We are all disappointed about the lawsuit against the Vashon Island School District (VISD), especially the families of the students involved.

Make no mistake, efforts were made to work with all levels of the VISD administration over the course of the last few years to correct this kind destructive behavior, yet nothing happened. The only remaining option left was to take such drastic action. Any parent would do the same.

VISD Superintendent Michael Soltman says that an “outside independent” investigation, which was actually paid for by the VISD, about the alleged misconduct is now complete. Did the investigation that VISD paid its handpicked law firm really address the specific complaints? Or did it simply look for procedural responses? Letter of the law and spirit of the law can be very different things.

What has remained unmentioned is that this is the second investigation. The internal investigation at McMurray Middle School found that the allegations of harassment were true.

Since the filing of the lawsuit, the administration has taken the tact of airing this in public with total disregard to the affected students, families and how that will impact them. The FYI emails from Soltman are over-the-top and professionally inappropriate. The VISD board should censure him at the very least. Word is that district employees and board members are being instructed not to discuss the lawsuit. Soltman should heed his own counsel and display some professional decorum.

— Benjamin Wright