Charges Dropped Against Bellevue Christian School Teacher Accused of Child Molestation

All charges against Ed Sloan, a science and shop teacher and track and cross country coach at Bellevue Christian School, were dropped in January 2017. The state was unable to proceed with its case because of evidentiary considerations. Earlier, prosecutors had charged Sloan, 45, with child molestation, alleging that he molested a 13-year-old student in 2012.

According to court documents, the student and her parents reported the inappropriate touching to school administrators in 2012. A relative told investigators that administrators did not act and “swept it under the rug,” according to investigation documents. The student later switched schools and contacted Clyde Hill police in January 2016, and detectives began an investigation.

On a Friday before the charges were dropped, an attorney working with the victim’s family, Sim Osborn, said the family was requesting privacy. “It’s a very emotional time for them, a very tough time,” Osborn said. “This school failed these children horribly.” Osborn said that, according to charging documents, school administrators did not contact police as required under the state’s mandatory reporting law. He said anyone in a position of authority over children has a duty to report suspected abuse, and that failing to do so is a gross misdemeanor. Osborn said current and former staff who knew of the abuse claims could face failure-to-report charges, and he expected the list of victims to grow as police continued their investigation. These were his statements and expectations; the source does not report that any such staff charges were filed.

Court documents state that Sloan’s employee file in the superintendent’s office contained numerous documents outlining allegations of “improper touching and conduct against students by Ed Sloan dating back to 1999.” Investigators followed up with people who had complained to administrators in 1999 and 2004. According to the police investigation, Bellevue Christian School did not report the child molestation claims to police, which is mandatory. Alleged failures to protect students from harm are a matter of guarding the vulnerable (Mark 9:42).

Detectives also spoke with the former principal of Bellevue Christian Junior High. According to charging documents, she told them she remembered Sloan’s reaction to an incident in 2004, saying the girls were “liars, storytellers and fabricators.” She said she told a previous superintendent about the matter. She also told investigators the whole thing was “whitewashed.”

Source: Read the original report