Third-party investigation closed in MIHS sexual misconduct case

Published 10:10 am Thursday, January 15, 2026

Nearly three months after the news broke about sexual misconduct allegations involving a former Mercer Island High School (MIHS) staff member and a former student who raised the allegations, Mercer Island School District (MISD) Superintendent Fred Rundle has provided an update on the district’s third-party investigation.

In a Jan. 13 letter to the community, Rundle said the independent investigation has been closed “due to the unavailability of those involved” and because “the investigator was unable to make any findings regarding the allegations set forth in the InvestigateWest article.”

Rundle said the investigator made reasonable efforts to gather information from the former female student — who graduated from MIHS in 2011 — and former English teacher Curtis Johnston. Rundle said if the district receives additional information in the future, it will review the findings and may reopen the matter.

When the Johnston story was posted on Oct. 23, 2025, Rundle informed the community in a letter that the district had opened its own independent investigation and that he filed reports with the Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) and Child Protective Services (CPS) related to Johnston’s alleged misconduct.

“The district’s commitment to student safety is unwavering. We take seriously the responsibility entrusted to us by families and the confidence parents place in our schools,” Rundle said on Jan. 13.

On Oct. 29, Rundle and others participated in a nearly two-hour district-hosted “Student Safety and Well-Being Webinar.” The webinar was held to “inform our community about the tangible steps MISD is taking to protect students in the wake of this news,” according to the district.

In a previous Reporter story, Sarah Karim, Mercer Island PTA Council president, noted, “This conversation tonight is about bringing forward the wide breadth and depth of concerns that families have from what has emerged.” She said that more than 150 people submitted more than 270 questions for the discussion.

During a Nov. 13 school board meeting, student representative to the board Brody Newcomer said that some students feel betrayed, angry, confused and sad about the situation, according to a previous Reporter story.

Stemming from the Johnston story, members of the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) prevention services team presented its “Moving Beyond Stranger Danger: Personal Safety Conversations for Today’s Youth” program on Dec. 8 at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center.

The Johnston story followed an InvestigateWest/Mercer Island Reporter story in August 2025 regarding former MIHS teacher Gary “Chris” Twombley, who was accused of sexually abusing or inappropriately pursuing at least two teenage students.

“Whereas this alleged conduct between Mr. Johnston and a former student dates back to 2010-2011 and Mr. Twombley’s misconduct occurred in 2015-2016, the district will not allow the distance of time to be an excuse for inaction. We believe we have evolved and have better systems and practices in place today, but we want to do more,” Rundle wrote on Jan. 13.

In taking steps toward implementing change, the district has formed a partnership with Praesidium, which brings more than 30 years of experience working with organizations and schools to prevent sexual abuse of children, and formed the Student Safety and Well-Being Committee. That robust committee — which features students, parents, staff, administrators, community leaders and external partners — will address preventing staff and adult misconduct, reviewing curriculum and education the district uses to teach students how to protect themselves and advocate for their peers and more.

In the recent letter, Rundle noted: “We understand how unsettling this news has been. Our community and district share the same commitment to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for students.”