LYNNWOOD—Parents and former faculty at Edmonds School District’s Meadowdale Elementary are furious with the district’s handling of a series of sexual abuse allegations involving at least 11 special education students (aged six to 12) and a former instructor.
The instructor in question is special education instructor David Sibley, who was hired by the district in 2022, and has been investigated by the Lynnwood Police Department, the school’s Human Resources Department, and has numerous sexual abuse allegations about him by students and faculty alike. Despite, the school district has yet to notify parents of these allegations and local prosecutors have declined to pursue charges citing “lack of evidence.”
Sibley was placed on paid administrative leave on August 2024 and will officially resign next month, following a resignation negotiation that began in January. He will have cost the district approximately $470,000 of taxpayer’s money, which does not include lawsuit settlements, since going on leave.
June 9 School Board Meeting’s public comments section explodes with scrutiny
At the Edmonds School District’s June 9 Board Meeting, the public comments section erupted with criticisms of the school district’s handling of the situation, namely its lack of parental notification – which is a state requirement.
“When is the district going to follow the law and notify parents of the students who were harmed by the teacher at one of our elementary schools? asked Ginnie Berry, ESD certificated music program teacher, certificated substitute and student intervention coordinator. “The district has a responsibility to report that misconduct to the parents. It is not optional; it is the law”
RCW 28.A.320.160 requires Washington school districts to immediately notify parents or legal guardians if their child is alleged to be the victim, target, or recipient of physical abuse, sexual misconduct, or assault by a school employee or contractor.
According to Berry, even though incidents of sexual misconduct were reported to the principal and superintendent they did not notify the parents.
“What those students suffered is going to affect them for the rest of their lives, they need help and their parents don’t even know what happened,” said Berry. “Do not think that because your student did not go to a specific school, they are not affected. This happens in all schools, unfortunately, to some degree. As a teacher, a mother of two daughters, and a human being, I care deeply about students and their wellbeing. The district chose not to obey the law and they should be held accountable.”
Instead of hearing back from the board Berry was contacted by the district’s attorney who said the students are safe, and if they weren’t their families would be notified by the district.
Berry said the district “hid the truth” and put the teacher in question on paid leave of absence for two years at a salary of $8,500 a month. The district then negotiated a resignation packet in January of this year, offering a six-month salary severance with six months of medical insurance.
Buck Stewart, resident of Edmonds and former school district employee, said during this meeting that, during his time working at Meadowdale Elementary, he learned that the principal was not required to inform parents of suspected abuse.
“I think we have rose colored glasses when it comes to the school,” said Stewart.
In Stewart’s personal accounts he recalls noticing Sibley would have the lights turned off in his classroom, the windows blocked with posters, and the door locked while he was alone in the classroom with a female student.
Another former Meadowdale Elementary staff member, Wendy Masterson, asked the board to imagine a child who has low cognitive function, a speech processing delay/disorder, a low IQ, selective mutism, significant social and emotional concerns, has adverse childhood trauma, is non-English speaking, has housing and food insecurity and comes from a family that is low income, single parents, perhaps undocumented, who are unable to advocate for their children.
“These are the children and families who were very carefully targeted by this male learning support teacher. Learning support teachers have a significant amount of knowledge regarding their students and families,” said Masterson. “Grooming as a deliberate act of building trust with a child, at the least this was grooming behavior. This teacher normalized having young female students alone in a dark room, the lights off, the windows covered, blinds down, sitting in proximity – so close that their legs are touching, his arm around their shoulder, stroking their hair, rubbing their back, leaning on them. These little girls should never feel this behavior is normal.”
Masterson defined grooming behavior as a manipulative process of building trust, testing boundaries, and isolating victims. All in all, over four years, Masterson said there were “multiple victims.”
OSPI has no jurisdiction over the matter, Masterson continued, seeing as the Edmonds School District is “self-governed.” She urged Superintendent Rebecca Miner to notify the parents adding that it is not about a “hail Mary, last ditch effort, to have a postmortem investigation to limit the school district’s liability,” it’s about “doing the right thing.”
