Squalicum students walk out, protesting lack of staff accountability about sexual assaults

More than 100 students walked out of classes Monday morning, Dec. 12, at Squalicum High School in Bellingham to protest what they said is a lack of care and accountability from administrators about sexual assaults.

The walk-out, which lasted most of the morning, came after The Bellingham Herald reported Friday that three Bellingham Public Schools assistant principals were issued criminal citations Wednesday, Dec. 7, for failing to report a student’s sexual assaults that happened nearly a year ago. Failure to report is a gross misdemeanor.

Several students shared their frustrations with the crowd about reporting or attempting to report sexual assaults. Many of the students said they’ve had to continue to attend classes with their abusers after reporting the assaults, and said that no-contact orders and safety agreements have not been followed.

The students accused school administrators of focusing more on the school’s image than the safety of its students and asked that sexual assault, and other issues such as racism, homophobia and bullying, be taken more seriously.

A handful held signs that read “We demand a safe school,” “If you don’t act, we will,” and “We want admin we can trust,” among other slogans.

The students said they were demanding change, and asked for transparency and accountability from school administrators.

“How many walkouts do we have to have until you see us?,” one student said. “Help us. We’re just kids. Why are we protecting ourselves when it’s your job to protect us? How many is it going to take?”

Bellingham Police were called by administrators near the end of the protest after an adult arrived and yelled at school principal Miguel Perez. The man had left by the time police arrived.

Maude Chimere Hackney, Jeremy G. Louzao and Meghan V. Dunham are mandatory reporters, which requires them by law to report any suspected abuse or neglect of a child to law enforcement or the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Hackney, 41 of Olympia, is an assistant principal at Bellingham High School. Louzao, 41 of Bellingham and Dunham, 50 of Bellingham, are assistant principals at Squalicum High School, according to the Bellingham Public School’s staff directory.

All three of the assistant principals are continuing to work in their normal capacities and have the district’s support in doing so, according to a Friday, Dec. 9, update from Bellingham Public Schools Superintendent Greg Baker.

“We do not believe the staff members pose a safety risk to students, and the allegations against them do not involve conduct endangering students, beyond an alleged failure to report student-to-student sexual contact,” Baker’s statement said.

This story was originally published December 12, 2022 at 10:40 AM.

Denver Pratt

The Bellingham Herald

360-715-2236

Reporter Denver Pratt joined The Bellingham Herald in 2017 and covers courts and criminal and social justice. She has worked in Montana, Florida and Virginia. She lives in Alger, Wash.

Rachel Showalter

The Bellingham Herald

360-715-2212

Rachel Showalter graduated Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2019 with a degree in journalism. She spent nearly four years working in radio, TV and broadcast on the West Coast of California before joining The Bellingham Herald in August 2022. She lives in Bellingham.