‘Unfit for children.’ Allegations grow against ex-school for disabled WA kids
Four families have joined a lawsuit against a now-closed school for students with disabilities and several Pierce County school districts.
Outlined in documents filed with the Bethel, Federal Way, Tacoma and University Place school districts earlier this month, four former students at the Northwest School of Innovative Learning and their families allege that the districts and the now-shuttered school contributed to abusing students.
The update comes after two families filed suit in April against Fairfax Behavioral Health, the parent company for the Northwest School of Innovative Learning, and the Tacoma and University Place school districts, outlining similar allegations.
Six families are now suing four districts along with the parent company of the Northwest School of Innovative Learning, also known as NW SOIL. The documents identifying the four additional students – minors who The News Tribune is only identifying with their initials to protect their privacy – echo allegations originally brought forward in the lawsuit filed in April.
Families who were directed to enroll their children at NW SOIL, all alleged, among other things, that staff at the school unnecessarily restrained their children, isolated them in rooms with feces and urine and verbally abused students.
They also alleged that the districts were either aware of NW SOIL’s reputation and recommended that students attend the school anyway or did not adequately address concerns from parents about the conditions at NW SOIL. In one instance, a staff member at the University Place School District allegedly recommended that student E.W. be enrolled at NW SOIL’s Tumwater campus because they knew of the poor conditions at NW SOIL’s Tacoma campus, which the staff member called “unfit for children,” according to documents.
E.W., who was a student at NW SOIL in Tumwater from 2019 through 2020, allegedly experienced the same abuse at the Tumwater location, according to the documents.
Jeff Loupas, deputy superintendent for the University Place School District, said in a statement to The News Tribune that the district is aware of the complaint and called the allegations “very concerning.”
“The safety and well being of all students, no matter where they attend school, is our first priority and greatest responsibility,” Loupas said. “Due to the sensitive and confidential nature of this matter, and to respect student and family privacy, we are unable to make further comments.”
Spokespeople for the Tacoma, Bethel and Federal Way school districts and Fairfax Hospital did not return a request for comment.
Whitney Hill, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said it’s notable that the complaints outlined in the documents alleged the same issues – excessive use of restraint, isolation rooms covered with urine and feces and more.
“We’re pretty shocked and appalled by the levels of harm that these students are alleging, and how hard each of the parents of these students or guardians fought to get them out of Northwest SOIL,” she told The News Tribune.
NW SOIL closed in January 2024 after the state launched an investigation into private schools like NW SOIL, called “nonpublic agencies”: private schools that receive taxpayer dollars to educate students with disabilities who live in school district areas that cannot meet their needs, free of charge. The state’s investigation came after an investigation from the Seattle Times and ProPublica revealed enduring reports of abuse, excessive use of restraint and a lack of qualified staff.
