ST. HELENS, Ore. — On Friday night in St. Helens, a group of parents, families and community members met at the local senior center to continue the discussion on how best to keep kids safe within the public school system, and how best to hold school district leaders accountable.
Many in the small town are still trying to make sense of what happened after two teachers were arrested last week. Current St. Helens High School teacher Eric Stearns and former teacher Mark Collins were charged with sex abuse, following a two-month police investigation. Stearns and Collins are accused of abusing a total of nine students.
Reports to Safe Oregon from Doug Weaver, a St. Helens High School alumnus who graduated in 2007, helped kick off this current investigation. He received several messages from current and former students, after Weaver posted about an experience with a former coach on TikTok.
"It was saddening, but also a little bit of a relief knowing those statements were taken seriously, that something was happening. That those girls would finally see their statements believed," he said Friday. "I'm getting a lot of credit for the things that are happening right now — but I just want to point out that this is an entire community effort."
Following the arrests of Stearns and Collins, it was reported that Oregon Department of Human Services is investigating six staff members and administrators connected to St. Helens. It includes "allegations of sexual abuse" involving two other staff members. KGW is not naming those staff members, as St. Helens police said they have not been arrested or charged at this time.
Stockwell and Principal Dr. Katy Wagner, who were both placed on administrative leave last week, are under investigation for allegations of neglect "due to failure to report child safety concerns," DHS said.
St. Helens police also revealed Thursday that they were investigating a teacher at St. Helens Middle School after receiving a report about alleged criminal conduct "involving a student." The teacher has not been identified, and there has been no indication from DHS that they are included in the investigation.
"This culture has somehow gotten passed on from one generation to the next of not reporting and not keeping students safe," Weaver said.
"I'm feeling really disappointed and frustrated, to be honest with you," said Mayor-elect Jennifer Massey, who helped organize the town hall to explore what comes next and what's within their control, like advocating for a change around mandatory reporting.
"I think that there's a gap there," she continued, "and there's no criminal aspect for a mandatory reporter intentionally not reporting. That is my big concern."
Columbia County leaders and stakeholders committed to enacting changes where they can, like State Sen. Suzanne Weber.
"You know we all want our teachers and our leaders to be our heroes, and there are oftentimes when they are not," she said.
Gov. Tina Kotek also vowed to "escalate the state's engagement with the district and make a recommendation for an interim superintendent" if the board does not within 14 days.
"I think we're all really thankful that she's stepped up to the plate and is paying attention and says, 'I see you, I hear you, and I will do something about it if it's not done,'" Massey said.
The St. Helens School Board plans to appoint an acting superintendent at a meeting next week, with the vice chair on Thursday calling, the "crisis in our school community" appalling and saddening.