Lake Stevens district pays $2M sexual harassment settlement

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, April 7, 2026

EVERETT — The Lake Stevens School District agreed to pay $2 million to a former student who said administration failed to protect her against the alleged sexual grooming behavior of a former math teacher.

Kalynn Taber, now 19, filed, through attorney Maridith Ramsey, a lawsuit in August 2024 against the district, claiming the district ignored mandatory reporting laws when Mark Hein attempted to build trust with multiple students to control and abuse them emotionally, physically and sexually, a press release said.

According to the lawsuit, the inappropriate behavior began in September 2021 and included unwanted touching, inappropriate notes, preferential treatment, maintained close proximity and an invitation to an overnight Christian camp that he chaperoned.

The lawsuit claimed that the district did not notify the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of Hein’s actions, as required by state law and school district policy, and failed to end the harassment, among other failures.

The lawsuit was filed on August 12, 2024. The state superintendent’s office received a complaint on Hein from the Lake Stevens School District on August 23, 2024, OSPI spokesperson Katy Payne said in an interview Tuesday.

“Districts are required to notify OSPI, but they have quite a bit of time to do so,” Payne said. “Many notify us right away but sometimes districts wait until after their own investigation.”

As part of the settlement, the district also agreed to increase its training of both school staff and district-level administrators related to topics including sexual grooming and mandatory reporting.

“It’s a good start,” but training isn’t enough, Ramsey said in an interview Monday. “It will take a lot more change. Change in personnel.”

The district is continually reviewing and strengthening practices, training and systems “to support students every day,” spokesperson Jayme Taylor said in an email.

“The District cares deeply about the safety and well-being of every student and is committed to providing a safe, supportive and positive learning environment,” she said.

The Lake Stevens School District did not notify law enforcement when Taber reported Hein in January 2022, nor when a teacher reported Hein later, Ramsey said.

“She thought she was following mandatory reporting laws,” she said about the teacher. “She thought the police investigation took place because of her report.”

However, the police investigated after an outside counselor advised law enforcement of the teacher’s conduct in August 2022, the press release said. Once the investigation started, Hein was put on leave.

Before his leave, the district told Hein to have no contact with Taber, but he continued to “bump into her” at school through April 2022, the press release said.

For example, in March 2022, Taber changed her class schedule to avoid Hein, the lawsuit said. During the week of April 11, Hein stood outside her new classroom every day, “locking his eyes on her as she walked into the new classroom.”

Hein was charged with two counts each of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation, sexual misconduct with a minor and communication with a minor for immoral purposes.

In January 2023, Hein’s arraignment hearing was canceled and the case was dismissed without prejudice, meaning it could be refiled if new evidence came to light, according to a court motion signed at the time by Marysville Municipal Court Judge Lorrie Towers.

At this time, the Lake Stevens Police Department is not investigating any further, Deputy Chief Dean Thomas said in an interview Monday.

The state superintendent’s office is still investigating Hein’s teaching certificate, Payne said.

After two years of paid leave, Hein resigned from his position and received a $122,184 severance in January 2025.

“Forcing a 15 year-old to participate in years’ long litigation to ensure that school professionals protect kids is a betrayal to every child in the Lake Stevens School District. Kalynn Taber and her family have repeatedly proven themselves much braver than the adults charged with keeping her safe,” Ramsey said in the release. “The Taber family is relieved to close this chapter and hopes that the increased district-wide training results in protection of all students in the future.”

Taylor Scott Richmond: 425-339-3046; taylor.richmond@heraldnet.com; X: @BTayOkay