LONGVIEW — Longview police arrested Karen Cloninger, superintendent of Longview Public Schools, on Thursday morning as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual assault involving students at Mark Morris High School.
Superintendent Cloninger faces charges of tampering with a witness, a class C felony; failure to report, a gross misdemeanor; and obstructing a law enforcement officer, another gross misdemeanor. If convicted, the felony tampering charge carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Each gross misdemeanor is punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Additional charges are expected against Andrew Schoonover, the district’s executive director of student services, including failure to report and making a false or misleading statement to a public servant, both gross misdemeanors.
Thursday’s arrest cap months of scrutiny over how school district leaders responded to reports of misconduct among high school athletes. According to a statement released by the Longview Police Department, school staff and administrators learned of allegations involving physical and sexual misconduct as early as January 29, 2026. Detectives allege one student was forcibly dragged into the Mark Morris High School varsity team room, pinned to the ground and partially disrobed. Police said Cloninger was made aware of details involving multiple students.
On February 5, after reports began circulating on social media, Longview police leadership contacted Cloninger directly to ask whether law enforcement assistance was needed. Detectives say they were told the district had already investigated the matter internally and handled it. An official police investigation opened four days later, on February 9, after a parent contacted authorities to report the sexual assault. Two students were arrested February 19 on rape-related charges.
Investigators obtained evidence through multiple search warrants, including records and communications that raised questions about mandatory reporting obligations. Detectives allege employees voiced internal concerns about whether law enforcement should be notified, only to be directed by Cloninger to manage the situation within the district and discourage further discussion. Police Chief Robert Huhta described the case as one that demanded “a significant amount of time, coordination, and evidence review.”
“We understand the significance this case has in our community and the concern it has created for students, families, staff, and the broader public,” Huhta said in Thursday’s press release.
He added that keeping children safe remains a shared community responsibility and thanked detectives for their diligence. The investigation remains active, with possible additional arrests or charges.
Longview Public Schools, located in Cowlitz County along the Columbia River in southwest Washington, serves about 6,380 students across 17 schools. The district, on its website, created a Focus on Student Safety page since the allegations surfaced that states it is “committed to transparency, accountability, and the safety of every student.”
In a February 19 communique to families on the page, Cloninger called the allegations “deeply troubling and inconsistent with what our school district stands for.” The district activated its School Mobilization Assistance Response Team to provide extra counselors at Mark Morris High School and committed to cooperating with police.
On February. 23, during a school board meeting, Cloninger acknowledged community frustration over the pace and volume of district communication but stressed legal limits on sharing details about students and an active criminal case. She announced plans for a third-party review of athletics supervision, staff training and reporting procedures.
By March 9, the district had hired attorney Kathleen Haggard of Haggard & Ganson LLP to conduct an independent investigation. Haggard, who has handled hundreds of public employer probes involving misconduct and ethics issues, began collecting documents and scheduling interviews. Kathleen Haggard is the same attorney who investigated the alleged racial and sexual discrimination case against former Lynnwood Councilman Jim Smith back in 2022, who called the firms report concluding its investigation against him “misleading and distorts the evidence regarding the claims of racism and sexism.”
In a March 23 update posted to the District’s website, Cloninger reiterated the need to let investigators — both law enforcement and the independent reviewer — complete their work thoroughly. The district also pointed families to reporting systems, including a local “Have a Concern?” hotline and the statewide HearMeWA youth crisis line.
Questions about whether district leaders attempted to shield the school from outside scrutiny
Police now allege Cloninger and others directed an internal response that delayed mandatory notifications required under Washington law. State statutes, including RCW 26.44.080, classify school personnel as mandatory reporters who must alert law enforcement or the Department of Children, Youth and Families when they have reasonable cause to suspect child abuse or neglect, including sexual misconduct. Failure to do so is a gross misdemeanor.
The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, which oversees public education across Washington state, enforces policies aligned with those requirements and promotes training on sexual violence prevention, including through Erin’s Law initiatives aimed at recognizing and reporting child sexual abuse.
Parents and community members have voiced sharp criticism of the district’s handling since the first arrests in February. At school board meetings, families demanded faster transparency and stronger accountability, with some accusing leaders of downplaying the severity of the allegations. Students staged a walkout on February 9 to protest what they saw as inadequate action.
As of Thursday afternoon, Longview Public Schools had not issued a new statement specifically addressing Cloninger’s arrest. OSPI also had no immediate public comment on the superintendent’s arrest.
Who is Karen Cloninger
Dr. Karen Cloninger has served as superintendent of Longview Public Schools since July 1, 2024. She came to the District from East Valley School District in Spokane Valley, where she spent eight years as assistant superintendent bringing with her more than two decades of experience in the Spokane-area public schools. She previously worked as project director at the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership.
The Longview School Board selected her in February 2024 to succeed retiring Superintendent Dr. Dan Zorn. In April 2026, the board renewed her contract through June 2029 at her current annual salary of $221,195. She holds an Ed.D. from Washington State University.
Author: Mario Lotmore
