A complaint about an image of a hanging shown in a U.S. history class sparked an investigation that resulted in a disciplinary action against a 10-year educator at Marysville High School.
During the months-long investigation, district officials uncovered a wide range of unrelated claims against high school history, psychology and sociology teacher Scott Hamilton. Hamilton, who has also coached a variety of sports in the district, has been on leave since the investigation began in August. He will be returning to the classroom on Monday after signing a “last chance” disciplinary agreement with the district.
“Once you start talking to kids, sometimes the floodgates open,” Marysville Superintendent Diane Allen said.
District officials were approached by a student with concerns about Hamilton a few days into this school year. The allegations stem from a classroom incident during the previous school year in which students were shown an image of a hanging as part of a history class. According to Allen, students were not warned about the graphic and potentially disturbing nature of the image prior to it being shown.
“It’s certainly a part of American history, certainly a part of civil rights and something that happened over the evolution of our country,” Allen said. “But any time you’re covering something that’s sensitive, you always want to frame it for kids.”
Allen said students should have been warned about the disturbing image and offered an opportunity to leave the classroom while it was shown.
Hamilton was removed from the classroom a few days into the school year as district officials began to interview students. Through that investigation more allegations surfaced that led to additional students and staff members being interviewed. Hamilton also serves as a manager at the Marysville City Pool and some pool employees were also interviewed.
According to a notice of a pre-disciplinary meeting dated Oct. 26 in Hamilton’s personnel file, a variety of claims resulted from those interviews. One such allegation involved him calling a student who did not stand for the Pledge of Allegiance “disrespectful.”
Other claims include:
•Several students said he made comments that they perceived as sexist or racist.
•That he refused to acknowledge a track athlete by their preferred name.
•Several students said he had inappropriate interactions with students, including touching them on the back, shoulders or hair.
•That he made inappropriate comments to other staff members and students related to the physical characteristics of students and athletes.
•Students working at the pool described being subject to inappropriate comments and actions toward them, or pointing out physical characteristics of other student workers.
Allen said that the allegations of inappropriate touching did not involve anything sexual in nature. She said the students said they were uncomfortable with the interactions and commented that other teachers did not touch them that way.
“’Weird’ and ‘creepy’ were the words used,” Allen said of students’ descriptions of the interactions.
Hamilton, who had representation by the Marysville Education Association throughout the process, has already signed the agreement that spells out sanctions against him, which will allow him to return to the classroom. The district board of education must also approve the measure at its next meeting to make it official.
According to a copy of the agreement in Hamilton’s personnel file, the disciplinary measures include forfeiting two days of pay and participating in professional development focusing on civil rights, cultural competency and proper student-teacher interactions. It also mandates that he has no physical contact with any students except in the incident of an emergency and will be cognizant of viewpoints surrounding controversial issues and shall refrain from commenting on his personal beliefs on topics, including the first amendment.
Hamilton is also barred from holding any supplemental contracts in the district for the term of the agreement, which is two years.
According to Marysville City Administrator Terry Emery, Hamilton has resigned from his position of pool manager.