Kent School District

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The Kent School District #415 includes the cities of Kent, Covington, Maple Valley and part of the city of Renton in King County, Washington. Covering 73 square miles (189,069,132 m²), the Kent School District has 40 schools (28 elementary schools, 7 middle schools, 1 academy school, and 4 high schools). With 26,891 enrolled students, it is the 4th largest school district in Washington. The district employs 3,389 staff members, of whom 1,687 are teachers.

The school district recently completed a transition from junior high schools to middle schools.

1 Lawsuits
2 Schools
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Lawsuits

[edit] Mark Iversen vs. Kent School District, et al

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On July 23, 1997, the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington filed a lawsuit against the Kent School District and five administrators on behalf of a former student, Mark Iversen. The suit alleged that the Kent School District and the administration failed to protect Iversen against anti-gay harassment. Also named in the suit were Superintendent Jim Hager, Assistant Superintendent Gwen Dupree, Principal Doug Boushey (Kent Junior High), Ben Dillard (Kent-Meridian High School) and Tom Watson (Kentwood High). The school district denied the allegations.

In the suit, Iversen claimed that he was harassed from the 7th grade at Kent Junior High up to high school at Kent-Meridian. He left Kent-Meridian to attend Kentwood believing things would change, but they did not. Other incidents include:

He was pushed into lockers with a broomstick and called "fag" while two teachers sat by and did nothing.
An instructor stated to Mark, "I already have 20 girls in my class. I don't need another."
A classmate slammed a handwritten note on Mark's chest threatening "You're dead fag."
A teacher publicly questioned whether Mark was qualified to give blood based on the perception that Mark was gay.
On numerous occasions, when Mark would fight back verbally, it was Mark who would get into trouble, not the abusers.
When Mark reported to a teacher the abuse he had been suffering based on his sexual orientation, the teacher became antagonistic toward him, banned him from her classroom, and failed him.
On paperwork to transfer schools, the principals signed off to "ongoing verbal and physical harassment."

During the lawsuit, it was alleged by a family friend that he was given a subpoena at their place of employment and then had pictures taken without their permission. A witness for the defense who was still a student alleges that he was taken out of classes during the litigation and given breakfast, lunches and coffees for his participation and cooperation. A former boyfriend, who was also called to be a defense witness, claims the district attorneys sent him flowers and gifts for his cooperation, but when it was discovered he and Iversen were back together shortly before settlement talks and trial, he was dropped as a witness. No confirmation on the truth or fiction has been made.

The lawsuit was settled in 1999 ^[1] for $40,000.00 and a guarantee from the district that there would be training on the subject of anti-gay harassment. The district had refused to add sexual orientation to their harassment policy, stating that their current policy has enough explanation. On 11 September 2002, the district adopted a new policy ^[2] from RCW 9A.36.080(3) ^[3] that does include the term "sexual orientation."

There have been numerous stories since the settlement (the most recent occurring in September of 2005) about ongoing harassment with students who seek help but the district still ignores them. The Kent School District has been acknowledged nationally for their efforts to combat racial discrimination and diversity for minorities. ^[4]

As of 2005, the only remaining administrator is Doug Boushey who now is principal at Meridian Middle School. Jim Hager left Kent School District for Washoe County Schools in Reno, Nevada but in 2004 he resigned and became a professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where he teaches in the Division of Educational Leadership. No information where Dupree, Dillard and Watson have moved onto. Iversen graduated college and currently works in the healthcare industry.

[edit] Nick Emmett vs. Kent School District

In 2000, student Nick Emmett of Kentlake High School published a website on his private America Online account that depicted students and teachers being voted on who would die. Students in the school knew about the site and many encouraged the participation. Many wanted to be voted as the next “victim” however staff were not amused and demanded Emmett close the website. Many students were suspended and the ACLU took on the case.

It was ruled that the school district could not punish students for their freedom of speech outside of school and was told it could do nothing about it.^[5] The site has since been removed.

[edit] NAACP vs. Kent School District

On November 5, 2004, the Seattle branch of the NAACP filed suit against the Kent School District on behalf of 13 families, alleging that district security guards used excessive force against 15 black students.

The suit, filed in King County Superior Court, names the Kent School District, superintendent Barbara Grohe and school security guard Gayle Mengino as defendants.

In the suit, the families say district security guards used metal handcuffs to restrain students, threw them against lockers or on the floor, pulled their hair or used painful pressure holds to force students to comply. The suit also alleges black students were disciplined at a disproportionate rate than other students.

The families also accuse Grohe of negligence, and say she failed to properly supervise district security officers.

Kent School District spokeswoman Becky Hanks said district administrators had not had a chance to thoroughly review the lawsuit, but said the suit was without merit.

The lawsuit was dismissed in May 2005.

[edit] Students at Kentridge High School vs. Kent School District (RE: Bible Club)

In April 2003, students at Kentridge High School south of Seattle filed a lawsuit against their school after being blocked from starting a Bible club. The students say their First Amendment rights had been violated by the school district.

September 2002, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed that Bible clubs are allowed to seek ASB sponsorship as any other club may lawfully do, be it Chess club or Muslim club. The court made this decision on the basis that it was a government exclusion of beliefs when the Bethel School District denied students the option of peacefully organizing outside of school hours a few years ago.