Three Bellingham Public Schools assistant principals charged with failure to report the alleged sexual assault of a Squalicum High School student have been moved to other administrative jobs within the district, officials announced in letters to the schools Tuesday.
Squalicum High School Assistant Principals Jeremy Louzao and Meghan Dunham and Bellingham High School Assistant Principal Chimere Hackney have been moved to jobs in the district’s Department of Teaching and Learning.
The three assistant principals were criminally cited by the Bellingham Police Department last month for allegedly failing to report the 2021 sexual assaults of a student after she reported it to all three administrators in early 2022. The student who reported the assaults filed a federal lawsuit against the school district last month.
Hundreds of Squalicum High School students walked out on Dec. 12 in protest of the actions and called for accountability from the school district.
“These employees’ work assignments have changed in recognition of the legal proceeding still in progress and to avoid disruption to the educational environment,” the district’s Assistant Director of Communications Dana Smith said in an email.
They will continue to work full-time in the Department of Teaching and Learning, which oversees curriculum and education within state laws and district policies, the district said. Members of the department handle areas like special education, career and technical education and other general curricula. The assistant principals will “use their expertise and experience” in support roles, the district said.
Less than a month ago, the district expressed support for the three administrators staying in their jobs. Superintendent Greg Baker stated in a Dec. 9 release that the staff members “are continuing to work for our district in their normal capacity, and they have our support to do so.”
The district’s Title IX Coordinator and Director of Athletics Laurel Peak will fill one of the assistant principal vacancies on an interim basis at Squalicum. As Title IX coordinator, Peak is tasked with investigating instances of sexual harassment and assault within the district. She also coordinates the “regulation compliance efforts,” according to district policy. When a staff member becomes aware of a potential incident of sexual assault or harassment, they are required to report it to Peak.
Bill Stuckrath, a former assistant principal who retired from Squalicum in 2014, will temporarily fill the other vacant assistant principal role. Heather Steele will be the interim assistant principal at Bellingham High School. She has served various roles within the school district, including yearbook adviser, registrar and administrative intern.
In the 2020-2021 school year, the Washington State Legislative Evaluation and Accountability Program Committee reported that Dunham was paid $132,318 and Louzao $91,194 from the Bellingham district. Hackney was not employed by the district at that time, and more current salary data is not available.
