PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Students at a Vancouver high school walked out of class Monday following news that an English teacher was accused of sexual misconduct with a minor last month.
Shadbreon Gatson, 43, was arrested by Vancouver police Dec. 20 after law enforcement received information from a former Hudson's Bay High School student about incidents that took place in 2013, according to officials.
However, this charge was dropped due to the expiration of the statute of limitations, court documents say. The school district then contracted a third-party investigator to review these previous investigations and consider more recent leads.
Students involved in the walkout took to Instagram to share their plans to leave class at 10:40 a.m. on Monday.
"I know that there's a line in the boundary that teachers don't cross, but some do anyways,” said Shannon Johns, a senior at Hudson's Bay. “And who am I supposed to go to for that? I can't go to them."
Joel Catalaafemata, a junior, added that "the fact that that trust is broken over years over multiple generations is, to me, quite ridiculous. Because why should we have these kinds of people in our schools? And how are they able to get past this for so long."
Vancouver Public Schools said Gaston was placed on leave on Nov. 8, when the district first learned of inappropriate behavior. But law enforcement said the arrest stemmed from the Dec. 2 report filed by the former student.
In a letter previously sent by VPS to parents and staff, the district said Gatson will remain on administrative leave as the investigation continues.
“We do take our responsibility to thoroughly and fairly investigate matters such as this very seriously,” the letter stated. “The safety of our students is again paramount, and if necessary and appropriate, we will take action at the end of our investigation.”
Meanwhile, Principal Valerie Seeley and Bill Oman, the director of schools and learning for VPS, were administrators at the time of alleged abuse and both volunteered to be put on leave while these investigations are ongoing.