Former teacher testimonies
The Lynnwood Times reached out to several former teachers who reportedly witnessed Sibley’s conduct in real time.
Ginnie Berry first noticed questionable behavior by Sibley in October of 2023, beginning with hugging his students in a concerning way. According to Berry, Sibley would pull little girls into his groin area closely, despite being told by administration not to give hugs.
Berry observed that when Sibley did this sometimes, he would say “hey kids come recharge my batteries.”
Sibley was also told not to shut, and lock, his door or block out his windows, which he continued to do on his second-floor classroom (in a separate wing from the principal).
“As I continued to watch this, I became more and more concerned,” said Berry. “You don’t faceplant a young child into your frontal area unless it’s for sexual gratification. It got to the point where it was sickening.”
Berry wrote to the then-principal Dan Davis and HR Director Roger Jordan, not only about the alleged misconduct by Sibley towards children, but to herself where, according to her, he would try and hug her without her permission and run his fingers up her bra line.
According to Berry, Sibley has lost custody of his children due to sexual abuse allegations and later bragged about the charges not sticking.
In January 2024, one of Sibley’s alleged victim’s mothers wrote a letter to School Board President Nancy Katims outlining things Sibley had allegedly done to her daughter, including sitting so close to him that she could “feel his erection.”
Katim forwarded the letter to Dr. Rob Baumgartner. Neither reported the allegations to the parents, and have yet to as of the publication of this article on Wednesday, July 15.
Berry said after she spoke out about Sibley’s behavior her substitute teacher contract was not renewed by the school district and feels like the decision was retaliatory. In March 2026 she sued the district for wrongful termination which was settled outside of court.
Another former teacher at Meadowdale Elementary, Wendy Masterson, wrote a letter of her own to principal Davis with a list of concerns of her own including Sibley’s inappropriate touching of female students (rubbing their back, and leaning into them), and always having the lights off when class was in session, among other things.
“He was very physically close to female students. If he was walking them from classroom to classroom it wouldn’t be unusual to have his hand on their shoulder but with male students, he was kind of abrupt and cold,” said Masterson. “It was always dark in the classroom when he had kids in there.”
All in all, Masterson and Berry said they’re aware of at least 11 children who were victims of Sibley’s behavior, ranging in age from six to 12 – all of them special education students, and many of them from lower income families whose first language isn’t English.
In September 2025, another student reported that she was allegedly sexually assaulted by Sibley while locked inside his classroom. This student was later hospitalized after attempting suicide.
ESD investigation, HR complaints, and disciplinary action
In December 2023, Sibley – represented by EEA President Andi Nofziger – met with Human Resources Director Roger Jordan, to determine whether he had violated the school district’s sexual harassment policy (5011 – Sexual Harassment of District Staff Prohibited). In that meeting it was determined that Sibley did not violate definitions described in Policy 5011-A-F. In other words, HR determined Sibley did not create a hostile work environment by way of sexual harassment.
However, Meadowdale Elementary staff filed complaints about Sibley that he had tendencies to want to “touch, side-hug, frontal hug, and generally talked way too much about [his] personal life in the workplace.” This involved sharing information about his divorce, dating life, and current financial situation.
One ESD staff member filed a complaint about Sibley after he reportedly asked her out to dinner (which she declined), said that he had “missed her” – from working with her from a previous year, complimented her looks, and repeatedly tried to hug her (which she also declined). Sibley, however, told HR that he did not remember any of this other than mentioning his divorce.
During that same December 2023 meeting, HR Director Jordan brought up allegations that Sibley had violated ESD Policy 5253 for hugging students in his class, office, and the hallway often using a full-frontal hug.
Policy 5253 clearly states: “District staff will not intrude on a student’s physical or emotional boundaries unless the intrusion is necessary to serve a demonstrated education purpose.”
“I believe that you are trying hard to be a nice person who has a genuine ‘like’ for students at Meadowdale Elementary. However, the students in the Meadowdale Elementary School, and all the students in the district, need to be aware of the mutual respect, trust, and understanding of appropriate boundaries between them and adults,” wrote HR Director Jordan in an official disciplinary letter addressed to Sibley on January 5, 2024. “You took it for granted that students and staff want your touch and hugs.”
