An investigation by Seattle Public Schools (SPS) concluded that Ibijoke Idowu, president of the Seattle Education Association (SEA), "more likely than not" physically abused a special needs student while she was his teacher at Rising Star Elementary School. The probe, which concluded on June 17, substantiated allegations that Idowu grabbed the third-grader, an eight-year-old with autism and a speech delay, leaving him with bruises.
Idowu, 36, has denied all allegations. The school district has not announced a final decision regarding her employment, and she remains on paid administrative leave from her teaching position. Her name is not currently listed on the Rising Star Elementary School's website.
As president of the SEA, Idowu represents approximately 6,000 district employees. Allegations against her first surfaced in October 2025, with additional claims emerging in December of that year after the student's parents discovered bruising on their son's arm. The initial investigation report included distressing images of the bruises, allegedly inflicted by Idowu.
The student's parents, Olla Ibrahim and Tyson Marsh, told Fox 13 that their son, who once loved school, began to dread attending after the alleged abuse. Marsh stated that their son, who is sensitive to physical touch, has become even more cautious, requiring advance notice before being touched.
Additional allegations during the investigation included Idowu yelling at students and throwing objects, such as books, at them, and pulling children's hair. These claims were not substantiated due to insufficient evidence. One colleague interviewed for the report recalled Idowu sometimes yelling and grabbing students to make them comply, stating that such actions did not help them and traumatized them. The assistant also reported that Idowu would tell crying students, "I don't care about your crying."
Images of a book titled "The Last Stop at Market Street" were included in the report documents, with a student recalling that Idowu allegedly threw the book at their stomach.
Ibrahim and Marsh decided to publicly share the district's findings to assist other families and students who may face similar treatment. "We're trying to do is speak up and give those children in that classroom a voice," Ibrahim told Fox 13. Marsh added, "By others speaking up, others come forward."
Before joining SPS in 2021, Idowu was involved in organizing Black Lives Matter protests. In an April interview, she described herself as a "line stepper" who advocates for "ruffling feathers to protect vulnerable groups."
Recent social media posts from Idowu show her colleagues holding signs indicating their vote for her as union president. One post from May 5 stated, "Focus on the facts and not the feelings."