Ellensburg School District settles with Dept. of Justice after investigation into harassment, assault

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) made a settlement agreement with the Ellensburg School District after it determined the district failed to protect students.

A news release from the DOJ stated the investigation was sparked by allegations that students were harassed and discriminated against based on sex, race, color and national origin.

The DOJ’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington found Black, Latino and LGBTQ+ students in the district “endured widespread harassment, including taunts, intimidation, humiliation, epithets, slurs and death threats,” the release stated.

It also found that some students were physically assaulted by other students at the school.

“The school district’s failure to adequately respond despite its knowledge of this harassment left students vulnerable, leading some to miss class, drop school activities, avoid areas of campus and even transfer or leave school altogether,” the release added.

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The DOJ stated the department opened the investigation in August 2023 under Titles IV and VI, the Civil Rights Act and Title IX. It then reviewed records from the 2021-22 and 2023-24 schools years. It also interviewed more than 100 people, including current and former students, employees and parents. The DOJ added the district fully cooperated during the investigation.

“This agreement will give the district tools to prevent and address harassment and create a healthier and supportive environment for student learning and development,” U.S. Attorney Vanessa Waldref for the Eastern District of Washington stated.

According to the news release, the department’s investigation revealed the district was aware of a hostile environment for students and failed to properly act.

“Black students faced frequent use of the N-word and other racial slurs by their classmates; Latino students were openly subjected to epithets like ‘beaner,’ ‘wetback’ and ‘mixed-breed’; and LGBTQ+ students endured widespread, ongoing and severe sex-based harassment by their peers, including gendered slurs, public graffiti and intimidation,” the release stated.

The DOJ said the lack of response allowed the harassment to continue and eventually escalate.

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Under the settlement, the Ellensburg School District has agreed to retain a third-party consultant to help the district implement the agreement, designate a district coordinator to oversee the resolution of reports of harassment, designate a Spanish-speaking liaison to Latino families, create a new electronic reporting system and update policies to ensure the district responds effectively to all reports of harassment.

The district has also agreed to train all staff and students on how to identify and report harassment, along with implementing an annual climate assessment through surveys and listening sessions with students, parents and school employees to identify and respond to harassment.

“All students, whether Black, Latino or LGBTQ+, have a right to attend school free from harassment, intimidation and death threats,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said in the release. “A school should be a place where students feel safe and supported. The department stands by these students and will ensure that schools respond quickly and effectively to protect students if they face harassment.”

More information about the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division can be found on the department’s website.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X here and email her here.