The case centers on sexual assault allegations involving students at Mark Morris High School.
LONGVIEW, WA— Five Longview Public Schools employees are on administrative leave as police, courts and outside investigators examine how district officials handled sexual assault allegations involving students at Mark Morris High School.
The leave decisions mark a new stage in a case that has shaken the school district since winter. Superintendent Karen Cloninger and Executive Director of Student Services Andrew Schoonover are among the employees on leave. Three others have not been publicly identified. The investigation now includes student criminal cases, possible staff misconduct and a review of whether district leaders followed reporting laws and district policies.
Acting Superintendent Patti Bowen told staff that Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Jason Mackey would continue providing leadership at Mark Morris High School for the rest of the school year. Bowen said administrative leave is not discipline, but a step meant to allow a fair review of facts while protecting the process. The district has hired Jill Smith of Simmons Sweeney Freimund Smith Tardif PLLC as an outside investigator to review actions by Cloninger and other staff members. Bowen, who had served as executive director of business services, stepped into the acting superintendent role after the school board placed Cloninger on leave.
The allegations began with reports of physical and sexual misconduct involving members of the boys basketball team. Court records and police statements say district staff were aware of concerns by Jan. 29. Students later walked out of Mark Morris High School in early February, saying the school was not taking the reports seriously. In mid-February, two teenage basketball players were arrested. Because the teens and alleged victims are minors, news organizations have not identified them. The teens face charges that include second-degree rape, unlawful imprisonment with sexual motivation, indecent liberties with forcible compulsion and indecent exposure.
Investigators have described the student case as complex. Court records say the alleged incidents happened in or near the Mark Morris boys basketball locker room and team room. One alleged victim told investigators he had been assaulted several times since Thanksgiving. Police records also say detectives interviewed basketball players and identified additional possible victims. The school resource officer told investigators the school often handled investigations internally and contacted law enforcement only when administrators decided it was needed. Police later served search warrants at Mark Morris High School and the district office, seizing records and electronic devices.
Cloninger was arrested May 21 and later appeared in Cowlitz County court on charges of witness tampering, failure to report and obstructing a law enforcement officer. Investigators allege she tried to keep the matter inside the district and discouraged further discussion of the allegations. Court documents say Cloninger directed a principal to tell the basketball team not to talk about the matter. They also say she told staff the district was not obligated to call police at that point. Her attorney, Jonny McMullen, said after the hearing that the defense investigation had not yet begun.
Police also have said district employees raised concerns about mandatory reporting duties. Court documents allege Cloninger resisted putting parts of the discussion in writing and did not want to contact an attorney because she feared being told to take action she did not want to take. Investigators said deleted messages and gaps in electronic records became part of the inquiry. The police investigation is separate from the outside review ordered by the district. The outside review is expected to examine whether employees followed law, policy and procedure, and whether accountability measures are needed.
Cloninger was released on $5,000 bail and is barred from contacting Longview students or witnesses connected to the case. Her arraignment is scheduled for June 10. The two teens accused in the underlying assault case appeared in Cowlitz County Juvenile Court in March, when a judge and attorneys discussed a trial expected this summer. A specific trial date was expected to be set after another hearing. Prosecutors have said the student case could involve many witnesses and last up to a week.
Parents and community members have pressed the district for answers since the allegations became public. Some called for resignations and accountability at school board meetings and through an online petition. One parent, Jess Waldo, told KATU that the case should not have taken so long to reach this point. The district has also considered policy changes connected to hazing and student safety. At Mark Morris, the end of the school year is now unfolding under new district leadership, continued police scrutiny and growing public pressure.
The district has not publicly named the three additional employees on leave or explained their exact roles in the investigation. As of Thursday, the next major court date is Cloninger’s June 10 arraignment, while the juvenile case against the two students remains headed toward a summer trial.
Author note: Last updated May 28, 2026.