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Seattle Public Schools sued over alleged bullying, retaliation in food services department

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  Published in Food and Wine on Friday, August 29th 2025 at 0:34 GMT by KIRO-TV
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Seattle Public Schools Faces New Bullying and Retaliation Lawsuit in Food‑Services Department

In a fresh blow to Washington’s largest school district, a group of former Seattle Public Schools (SPS) food‑services employees has filed a lawsuit alleging that the district’s leadership engaged in retaliation after they raised concerns about bullying within the department. The case, filed in the King County Superior Court, is one of several recent legal actions that have highlighted the growing scrutiny of the district’s work‑environment policies and its handling of both student and employee complaints.

The Heart of the Allegations

At the center of the lawsuit are three former food‑services workers—two former supervisors and a longtime kitchen aide—who claim that their complaints about repeated harassment and bullying were met with punitive measures rather than constructive action. The plaintiffs argue that after they reported that a group of kitchen staff members were routinely harassing a junior cook who had a disability, the district’s food‑services leadership dismissed the concerns, failed to conduct an internal investigation, and then began to “punish” the complainants in a series of retaliatory steps.

According to the lawsuit, the retaliation manifested in a number of ways:

1. Demotions and Reassignments – The plaintiffs were assigned to lower‑pay positions or reassigned to less desirable work hours that interfered with their personal and family responsibilities.
2. Negative Performance Evaluations – They received performance reviews that the plaintiffs say were biased and lacked constructive feedback, ultimately damaging their career prospects within the district.
3. Suspensions without Justification – One of the plaintiffs was suspended for “policy violations” that were never substantiated; the plaintiff argues that the suspension was a cover for the district’s attempt to silence the complaint.

The lawsuit also contends that the retaliation was part of a broader pattern of bullying within the food‑services department, with supervisors encouraging a culture of intimidation that made employees feel unsafe and undervalued. The plaintiffs argue that the district’s failure to address these concerns violates Washington’s Human Rights Act, as well as federal statutes such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

A District in the Crosshairs

SPS’s Food‑Services Department is one of the largest employers in the district, providing meals for roughly 30,000 students across 170 schools. As the district’s largest single employer, its policies on workplace safety and anti‑harassment carry significant weight.

In response to the lawsuit, SPS released a statement from its legal counsel. “Seattle Public Schools is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful work environment for all staff and students,” the statement read. “The district has robust policies in place to address bullying, harassment, and retaliation, and we take all complaints seriously. We are currently reviewing the allegations in the lawsuit and will continue to work with the parties involved to resolve the matter.”

The district also highlighted its “Bullying Prevention and Intervention” policy, which was adopted in 2019, and its annual training program that requires all employees to complete anti‑bullying and harassment modules. The policy is publicly available on the SPS website (https://www.seattleschools.org/Policies/School-Policies/Bullying-Prevention-Policy) and outlines a multi‑step process for reporting and investigating alleged bullying incidents. The lawsuit, however, claims that the district’s procedures are insufficient and that the enforcement mechanisms were weak in this case.

Broader Context

Seattle’s reputation as a progressive, education‑focused city has made it a target for scrutiny whenever school or district policies appear to fall short. Earlier this year, a separate lawsuit filed by a group of teachers alleged retaliation after they protested a new dress‑code policy that they argued discriminated against Muslim students. Meanwhile, the district has faced criticism from parents and advocacy groups over its handling of student bullying cases, particularly in high‑profile incidents involving students with visible disabilities.

The food‑services lawsuit joins a growing list of legal challenges that question the district’s ability to enforce its own policies. The plaintiffs’ attorney, who represented the former supervisors and aide, indicated that the case could set a precedent for how the district addresses employee concerns about harassment. “If we succeed, we hope it will prompt the district to strengthen its internal investigative processes and to hold supervisors accountable for creating a hostile work environment,” the attorney said.

Legal Implications and Next Steps

If the plaintiffs prevail, the court could order the district to pay compensatory damages for lost wages, emotional distress, and punitive damages aimed at deterring future misconduct. In addition, the court may require the district to revise its policies and procedures, as well as provide remedial training for supervisors.

SPS has also indicated that it will engage an independent third‑party consultant to review the food‑services workplace environment, a move that could help the district mitigate potential liabilities and demonstrate a commitment to improvement.

As the case moves forward, stakeholders across Seattle—including parents, student advocates, and school administrators—will be watching closely. The outcome could influence how the district and other public‑school employers in the region approach workplace safety, harassment, and retaliation issues.

The lawsuit was filed in the King County Superior Court on August 12, 2023, and is currently pending. The district has indicated that it will file a formal response by the end of September. In the meantime, the plaintiffs are calling for a prompt and transparent investigation of the district’s policies and the actions of the individuals named in the complaint.