It has been almost two years since former Skyline High School Principal Ed Young was caught up in a scandal charging him of ignoring claims of inappropriate conduct by a staff member at his old school, Kokanee Elementary in Woodinville.

The story, first uncovered by The Seattle Times, sent shockwaves through the entire Issaquah School District. Some parents were outraged by the allegations. Kimberly Koenig, for example, created an online petition that she planned to send to the district, the Skyline faculty, and to state law enforcement officials. Other adults and students were in mere disbelief, wondering how such an atrocity could be held under one’s breath for so long.

The Seattle Times' image of Ed Young handing out a diploma at graduation in 2006.

According to The Seattle Times article, which was originally published as a leading story in the Sunday paper on October 22, 2006, Young was accused of ignoring the girl’s claims of sexual misconduct from her teacher, Carl Leedes, who was later convicted of seven crimes.

According to one of the reports, Leedes was accused of “ticking a girl lying on a table,” and, “[keeping] his hands on the girl’s breasts.” Both of the previously stated actions would be worthy of notifying Child Protective Services or at minimum inquiring into the matter, but Young simply commended Leedes for his, “out of the box” attitude.

Almost immediately afterward, the Issaquah School District launched an investigation into the matter, which ultimately culminated with Young’s resignation, announced on the District website only several weeks after the article originally published. His primary stated reasons for leaving the school were the, “media focus [that has] detracted from Skyline,” and the pain that he and his family have undergone in the previous weeks.

After his resignation, the former-Principal of Skyline High School received student support comparable to what former Pacific Cascade Freshman Campus Athletic Director Mrs. Marquardt received after being fired for letting a student try out for basketball without having all his health paperwork in. Among the amenities pervading the Skyline atmosphere were “Free Ed Young” t-shirts, the occasional “Free Ed Young” chants at football games.

On the other hand, that type of happy-go-lucky spirit that Lammers disagreed with was one of the biggest things the students appreciated about the principal. Outgoing senior Clint Mochizuki said that Young was, “all that he was cracked up to be, and more.”

Fellow classmate ‘08 graduate David Bretl, who is currently enrolled at the University of Washington, had similar things to say about the former principal:

“Ed Young was an outstanding human being who was placed in the wrong situation at the wrong time. He was your friend, whether you had met him or not. Most important of all, he had the courtesy to treat you with the kind of respect a young adult deserves. Free Ed Young.”

The popular student attitude of Young was a nice, caring individual completely contradictory to what the article portrayed of him. But even as such, current and former Skyline students close to the former principal remember him as more of a school celebrity than a talented principal.

Current senior Kim Lammers, who spent her first couple months around Young when she was involved in ASB as a sophomore, said the former interim principal was too relaxed and, “therefore did not enforce the rules. While he had good qualities, they were not good for a principal of a high school.”

Whereas current principal Lisa Hechtman is rather uninvolved with the student community on a day-to-day basis, Ed Young was not. He was a hallmark figure of lunch, standing at one end of the room with a fellow administrator chatting it up with students. But, according to some students, he lacked the administrative know-how a great principal needed to succeed. To others, it was his social prowess that made all the difference.

Links to the Seattle Times’ Coverage of the Ed Young Controversy
October 22, 2006 — “School district ignored warnings, then silenced girls fondled by teacher”
November 2, 2006 — “Predators and principals, adjust to the law”
November 10, 2006 — “Embattled Skyline High principal steps down”
January 11, 2007 — “Zimmerman named acting principal at Skyline High”