In his letter, Jordan determined that the district’s internal investigation clearly indicate that Sibley “over-shared personal information, over-touched, and over-hugged staff, and students.”
He was issued a letter of direction, which was monitored by Principal Dan Davis, which included the following instructions:
- He must stop talking to staff members about his divorce situation
- He must stop talking to staff members about his dating situation(s)
- He must stop talking to staff members concerning his financial situation
- He must stop trying to offer hugs to staff members, from the side or from the front
- He must not touch staff members unless it is an emergency that will get that person out of danger
- He must not retaliate, or ask questions, to any staff member that were interviewed, concerning the complaint
- And he must respect all employees’ right to exercise their rights of unwanted conduct that includes his passing of personal information not relevant to the teaching of students, pr physical contact with employees that could lead to a hostile work environment
While Sibley was not found, by Jordan, to be in violation of Board Policy 5011 (Sexual Harassment of District Staff) he was found to be “very close” to violating Board Policy 5253 (Maintaining Professional Staff/Student Boundaries).
“As a certificated teacher, he has a protected property interest in continued employment/pay. The district may not cut pay or impose final discipline until after due process. We need to have DS out of the classroom until we complete an investigation and complete his due process; paid administrative leave is a “hold” until that can be done,” a school district spokesperson wrote in an email.
Sibley signed a settlement agreement on January 27, 2026, where he agreed to submit a letter of resignation from his employment with the district, effective August 31, 2026. As part of that settlement, the district agreed to pay Sibley, in accordance with the terms of his contract, a lump sum payment of $48,430.60 (the equivalent of five months salary on the 26-27 schedule) plus $8,340 in health insurance – totaling $56,770.60.
Lynnwood Police Department Investigation
The Lynnwood Police Department launched an investigation of its own beginning on May 2, 2024, after a former Student Intervention Coordinator at Meadowdale Elementary School reported concerns about the conduct of Sibley.
The former employee told police she worked at the school from September 2023 through January 2024 and observed Sibley regularly requesting hugs from young female students in his special education classes, despite school policy discouraging that type of physical contact.
The Lynnwood Times obtained Lynwood Police Department records, spanning more than 800-pages containing police reports, detective narratives, forensic interviews, school district records, witness statements, and evidence logs.
According to the police report, the employee said Sibley embraced children in full-frontal hugs, pulling them close enough that, because of the children’s height, their faces were near his groin. She also reported concerns involving another student whom she said was occasionally alone with Sibley in a classroom with the blinds closed, lights off and door shut.
The employee told investigators she reported her concerns to the school’s principal and Edmonds School District Human Resources, prompting an internal investigation. She said she believed the investigation resulted only in a written directive instructing Sibley not to ask students for hugs or hug them but did not lead to further disciplinary action.
The employee also told police she contacted Child Protective Services but was informed CPS does not investigate allegations involving school employees.
Those allegations prompted a criminal investigation by Lynnwood police detectives assigned to the department’s Person Crimes Unit.
Detective Shannon Mozeak was assigned to the investigation on May 7, 2024.
According to investigative reports, detectives began interviewing school employees, parents and administrators while requesting district records and arranging forensic interviews with children who had contact with Sibley.
Investigators also learned a parent had previously received an anonymous text message warning her not to allow her daughter around Sibley. The parents told detectives she immediately contacted school administrators after learning of the allegations. She said the principal informed her the district had already investigated the incident and concluded the allegations were unfounded, explaining that while the hugging “looked inappropriate,” investigators determined it was not sexual in nature.
Police informed the parent law enforcement would conduct an independent investigation separate from the school district’s review.
As detectives continued interviewing school employees, multiple witnesses described what they considered inappropriate physical contact involving young students.
According to police reports, several employees independently reported observing Sibley giving prolonged, full-frontal hugs to a six-year-old girl enrolled in his class.
