ARLINGTON — It’s now unclear how much members of the Highland Christian Schools board knew about Mark Brown’s past when they hired him as principal in 2006.
Brown is awaiting trial for allegedly raping a student inside Highland Christian Schools in Arlington.
Brett Nagle, the school board’s attorney, on Monday reversed statements he made last week that the board knew Brown had been investigated for sexual misconduct at Concrete High School before hiring him.
“They did a background check prior to hiring Mr. Brown,” Nagle said Monday. “They spoke to references of his previous employers. They had no information that he had ever been accused of any sexual misconduct when they hired him.”
Brown is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old Highland student at school after he allegedly encouraged her to run away from home. Investigators found nearly 700 text messages between the two from May 21 to June 13, court documents said.
The girl and her family obtained a no-contact order against the former principal on June 24. Brown was arrested July 9 for investigation of harboring the girl at school.
The school board found out about the allegation against Highland’s top administrator on July 14, Nagle said.
It wasn’t until he was charged with third-degree child rape in late July that Brown was placed on administrative leave at Highland. Nagle said the board didn’t take action sooner because it didn’t have enough information about the harboring allegation.
Brown came to the private Christian school after he lost his previous job as a wrestling coach at Concrete High School in Skagit County. He was investigated there after reports of an inappropriate sexual relationship with a female student.
The student denied that she had any sexual contact with Brown. She told Skagit County investigators they exchanged text messages, went to dinner together and Brown occasionally gave her a ride home.
No charges were filed.
Nagle on Monday said he isn’t sure what sort of background check the school board did on Brown, 37, of Arlington. The attorney also said he hasn’t seen a copy of Brown’s resume and doesn’t know his employment history.
Nagle said the board spoke with someone from the Concrete School District, but Nagle said he didn’t know who. He also said he didn’t know specifics of that conversation, only that the allegations of sexual misconduct were not discussed.
Concrete High School Principal Don Beazizo said no one from Highland Christian Schools spoke with him before the private school hired Brown.
Concrete school officials did tell the Darrington School District superintendent that Brown had been investigated for sexual misconduct with a student. After losing his job in Concrete, Brown had expressed an interest in working with the Darrington High School wrestling team.
The Highland school board has referred all questions from The Herald to Nagle.
School board members have a responsibility to explain to parents and the public the steps they took to check Brown’s previous employment history and criminal record, said Everett attorney Mitch Cogdill, who represents the 14-year-old girl and her parents.
“It is important, outside the context of my case, for the public to know what they knew and when they knew it,” Cogdill said. “Parents have the absolute right to know this, not only current parents but prospective parents.”
There must be a degree of confidence that the school board takes the proper steps to ensure the safety of students, he said.
Nagle said he believes the school board learned of the rape allegation on July 22, the day before Brown was arraigned on the charge. They placed Brown on administrative leave. The school board is cooperating with investigators, Nagle said.
State law gives private schools the authority to require a prospective employee to undergo a background check. However, private schools aren’t required to conduct that sort of screening, unlike a public school.
Brown’s troubles in Concrete wouldn’t have shown up on a state criminal background check because he was never charged with a crime.
Snohomish County sheriff’s detectives first arrested Brown on July 9 for investigation of harboring a minor, obstructing justice and making a false statement to a public servant. Investigators believe Brown set up a room for the girl at Highland, including a hide-away bed and television, and encouraged her to run away, court documents show.
Brown bailed out of jail the same day. The girl told investigators about two weeks later that Brown had sexually assaulted her while she was in the room at school.
Detectives went to search Highland the next day, July 22. Brown was there and asked the investigators why they were at the school, court documents show. Prosecutors had arranged for him to show up in court on July 23 to be arraigned on the child rape charge.
Investigators explained they didn’t intend to arrest Brown. They wanted to speak with an administrator who could give them permission to take photographs inside the school.
Brown allegedly told the detective his attorney advised all staff not to speak with police and asked if the deputies had a search warrant.
Brown told detectives school board president Darin Chase was expected to arrive soon and explained that the school board was meeting that afternoon to discuss the investigation, according to the search warrant affidavit filed in Cascade District Court.
Chase arrived and told the detective he was trying to reach the school’s attorney for advice. He couldn’t provide the attorney’s name to the detective, court documents show. Nagle said he was hired by the board July 24.
Chase refused to give the detectives permission to search the school.
“Based on the lack of cooperation from the school and Brown’s current presence at the school,” detectives were concerned evidence of the room would be removed if they didn’t get a warrant to search the school, they wrote in court documents.
Investigators within hours returned with a search warrant. They collected evidence, including notes from Brown’s office, a couch cushion and a grocery store receipt, documents show.
Brown was charged with child rape and arraigned the next day. A school board member distributed a statement after the hearing, saying the board was standing behind Brown.
The board on July 25 posted a letter on the school’s Web site, announcing that Brown was being fired.
About 240 students in kindergarten through 12th grade attend Highland Christian Schools.
The board was scheduled to meet with families at the school Monday evening. A new interim principal was hired last week. Darlene Hartley serves on the Stanwood-Camano school board and is a retired elementary school principal.
Reporter Kaitlin Manry: 425-339-3292 or kmanry@heraldnet.com.
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