Dept. of Education investigating WA school district, claiming Pride display had vial of testosterone

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating a Washington school over claims that a Pride display had vials of testosterone.

The Department of Education said police removed the vials from a Bethel high school display “due to health and safety concerns associated with restricted drugs being left unattended so close to minor students.”

The school district told KIRO 7 this happened in early June at Graham-Kapowsin High School. The district said the display “included empty vials of testosterone as one of its visuals. The display also contained some vials that still contained a small amount of unknown liquid.”

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In a statement, the Bethel School District said:

“Thank you for reaching out. We are aware of the U.S. Department of Education investigation and will be cooperating in any way we can.

The inclusion of the vials was entirely unauthorized and did not receive approval from school leadership or administration.

Administrators immediately removed the vials and identified the individuals responsible for adding them without leadership approval. The vials were then turned over to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

We are also actively reviewing our display oversight protocols to ensure all school materials strictly align with our educational standards and community expectations.

Our primary focus remains on maintaining a safe, respectful, and focused learning environment for all of our students.”

The Department of Health said its investigation will focus on “whether Bethel School District teachers and school administrators encourage students to undergo medical procedures without parental consent. SPPO will also investigate whether the District allows parents to view instructional materials upon request and if parents were given the opportunity to opt their children out of surveys, examinations, or any other type of evaluation for which Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) requires parental consent.”

SPPO is the U.S. Department of Health’s Student Privacy Policy Office, which is leading the investigation.