LAKE STEVENS—A former Lake Stevens School District student will receive a $2 million settlement after alleging the school district failed to properly protect her against a former teacher’s sexual grooming behavior.
The lawsuit targets Mark Hein, a former calculus teacher at Lake Stevens high school, who was placed on administrative leave in 2023 after a 15-year-old student (at the time) made allegations of inappropriate and unprofessional conduct. Hein was arrested by the Lake Stevens Police Department, January 25, 2023, and was booked at the Snohomish County Jail. He posted bail that evening and was released.
The charges included two counts of communicating with a minor for immoral purposes, two counts of assault with sexual motivation, and two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor all gross misdemeanors punishable up to 364 days in jail and $5,000 in fines. The charges have since been dropped.
Hein’s alleged victim confided in her therapist several things relating to the math teacher beginning in 2022, leading to a mandatory report to Child Protective Services.
The student told Child Forensic Interviewers at Dawson’s Place, in Everett, Hein’s behavior began September, 2022, when he would caress her hair and inappropriately touch her upper thigh, refusing to stop when asked. He would do this at least once per class, she said. Hein would also exchange notes with her that were personal in nature, invited her to an overnight Young Life camp, and asked where she was competing for a cheerleading competition so he could attend. In one of these notes Hein asked what the student and her boyfriend do together, which the student photographed as evidence. The student also noticed her grades would change to A’s, undeservedly, even for an assignment she failed to turn in. When she asked Hein why she received an A he reportedly replied, “don’t you need better grades?”
According to records obtained by the Lynnwood Times, Hein assigned the alleged victim to sit next to his desk during class where she remained throughout the school year despite other students’ desks rotating monthly. When the student asked why, Hein responded “Just leave it. Don’t you want to be next to me in class in case you need help?” In some cases the proximity of the student’s desk to Hein’s was so close the two were “side-by-side”, the report states, even appearing to be touching knees in a photograph she took as evidence, although the photograph does not show any faces.
On September 8, 2021, Hein sent an email to the student, and one other female student (also a minor), saying “Hey you two. I am enjoying you two in class already. You bring energy and effort and are just fun! Looking forward to the year and getting to know you both better.” Some emails sent to these two students were outside school hours and from his iPhone – not his work computer.
In once instance, the school was only allowing students to use one restroom on campus due to a recent TikTok trend. Hein told the student if she needed to use the restroom she should do so, as to have enough time to gather her things and make it to her next class. The bell rang while she was in the restroom and she immediately felt Hein had misled her into thinking she had more time than she had. When she returned to Hein’s classroom he was alone during what was a scheduled “planning period” – meaning he did not have any other students during this time. She also noticed her belongings had already been packed in her bag. Hein said he had done it to make it “easier on her” pleading her to stay with him instead of going to her next class. The student said she did not want to stay but Hein insisted saying he could write a note excusing her from her next class. When she finally left she noticed her bag had been stuffed with candy, which she knew was not there before and was the type of candy Hein typically kept in his desk. Hein had previously said that the candy was “not for everyone” but would frequently ask the student if she wanted any before class.
At least one of the two students (possibly both) would frequently be asked to stay after Hein’s class for no other reason but to talk about personal things – which often resulted in the student being late to their next class and made them feel uncomfortable, the report states.
Hein also approached the student’s boyfriend at the time, who was trying out for the boys’ basketball team, and asked him questions like: “how is [redacted] as a girlfriend?”, “What do you you two do together?”, and “What do you two do together when you’re alone?”
Hein also asked to take pictures with the student frequently and asked her to send them to him, including a picture taken of her on pajama day – when her outfit exposed a portion of her chest and midriff. Another student reportedly was also asked to take pictures with Hein in a similar way. According to the report, Hein also asked both students if they had SnapChat, took one of their phones and took a “selfie” of himself on one of their SnapChat apps.
When the student and her mother approached school administration about Hein’s behavior, they transferred her to a new math class and reportedly spoke to Hein, ordering him to stay away from her. Hein did not heed the administration’s request and continued to visit her in her new classroom frequently, continuing to caress her arm and asked if she was “mad” at him for transferring classes.
Hein admitted to Officers that he sent students emails outside school hours and that he was also aware of the school’s order to refrain from contacting her.
According to court records, a result of Hein’s behavior the student began to have epileptic seizures that became so intense she could no longer attend school or school sporting events.
Hein, when interviewed by investigators, said his behavior was a “big misunderstanding” and shrugged off his physical touching, which he admitted, as just being an affectionate person by nature. He also said that every conversation and note exchange was initiated by the student. Hein denied talking to the student’s boyfriend and approaching her in the hallways after he was ordered by the school to refrain contact. Multiple other students who witnessed these interactions said otherwise.
In the most recent lawsuit, documents state the school district did not put Hein on administrative leave until August, 2022 and failed to notify law enforcement of Hein’s behavior until an outside counselor did first.
The lawsuit further alleged the district “repeatedly failed to protect students by ignoring mandatory reporting laws,” refused to notify the OSPI of his conduct required by state law, and failed to intervene in the harassment nor conduct a competent investigation.
Hein also coached varsity boy’s basketball and tennis at Lake Stevens HS, where he has worked since 2003. He also volunteered at Lake Stevens Young Life but left in 2022, Kaitlyn Russum, of Lake Stevens Young Life, confirmed.
He resigned over two years after being placed on paid administrative leave. He received a severance of $122,184.00 at the beginning of last year.
On April 6, 2026, the Lake Stevens School District agreed to pay Hein’s alleged victim (now 19-years-old) $2 million in addition to enhancing the school’s training on sexual grooming and mandatory reporting.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
