Bellevue Legal News: Seattle Divorce & Domestic Violence Lawyer

Women With Domestic Violence History Working In Washington Schools

Could your child be attending a Washington State school that employs felons with a history of domestic violence convictions? Legally, they could be, says Grandview School District Superintendent Kevin Chase, who has been defending the hiring of a woman with a history of domestic abuse charges against her child.

The school hired Karen Ott, a Yakima woman who spent six months in jail for a Class B felony – second-degree assault and domestic violence. The woman was charged and convicted of hitting her son with a belt until he was hospitalized at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. Now, however, she has served her time and is working in a clerical position in the Grandview School District in Yakima.

Certified employees at schools cannot have criminal felonies on their records, but other employees, like secretaries, can have domestic violence charges and still be considered. But while Ott’s supporters say that she doesn’t have direct contact with students, others say that she has had some interactions with children, such as escorting a child to the bus.

The Superintendent of the school says that Ott was the most qualified applicant for the position, and that she deserves a second chance. He also said that Ott disclosed her criminal history of domestic violence with the hiring committee and that they were comfortable with hiring her despite her past. He also notes that since she has been hired, she has been a hard worker and an ideal employee. Others close to the family say that the current drama is being overplayed because Ott is in the middle of a child custody dispute.

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