Charges expected soon for inappropriate physicals, Highline superintendent tells angry parents
Highline Schools Superintendent John Welch talks to parents at the Evergreen High campus library.
Fri, 06/04/2010
Charges are expected to be filed soon against Jayson Boehm by the King County prosecutor, Highline Public Schools Superintendent John Welch told about two dozen concerned parents and students June 3 at the Evergreen High campus library.
Boehm was fired last month for giving physicals to male student athletes without appropriate medical supervision.
Pending a hearing, the state Department of Health also issued an emergency suspension of Boehm's four state licenses. The licenses allowed Boehm to act as an emergency medical technician (EMT,) certified nursing assistant, massage therapist and certified counselor. He was not licensed to conduct physical exams.
A preliminary interview of students revealed that Boehm provided sports physicals to approximately 50 male student athletes without a medical license, according to district officials. Nearly all of them were conducted at the Evergreen campus, but a few were of Highline High students. The physicals included touching of the genitals.
Boehm then falsified sports clearance forms to make them appear a doctor had done the physicals.
Welch said the district is unaware of any inappropriate actions by Boehm with female students.
A student athlete's mother at the meeting said Evergreen's football coach told his players they could receive clearance physicals at the campus for $5. Many paid the money and received the physicals, she added.
Welch opened the meeting by apologizing to the parents and students.
"First of all, I want to tell you how sorry I am that this unfortunate thing happened on my watch," Welch declared. "My job is to make sure we fix this.
"I admit the communication around this has not been the best and that is why we had this meeting."
He added parents have a right to be angry.
Three organizations have talked to students as part of their separate investigations into Boehm. The health department's investigation resulted in the license suspensions. The King County Sheriff's Office is conducting a criminal investigation and the district is conducting its own investigation, using outside personnel.
One Evergreen mother said her son was pulled out of class and questioned without her knowledge.
"Nobody has a right to talk to my son like that," she declared. "Don't talk to my kid about sensitive sex subjects without me being there.
"We are poor (in this area,) but we are not stupid."
In a earlier classroom meeting with parents from the Arts Academics Academy, one of the small school on the Evergreen campus, she told principal Vic Anderson that she had not wanted her son to play football but he insisted. Since turning out for football, his grades have slipped, she said.
In the meeting with Anderson and AAA parents she said she knew the principal was not aware of the Boehm situation before it became public and knows he cares about her son and the other students.
"But I am very concerned about my son,' she added.
At the larger meeting with Welch, she became more agitated and said she did not trust social workers recommended by the district.
Welch said the district's first interview with students was just to learn who might have had contact with Boehm and the scope of the problem. After the interviews, district staffers realized they would have to talk to more students, Welch said.
He noted he did not know how the health department and sheriff's office handled their student interviews.
A few other parents expressed anger at the district and said they learned first about the allegations against Boehm from news reports, and not the district.
Jean Blackburn, a district social worker, gave advice on how to talk to teens about sensitive subjects, noted warning signs of trauma and provided a list of agency social services. The district will pay for the services for affected students.
Welch said the district's investigation should be completed before the school year ends and students disperse.
The district is also investigating the actions of other employees, including auditing Memorial Stadium operations. An outside agency is also auditing the district's entire athletic program.
Jackie Lewis, Highline High assistant principal and part-time district athletic director, has been placed on administrative leave.
Lewis supervised operations at the stadium. In September, Boehm was hired as a substitute stadium manager at the field.
Evergreen athletic director Daylene Boehm, Jayson Boehm's sister, was also placed on administrative leave. Jayson Boehm had served as treasurer of the Evergreen Booster Club and volunteered at Evergreen athletic events.
Welch said the district does not have a policy against relatives working on the same campus. One relative cannot have supervisory authority over another, though. Another person was Jason Boehm's supervisor, district officials said.
The job status of Lewis and Daylene Boehm will be determined after the investigations are completed.
Jayson Boehm was a Highline bus driver for about 10 years. For several years, the district also contracted him to provide first aid at athletic events, conduct first aid training for staff and do wrestling weight assessments.
Welch said Boehm passed a background check when he was first hired as a bus driver.
In April, a school nurse reported to her supervisor that Boehm had signed a medical excuse for a student. About the same time, a sheriff's detective informed the district of allegations that Boehm inappropriately touched an adult athlete at a Police Athletic League event at Evergreen while treating a bloody nose.
He was immediately fired.