Witnesses told detectives the hugs typically lasted several seconds and brought the child’s face near Sibley’s groin because of the difference in their heights.
Employees also told investigators staff members generally are discouraged from initiating physical contact with students except when educationally necessary. Witnesses described district expectations that teachers limit contact to gestures such as side hugs, fist bumps or high-fives.
One employee who worked in Sibley’s classroom told detectives she regularly observed him asking students for hugs and touching young female students’ hands.
Another employee reported seeing Sibley pick up and carry a student inside after the child experienced a tantrum during recess. That witness told detectives she personally never picked up or carried students.
Several employees expressed concern to investigators that many of the children involved were enrolled in special education programs and therefore were particularly vulnerable.
The investigation also examined allegations from an adult employee who reported unwanted physical contact by Sibley during the 2023-24 school year.
According to police reports, the employee described several incidents.
She told investigators that in October 2023 Sibley gave her an unexpected full-frontal hug inside her office, leaving her frozen and unable to respond.
She said Sibley later asked her for another hug.
In another incident described by investigators, Sibley reached toward her arm while she attempted to avoid him in a hallway. She pulled away without responding, according to police.
The employee also alleged that after a staff meeting in December 2023, Sibley ran his fingers across her back near her bra line in what she described in a romantic manner.
She told detectives she immediately suffered a panic attack, felt violated and later reported the incident to Edmonds School District Human Resources.
The employee resigned from the district in March 2024, telling investigators Sibley’s conduct toward both her and students contributed to that decision.
Detectives arranged forensic interviews through Dawson Place Child Advocacy Center.
According to the investigative summary, one child told interviewers Sibley hugged her every day while she was assigned to his classroom.
The child reportedly said Sibley told her, “I like you” and “I love you” while hugging her.
According to investigators, the child also reported Sibley continued hugging her after she was no longer assigned to his classroom.
The police report attributes those statements to the child’s forensic interview. They have not been independently verified in court.
Investigators contacted Sibley during the investigation and invited him to provide a statement.
According to police, Sibley said he consulted his union representative and had been advised not to speak with investigators without an attorney present.
Police reported Sibley said he contacted the Snohomish County Public Defender’s Office but was told counsel would not be appointed unless criminal charges were filed.
Investigators wrote that Sibley declined to provide a statement but understood he could contact detectives later if he changed his mind.
The police records reviewed for this story do not include any substantive interview with Sibley responding to the allegations.
After reviewing Detective Mozeak’s investigation, Detective Jacqueline Arnett concluded probable cause existed for two misdemeanor offenses.
Police consulted with the city prosecutor before issuing a criminal citation on Aug. 27, 2024.
According to the citation, Sibley was cited for one count of fourth-degree assault involving an adult employee and one count of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation involving a child.
Prosecutor declines to charge Sibley
In early July 2026, the Snohomish County prosecuting attorney’s office declined to charge Sibley of a single count of Rape of a Child in the First-Degree writing “we determined that there is insufficient admissible evidence to prove that a crime was committed beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Chad Krepps, then Lynnwood’s contract prosecuting attorney, also declined to prosecute Sibley back in February 2025 when the case was first referred to the city’s prosecuting attorney’s office by the LPD.
Krepps wrote in a memo that the alleged sexual harassment was “not welcome” by school staff and had “negative psychological responses.” However, he said it was not technically a crime because the city had to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that Sibley’s touching was harmful or offensive.
He also dismissed a June 2025 assault allegation where Sibley allegedly “log carried” a student across a field, where his arms were wrapped around the student’s body preventing her from moving her arms or kicking her legs. Krepps said the date of this alleged violation fell outside the two-year statute of limitation for gross misdemeanor offenses.
A more serious allegation was brought forward to the Lynnwood police in August 2025, when a student reported that Sibley sexually assaulted her in a classroom when she was in fifth grade. The county’s prosecuting attorney’s office still declined charges sitting due to lack of evidence.
The Lynnwood Times reached out to the Edmonds School District but their Director of Communications and Public Affairs was unable to respond by our publication date. This article will be updated with the district’s statement as soon as it becomes available.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
