A Kent School District elementary teacher has resigned after a KUOW public radio report that described racist, bigoted tweets posted by the employee.<\/p>\n
The Kent School Board, at a special meeting on Thursday night to deal with the matter, accepted the resignation of Rafaela Kayryakoff in a 3-1 vote, according to a district news release on Friday.<\/p>\n
“We the Kent School District want the community to know we deplore and denounce the actions of this employee,” Board President Leslie Hamada said at the meeting. “We are working hard to make sure if this ever occurs again, and we hope it never does, our response will be swift and immediate.”<\/p>\n
The board voted 3-1 to approve the resignation. Hamada, Maya Vengadasalam and Leah Bowen voted yes. Michele Bettinger had the only no vote. Vice President Denise Daniels had an excused absence from the meeting because of a prior commitment.<\/p>\n
Bettinger said prior to the vote that she had concerns about the issue because at a special meeting there is no opportunity for residents to comment. On her Facebook page, she posted the following statement about her vote against approval of the resignation.<\/p>\n
“I was appalled at what I read in the article,” Bettinger said. “I believe in my sacred responsibility to keep all children safe. I voted no (Thursday) because I had a concern that the public wasn’t being heard and because I felt forced and rushed to vote without understanding all options that would first and foremost keep students safe and then, be responsible stewards of district resources.”<\/p>\n
Kayryakoff was reassigned for the 2019-2020 school year to be a Panther Lake Elementary physical education teacher after a district investigation in 2018-2019 found no just cause for termination during her work as a first-grade teacher at Meridian Elementary, according to the district. On Jan. 23, KUOW published an article regarding the spring 2019 investigation and subsequent reassignment.<\/p>\n
“It is important to remember, especially in this particular matter, whether or not we agree with someone’s personal opinions or views, and regardless of our social media guidelines, equity training, and electronic resource policy and procedures in place for staff, we cannot infringe on an employee’s First Amendment rights,” said Melissa Laramie, director of Communications and Public Affairs, in the news release. “The tweets brought to the attention of the principal, and then to human resources, were posted on the staff member’s personal time and personal account, and the investigation did not produce any evidence linking those tweets to her actions in the workplace. We followed policy, procedure and the law.”<\/p>\n
The resignation date for Kayryakoff is Aug. 21, which Laramie explained in an email to the Kent Reporter.<\/p>\n
“She included this date on her resignation letter because she has a contract with the district for the 2019-2020 school year,” Laramie said. “Adverse changes to a certificated teacher’s contract status are outlined in RCW (Revised Code of Washington) 28A.405.310<\/a> and imply their rights to compensation while under contract.”<\/p>\n Although her resignation date is in August, Kayryakoff no longer will work for the district. She had been reassigned Jan. 27 to a non-school based position.<\/p>\n “Due to the impact of Ms. Kayryakoff’s presence on the learning community, she is on leave through the remainder of her contract,” Laramie said.<\/p>\n