The Evergreen High athletic program has been marred by another damaging incident after a sex offender was discovered working as a football team volunteer.

LaShawn Jamar Ferguson, a level three sex offender, was immediately escorted off campus by Evergreen principals Paula Montgomery and Vic Anderson after female team managers reported he had made inappropriate comments to them on Monday, June 7.

King County Sheriff's Deputy Steve Beets, Evergreen's school resource officer, determined Ferguson was convicted of a sex offense in 1998. He is now in police custody for failing to register as a sex offender.

District officials emphasize that Ferguson had been on campus only twice before June 7-- once for a team meeting and one Saturday working in the equipment shed.

The principals determined that a background check on Ferguson had not been completed. Evergreen is split into three autonomous small schools, each with its own principal.

Because the coach running the spring football practices had not ensured Ferguson's background check was completed, the district rescinded its job offer to him to become head football coach. District spokeswoman Catherine Carbone Rogers said the man had been Evergreen's assistant football coach last year.

This is the second recent incident that has cast a bad light on Highline's athletic program in general and Evergreen in particular.

King County prosecutors are expected to file charges against Jayson Boehm who was fired last month after giving physicals to male student athletes while not licensed to do so. Most of the physicals were performed at Evergreen. Charges had not been filed as of June 11.

During a meeting with about two-dozen concerned parents and students at the Evergreen library on June 3, a student athlete's mother said last year's Evergreen head football coach had told his players they could receive physicals at the campus for $5. Many paid the money and received the physicals.

As a result of the Boehm allegations, Evergreen athletic director Daylene Boehm, Jayson Boehm's sister, was placed on leave. Jackie Lewis, part-time district athletic director, was also placed on leave.

The job status of Daylene Boehm and Lewis will be determined after an investigation and an audit of the district's athletic program are completed.

KOMO News has also reported that Jayson Boehm had been licensed as a foster parent since April 2009. He had been caring for two foster kids since last summer but those children have been removed from his home.

The state health department has rescinded four of his healthcare licenses.

He has also been accused of inappropriately touching an adult athlete at a Police Athletic League boxing match at Evergreen while treating a bloody nose.

The district immediately fired Jayson Boehm after the allegations surfaced.

Rogers admitted the two incidents "are not favorable news for the district but we are committed to reforming the management of our athletic program."

She noted the district investigation and audit by the state WIAA will lead to the reforms.

The district has faced significant budget shortfalls the past few years. Students must now pay a fee to play sports.

Lewis divided his time between supervising the district's athletic program and serving as an assistant principal at Highline High School.

"Despite budget concerns, it is out responsibility to keep students safe. We are committed to that," Rogers declared.

Superintendent John Welch sent out another letter to parents after the latest incident.

"We have double-checked and can assure you that all coaches and volunteers for sports currently underway have passed a criminal background screening," Welch reported. "We are putting new safeguards in place to make sure that all volunteers and coaches are screened in the future."

As he did at the June 3 meeting with angry parents, Welch apologized.

"I regret that I have to report to you again about a shortcoming in our system," Welch wrote. "I take full responsibility, and I will do everything in my power to ensure student safety going forward."