Washington state school district faces scrutiny over handling of teacher sexual misconduct allegations

In March 2016, Mercer Island High School administrators received a disturbing anonymous call from a Microsoft employee alleging that popular English and journalism teacher Gary “Chris” Twombley was in an inappropriate relationship with a sophomore student. The tipster, a mentor to the student, claimed to have seen text messages from Twombley telling the girl, “I like the way you look today,” and “There are things I can’t tell you and have to wait till you turn eighteen.”

Eight years passed before the allegations were fully investigated. In 2023, a woman came forward to police claiming she’d been in an emotional and sexual relationship with Twombley in 2015, when she was a 17-year-old senior. King County prosecutors concluded they could prove the abuse occurred but were barred from filing charges due to Washington’s three-year statute of limitations in effect at the time.

Records obtained by InvestigateWest and the Mercer Island Reporter show that in 2016, school leaders discouraged police from pursuing the anonymous tip, with then-Principal Vicki Puckett suggesting it might be a “prank.”

The victim who came forward in 2023 told investigators her relationship with Twombley began with messages on the school’s chat system before escalating to explicit photos and sexual encounters, including an assault at a Seattle music venue. She said she came forward in hopes of preventing him from working with students again.

Instead, Twombley was quietly placed on paid administrative leave for 14 months before resigning in February 2025 under a settlement worth more than $70,000 in salary and benefits. He voluntarily surrendered his Washington teaching license and agreed not to seek reinstatement, but can legally teach in other states.

Critics say the district prioritized legal risk over student safety. “They should have done the right thing, which is let the community know, try to find other victims, and provide support,” said parent Brian Gaspar, who obtained hundreds of pages of records and has since pulled his child from the district.

School board member Dan Glowitz, who pressed for answers, described the environment as “toxic” and accused administrators of a cover-up. Emails show the board chose not to publicly announce Twombley’s resignation after learning charges were off the table.

Superintendent Fred Rundle and the school board president declined interview requests. The district only informed the community on August 8, 2025, nearly two years after police began investigating and just before reporters published their findings.

For families like Gaspar’s and parent Meghan Hamill’s, the revelations have eroded trust in the school system. “They had so many opportunities at so many different levels to come forward and protect these girls,” Hamill said.

Gaspar fears little will change without outside intervention. “This is a systemic breakdown that needs outside attention,” he said. “I’m going to make an A+ effort, but I don’t know how much it’s going to change.”