Teacher had '94 warning, no monitoring

A popular Garfield High School teacher who committed suicide in February amid allegations of inappropriate conduct with students had been investigated for similar allegations six years ago, according to school-district documents released yesterday.

Tom Hudson received a written warning from the Seattle School District after the 1994 investigation for allegations that included skinny-dipping with recently graduated students, taking a photograph of himself with the naked teens and providing one of them with pornographic magazines.

Many of the claims, except the skinny-dipping and the photograph, were based on hearsay, preventing the district from pursuing more severe discipline.

The allegations are similar to ones that led the school district to again investigate Hudson late last year, an inquiry that eventually involved about a dozen students, district officials said.

The documents, released by order of a King County judge, make no conclusions about his conduct but raise questions about why the school district failed to monitor the teacher after its 1994 warning.

There also is a question of whether Hudson's superiors at Garfield High, which has had four principals in the past six years, knew of the 1994 investigation.

"I would love to say, yes," they should have known, Superintendent Joseph Olchefske said yesterday. "But I don't believe there was any process set up to do that."

Cheryl Chow, Garfield's interim principal while Hudson was under investigation last year, had no knowledge of the 1994 investigation, said district spokeswoman Lynn Steinberg.

Hudson, 58, was found dead in an Everett motel Feb. 1, four days after district officials met with him to disclose the details of their investigation, said district general counsel Mark Green. Hudson had been placed on administrative leave Nov. 29, after the district received a complaint from a parent.

The school district suspended its investigation after his death - an action that rankled many parents and current and former students who hoped further inquiry would clear the teacher's name. Supporters and union leaders charged that the district's 2 1/2-month investigation was too long and that the strain of it may have led to Hudson's death. At one point in the investigation, Hudson may even have offered to resign, according to a phone message left with Green.

The district, along with Hudson's widow, Linda Hudson, had fought the release of the documents. But in a challenge brought by The Seattle Times and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Superior Court Judge Mary Yu ruled that the public had legitimate interest in the details of the investigation.

Linda Hudson could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Hudson had taught science, biology and ecology at Garfield since 1989. He was popular among students and parents for the outdoor-adventure programs he ran for youths, including many who were disadvantaged.

It was his alleged actions during those outings that raised questions of whether he crossed the line of acceptable teacher-student relationships.

According to school officials, allegations against Hudson included:

Requiring male students to shower naked with him during boating and camping trips.

Touching the students while they showered, which one student described as innocent "butt slapping" that made him feel uncomfortable.

Drinking alcohol in the presence of minors.

Allowing students to read adult magazines.

Kicking a student.

Having sexually oriented conversations with the boys, particularly about homosexuality.

School-district officials said the investigation included interviews with about 30 people, mostly students. Olchefske said investigators "saw evidence to support the allegations, but we were not finished with the process." Many of the students and parents were reluctant to talk, Olchefske said.

"You have to remember that Tom Hudson did a lot of things for a lot of kids, so there may have been a lot of loyalties," Olchefske said.

That network of loyalty may have hindered the investigation in other ways, according to the documents and school-district officials. Some students apparently encouraged each other to lie.

According to the documents, in which all students' names and hints of their identities were blacked out by school-district attorneys, one student told fellow students that "if you know anything, just lie if anyone asks any questions."

Hudson also spoke to students during the investigation, even after he was warned not to. One student said the teacher had met with several students . . . and told them that they would cause "destruction of (this part blacked out) if they told things about him," according to interview summaries prepared by outside investigator Eddie Hill Sr.

The documents also depict a teacher whose mental state appeared to be deteriorating, who was quick-tempered and who allegedly told students he was depressed and was contemplating suicide.

David Robinson, an interim teacher at Garfield High who did his student teaching with Hudson, told the investigator he and two other adults visited Hudson on his boat in late October or early November. Robinson said about eight students also were on board when Hudson "broke down" and started crying. He said Hudson appeared to be drunk and continued drinking wine during their visit.

But some students and parents who went on outings said they saw nothing wrong with Hudson's conduct, calling him a great guy. Several former students have credited him with building their self-esteem and developing their leadership qualities.

Tom Drummond's two sons were involved with Hudson's outdoor program as recently as last year and Drummond attended one trip himself. "What I saw was a marvelous leader who really got everyone enthused and brought everyone together," he said.

The 1994 investigation was launched after a photograph was discovered of Hudson and two recently graduated students, one male and one female. All three were nude.

The photo was reported by the male graduate's girlfriend. The male student refused to be interviewed. The female in the photo, however, said that the three went on a trip after graduation and they went skinny-dipping. Hudson set up his camera on a timer and took their picture.

The female graduate said she never heard anyone complain about inappropriate conduct on Hudson's part and never saw any reason for concern. She said that in retrospect, the picture "was poor judgment" but that Hudson was "a great guy."

After investigating, the school district gave Hudson a written warning, which included telling him not to, "under any circumstances, engage in one-on-one outings with students."

How that warning letter was followed up is unclear.

"None of the people that were involved with the (investigation) then are involved with the district now, so I can't tell if anything was set up in the aftermath, but I don't think we flagged that for the incoming principals," Olchefske said, "so clearly this is an issue that we're going to have to look at as we go forward."

Ray Rivera's e-mail address is rarivera@seattletimes.com