A special education teacher in Washington state was permitted to continue teaching for 20 months after the mother of a student first lodged a complaint alleging inappropriate touching, according to reports. David Sibley, 55, faced accusations in 2022 from Sarah Santos, whose fourth-grade daughter at Meadowdale Elementary in Lynnwood was assigned to him following a dyslexia diagnosis.
Santos reported that her daughter began coming home from school expressing discomfort, stating that Sibley would rub her back and touch her hair. Despite Santos' initial complaint to the principal, which she said was dismissed, further allegations emerged over the following year. Three other school employees reported Sibley for misconduct, including allegations of inappropriate touching of students and sexual harassment of staff.
These multiple complaints eventually led to an investigation by the Edmonds School District in December 2023. However, Sibley was allowed to continue teaching for an additional eight months while the investigation was underway. He was placed on administrative leave a total of 20 months after Santos' initial complaint.
In August 2025, approximately one year after his removal from the classroom, a former student who had been hospitalized for suicidal ideation accused Sibley of digital rape in 2023 when she was in fifth grade. The Snohomish County prosecutor’s office declined to file charges, citing insufficient evidence to prove the alleged crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Sibley has denied all accusations.
Despite being placed on leave in 2024, Sibley remained on the school district's payroll and was slated to continue receiving pay until the end of his contract on August 31. Additionally, a settlement agreement signed by the district in January will provide Sibley with a lump sum of $56,770.60 upon his contract's conclusion, equivalent to five months of his salary and health insurance.
Parents and some faculty members expressed dissatisfaction with the Edmonds School District's handling of the situation, arguing that the district failed to hold Sibley accountable and ensure student safety. In March, parents launched an online petition demanding the resignation of the Meadowdale Elementary principal, who stepped down in April for unspecified reasons.
Ginnie Berry, a former Meadowdale employee who reported Sibley to the police in 2024, stated that he should never be allowed to be around children. She added that school and district administrators who were aware of the situation should lose their positions, and anyone who supported Sibley should forfeit their professional licenses.
According to a spokesperson for the Edmonds School District, the district's investigation into Sibley's conduct did not include interviews with any of his alleged student victims or other students in his classes. Nine sexual misconduct experts consulted by the outlet suggested that the district should have taken measures such as separating Sibley from alleged victims, removing him from the classroom earlier, or ensuring another adult was present during his classes.
Specific allegations from other staff members included Sibley intertwining his hand with a distressed student, students expressing feelings of unsafety in his class, and him making inappropriate comments about a staff member's appearance. Another staff member accused Sibley of sexual harassment, including unwanted hugging and running his hands along her back and bra line. She also reported that Sibley routinely asked students for hugs, pulling them into his groin area for extended periods, and that he once held a six-year-old student in his groin area for over 30 seconds.
The same staff member observed Sibley with female students in his classroom with the lights off and blinds closed. She also reported Sibley rubbing female students' backs, holding their hands, and stroking their ponytails.
The student who accused Sibley of rape stated that he removed her pants and underwear, inserted his fingers into her private area, and told her to "smile for the camera." According to the police report, he then allegedly threatened her life if she disclosed the incident.
At the conclusion of the district's investigation, a human resources director determined that Sibley's conduct had not violated sexual harassment policy but noted it was "close" to violating the staff-to-student boundaries policy. He was instructed to avoid asking students for hugs, discourage students from hugging him, and instead use high-fives, handshakes, fist-bumps, and encouraging words when interacting with students.