Ex-Gig Harbor teacher is accused of child molestation. What happens to his certificate?

An investigation into child-molestation allegations against a former Peninsula School District teacher opened in late-February. Here is what will happen to his teaching certificate once the criminal case against him is resolved.

Jordan Roy Henderson began his career as a substitute teacher in 2012-13 at the Peninsula School District. He had since been an educator at the district for over 10 years.

Henderson was teaching the fifth-grade at Evergreen Elementary School when the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department announced an investigation into allegations that were reported by students on Feb. 26.

Henderson is accused of inappropriately touching and groping some of his female students over the course of their time in his class. One child alleged that Henderson threatened that he would find her house when she asked him to stop, The News Tribune reported.

Henderson was arrested and charged with nine counts of child molestation on April 19. He was charged with an additional three counts of child molestation last week.

The school district turned over all material to the Sheriff’s Department for its investigation. The district was waiting for the results of that investigation before determining what the next steps will be, a spokesperson for the district previously told The News Tribune.

Henderson was on paid administrative leave when the investigation began. According to the Washington State Fiscal Information, he made about $89,546 in the 2022-23 school year.

Since Monday, Henderson no longer works at the Peninsula School District after he resigned, the district told The News Tribune. There will still be an investigation that will deal with his teaching certificate, which he needs in order to work.

A letter of complaint about Henderson from Peninsula School District Superintendent Kresin Bahr was submitted to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction on April 25. OSPI has opened an investigation into the allegations made against Henderson, Catherine Slagle, director of office of professional practices at OSPI, said in an email to The News Tribune.

Slagle said that while the school district decides a teacher’s employment, OSPI deals with teaching certificates.

“If [Henderson] is convicted of the crimes he is charged with, his Washington state education certificate will be permanently revoked, and he will never be able to hold an education certificate in Washington,” Slagle said. “The information of his permanent vocation will be uploaded to the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) clearinghouse. This information will be sent to all 50 states, Guam, Canada and several other jurisdictions. The order that we issued will also be placed on our website.”

If Henderson is found not guilty, OSPI will continue its investigation and determine the appropriate level of discipline based on what is is able to legally prove. That also would happen if a teacher is convicted or pleads guilty to a crime that would not permanently revoke their license.

What happens once OSPI opens an investigation?

OSPI usually opens an investigation when the school district superintendent, educational service district superintendent or the chief administrator of a private school has sent a letter of complaint. The agency can open one on its own once it receives information that someone has been arrested or charged with certain crimes, Slagle said.

Once an investigation is opened, the school district is subpoenaed for investigation materials and other documents. Next, OSPI interviews victims and witnesses. It also interviews the educator accused of violating the code of professional conduct and/or accused of lacking good moral character or personal fitness, Slagle said.

An investigative report is then produced, and the staff attorney reviews the investigation. If there is enough evidence to prove a case, an appropriate level of disciplinary action is issued based on the facts.

If an educator is convicted of a crime against children, their certificate would be permanently revoked, Slagle said. If they are convicted of another crime that is felony level, but does not fall under specific crimes against children, their certificate would be revoked.

If the crime is a misdemeanor conviction, their certificate may still get revoked, but OSPI could also suspend the certificate for a specific amount of time and require certain conditions be met prior to reinstatement, she said.

After that, the proposed order is written and sent to the educator. The educator has 30 days to appeal the decision. If it is not appealed, the proposal becomes a final order, she said.

If the educator appeals, the case is heard by the Admissions and Professional Conduct Advisory Committee, which is a group of nine educators and administrators, Slagle said.

“Each side has 10 minutes to present their case. The APCAC committee then has 30 days to issue a final order. That order can also be appealed within 30 days of it being sent out. If that happens a full-blown hearing is scheduled in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ),” Slagle said. “In this hearing victims and witnesses as well as the educator are called to testify. After the hearing, the ALJ has 90 days to decide on the appropriate level of discipline to issue in the case.”

OSPI has issued permanent revocations for seven teaching certificates in the last year. The agency has issued 24 total over the last five years, Slagle said.

She said that permanent revocations are only issued for convictions or guilty pleas for certain crimes, mainly against children.