Protecting students and restoring public trust
Dear Superintendent Fred Rundle and members of the Mercer Island School Board,
The sexual abuse of students at Mercer Island High School by former teacher Chris Twombley is an unconscionable violation of the trust placed in this district by every family in our community. Furthermore, the district’s successive leadership failures to remedy this threat within eight years likely produced additional victims. We know of at least one victim who suffered as a direct result of your failure, and your predecessor’s failure, to act upon the first claim of abuse. As leaders entrusted with the safety of our children, your highest duty is to ensure that no student is ever subjected to such harm. In this case, the district failed that duty and placed children directly in the path of a suspected pedophile, while concealing the matter from the community for nearly a decade.
In addition to an egregious delay in taking protective action, the district paid Mr. Twombley approximately $70,000 and agreed not to renew his Washington state teaching credentials, rather than pursuing an immediate revocation through the appropriate channels. This arrangement leaves him eligible to work with children in other settings, both within and outside Washington. It also allows him to teach in other states if he choses. Such limited action does nothing to prevent him from seeking employment or volunteer roles with youth-serving organizations, private coaching programs, or other educational institutions. By leaving this door open, the district failed to use its influence to safeguard children beyond its own payroll, children who are no less deserving of protection.
This failure is not just procedural; it is a moral breach. The community trusted you to put the safety of students above all else, yet your response has been narrow, bureaucratic, incomplete, and appears aimed more at protecting the District’s image than protecting children.
Our children needed decisive, comprehensive action to ensure this never happens again. Instead, they received a delayed and technical non-renewal of credentials accompanied by a taxpayer-funded payout. This will not stop a determined predator from finding other avenues to harm children, and under your watch, he already did.
If this district is serious about protecting students and restoring public trust, you must take the following immediate actions:
1. Full disclosure: Publicly disclose all known details of when this board, and prior boards and superintendents, knew about Mr. Twombley’s conduct, and identify who directed the actions or inactions that followed. The community deserves a clear and factual account of who knew what, when they knew it, and who made the decisions.
2. Proactive safeguarding: Establish a permanent policy requiring the district to proactively notify other child-serving organizations when an employee is found to have engaged in sexual misconduct. This must include notification to the Mercer Island School District community, parents, and the public. Immediately investigate and remedy any other predatory behaviors within MISD. Recent online discussions following the Mercer Island Reporter investigative article allege additional offenders within the district.
3. Law enforcement engagement: Partner with law enforcement and child protection agencies to take all possible measures to restrict Mr. Twombley’s access to children in any capacity, including removing any opportunity for him to teach in other states.
4. Independent oversight: Create an independent oversight committee of parents, child safety experts, and community members to implement robust sexual violence education and prevention measures for students.
5. Mandatory training: Institute ongoing, mandatory training for all staff and volunteers on identifying, reporting, and preventing sexual abuse, with clear protocols and accountability structures.
6. Swift action for future disclosures: If additional victims or witnesses come forward, the district must respond with immediate, transparent, and protective measures to safeguard current students and support survivors. Delays or partial responses must never be repeated.
7. Accountability for cover-ups: If it is determined that any employee, contractor, or board member engaged in a cover-up, attempted to silence victims or witnesses, or otherwise obstructed justice, the district must terminate their employment or remove them from their position immediately, and refer them to the appropriate prosecuting authorities for investigation and possible criminal charges.
Your corrective response to this incident will be a defining moment for the Mercer Island School District. You have already damaged community trust, but you have an opportunity to show urgency, transparency, and moral courage. Alternatively, you can continue to provide minimal compliance, evade questions, and further erode public confidence, at the cost of both trust and child safety.
Transparency and victim protection are not mutually exclusive. We can do both. I also want to express my respect and support for the majority of Mercer Island teachers who are dedicated, caring professionals.
Our students and families deserve a Board and Superintendent who put their welfare above all else. I urge you to act decisively, not just to address past failures, but to ensure that no predator is ever again given access to Mercer Island children under your watch.
Jeff Lippens, Mercer Island
