Noemi Arellano-Summer is schools, youth and families reporter at
the ÅÝֱܽ²¥. She previously reported on homelessness and the 2020
eviction moratorium with the Howard Center of Investigative
Journalism through Boston University. She was raised in Long Beach,
California, where she started her journalism career reporting for
her high school newspaper. In her free time, she can be found
meandering through a bookstore or writing short stories.
A former teacher at St. Thomas Academy, a private Catholic school in Redmond, is suing the school, alleging she reported inappropriate sexual behavior by a kindergartner multiple times and school officials denied the allegations and failed to act.
Brandy Blakeley was a kindergarten teacher with the school during the 2022-23 school year, when the incidents allegedly took place. St. Thomas Academy is a pre-K-8 school in Redmond operated by the Diocese of Baker.
Blakeley is asking for $1.1 million for alleged gender discrimination, wrongful discharge, emotional distress, a hostile work environment and retaliation by the school and Principal Patty Schulte, according to the lawsuit filed in Deschutes County Circuit Court on Monday.
Blakeley says she raised complaints multiple times to school administrators about a student she alleges sexually harassed her, another student and a student teacher.
In September 2022, the student was moved to Blakeley’s class from a first grade classroom. Blakeley alleges the student “rubbed his hands under (Blakeley’s) breasts back and forth†multiple times between September and October 2022. Blakeley reported the behavior to Schulte and the student’s parents. She was told by Schulte that it was normal and “to get used to the assaults,†according to the lawsuit.
Blakeley told Schulte she didn’t feel safe and she didn’t feel other students were safe. Blakeley was informed the student was not returning to school, and later learned the student was returning to the first grade classroom.
After learning from a parent that another child had allegedly been sexually assaulted by the student, Blakeley spoke with administrator Andrea Gibson. Following that meeting, Gibson and Schulte met with Blakeley and said her interpretation wasn’t true and the “other student’s mother did not state what (Blakeley) alleged,†according to the lawsuit.
Blakeley resigned from St. Thomas Academy. She attempted to speak to the Diocese of Baker, was told she was being heard, but did not have a more detailed discussion with anyone from the diocese. Blakeley then filed a complaint with the Bureau of Labor and Industries.
Neither Schulte nor the diocese’s bishop could be reached for comment Thursday.
Blakeley alleged that the school’s and Schulte’s actions were done deliberately and “with discriminatory intent,†according to the lawsuit. St. Thomas Academy and the principal contributed to an “intimidating, hostile and offensive working environmentâ€.
The lawsuit alleges Blakeley was vulnerable because she expected school officials to report the inappropriate behavior to protect her and the students.
Neither Blakeley nor lawyer David Hannon could be reached for comment Thursday.
Noemi Arellano-Summer is schools, youth and families reporter at
the ÅÝֱܽ²¥. She previously reported on homelessness and the 2020
eviction moratorium with the Howard Center of Investigative
Journalism through Boston University. She was raised in Long Beach,
California, where she started her journalism career reporting for
her high school newspaper. In her free time, she can be found
meandering through a bookstore or writing short stories.
I have few words. This is horrible if it is as reported. Please tell me someone has taken the kid for an eval for abuse! The teacher herself is able to start this process if she had responded and not reacted. This just sounds all kinds of wrong.
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I have few words. This is horrible if it is as reported. Please tell me someone has taken the kid for an eval for abuse! The teacher herself is able to start this process if she had responded and not reacted. This just sounds all kinds of wrong.
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Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.