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Seattle Teachers Union Elects Leader Under Abuse Investigation

Union rules allow members on paid leave to run for office, highlighting tension over due process versus student safety.

Overview

  • Ibijoke Idowu was certified as Seattle Education Association president Friday night, even as she remains on paid administrative leave from Seattle Public Schools.
  • SPS placed Idowu on leave in December 2025 after parents reported injuries to their autistic third-grader, and the district notified Seattle Police under child-abuse reporting rules.
  • Seattle Police documented bruising consistent with fingerprints and referred the case to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as a statutory referral for charging review.
  • The family’s complaint says a classroom therapist saw Idowu throw a marker that hit the child’s face, and a police report also notes claims she grabbed students by the arm.
  • SEA says any member in good standing can run for office and that administrative leave is non-disciplinary, while the family reports lasting trauma and says they cannot directly obtain the investigation report.