Bellingham Schools deputy superintendent arrested Wednesday on suspicion of DUI
The Bellingham Public Schools Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence Wednesday evening north of Bellingham.
The Washington State Patrol booked Michael Aaron Copland, 60, into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of DUI on Oct. 28.
A 2006 Ford F-150 truck that was being driven by Copland was stopped at 5:59 p.m. near the intersection of Slater and Ferndale roads, Trooper Heather Axtman told The Bellingham Herald. Axtman said she did not yet have a full report to know why the truck was stopped.
Copland was taken into custody on suspicion of DUI at 6:13 p.m. and later released to his wife, Axtman said.
“We take an allegation like this very seriously and we are actively looking into the matter,” Bellingham Public Schools spokesperson Dana Smith told The Bellingham Herald in an email. “As a rule, we investigate matters of concern involving school district employees, and we treat our employees consistently regardless of their role with our organization. We do not comment on personnel matters.
“When we investigate, we do so with careful attention to the legal standards related to public employees, care and concern for the social and emotional consequences of our employee’s actions, and respect for the dignity of all individuals involved.”
Wednesday’s arrest was not Copland’s first for DUI.
Snohomish County Cascade Division Court records show Copland pleaded guilty to DUI charges in 2014, paid a fine and served 15 days of home monitoring. That case has since been closed.
According to the Bellingham Public Schools’ organizational chart, Copland reports directly to Superintendent Greg Baker.
Copland has served as the district’s deputy superintendent since 2013, according to his biography on the district’s website. He began his teaching career at Whatcom Middle School and later became assistant principal there before becoming principal at Shuksan and Fairhaven middle schools in the 1990s.
Copland stepped away from the district to become a lead senior program officer on the U.S. team at the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, before returning to Bellingham.
