Longview Public Schools Superintendent Karen Cloninger was arrested by local police following an ongoing investigation into the sexual assault of student-athletes at Mark Morris High School.
Law enforcement officials announced that Cloninger faces criminal charges including obstructing a law enforcement officer, tampering with a witness, and failing to report abuse. Following the arrest, the school board held an emergency meeting, placing Cloninger on administrative leave and appointing an acting superintendent to oversee district operations. Another high-level district administrator is also facing charges of making false statements and failing to report the incidents.
According to police and court documents, the underlying criminal investigation involves members of the high school boys’ basketball team. Multiple younger students, including two 14-year-olds, reported being repeatedly dragged into a dark varsity team room near the locker room, pinned down, and sexually assaulted over a period of several months spanning from late 2025 into early 2026.
Investigators stated that school officials were made aware of these severe allegations up to two weeks before law enforcement was ever notified. Authorities allege that Cloninger was fully briefed on the specific details of the abuse but failed to take proper mandatory reporting actions and actively interfered with the subsequent police investigation.
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