School teacher under investigation for allegations of sexual misconduct with female students has resigned.
Vancouver’s school board president made the announcement at the board’s Tuesday meeting.
The allegations against English teacher Shadbreon Gatson, 43, include sexual misconduct in 2012 and 2013 with two students who came forward with complaints in November and December, respectively, according to documents obtained by The Columbian from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. With the latter complaint, he was accused of having sex with a 16-year-old female student at school in 2013.
Gatson will remain on paid administrative leave until Feb. 3, the effective date of his resignation.
“We do not wish to continue paying public funds for administrative leave any longer than legally necessary,” board President Kathy Decker said in the meeting. “Rather than waiting for the outcome of an investigation and then taking any necessary action, we plan to accept the resignation.”
The allegations came to light after Gatson’s Dec. 20 arrest on suspicion of first-degree sexual misconduct with a minor. According to court records, a former student, now 27, reported to Bay staff and Vancouver police in early December that she was sexually victimized in 2013 when she was 16.
Prosecutors dropped the case Dec. 26 because the statute of limitations had expired. Gatson currently is not facing any criminal charges.
The Vancouver school district, however, has hired a third party to conduct two investigations: one of the allegations themselves and the other of the way they were handled.
The investigations will continue, and the district will continue to communicate its findings with OSPI and law enforcement, Decker said.
“Please know this board and district leadership consider the alleged misconduct appalling and unacceptable,” Decker said. “This board and district leadership understand that these events have disrupted the trust families extend to us when they send their children to school.”
Danielle Jokela, mother of two students at Bay, attended Monday’s meeting to share her concerns with the school board.
Gatson received two “letters of admonishment” during the 16 years he taught in Vancouver schools, according to documents released by the district.
Decker said the district will share the outcome of its investigations once they’re concluded.
“Anytime there’s something that happens that violates the trust that we work so hard to secure with families when they send their students to us, it has an impact,” Superintendent Jeff Snell said.
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