Allegations against former SLSD super unfounded

SOAP LAKE — The investigation into the alleged misconduct of former Soap Lake School District Superintendent Sunshine Pray – which was conducted by Clear Risk Solutions – has been released and states that the allegations were unfounded.

Four main allegations were made against Pray in the two separate documents. The four allegations were that Pray had sex with a student, that Pray had an inappropriate relationship with a former student, that Pray had a romantic relationship with a subordinate teacher and that Pray had a romantic relationship with a school board member.

Each document states that investigator Tony Zeman would not make conclusions about policy violations but each conclusion did state that each allegation was unfounded. Each allegation was also denied by Pray and also denied by all but one of those she was accused of having inappropriate relationships with.

Zeman interviewed more than 15 witnesses, including students, teachers and administrators along with Pray herself.

In the investigation report completed by Zeman, an allegation regarding a current student was that the student had been on the high school’s basketball team and had gotten a bloody nose during a home game in December or January. The allegation is that Pray helped the male student with the nosebleed and had sex with him in a classroom.

According to the report by Zeman, the student said he never had a nosebleed during a basketball game and the rumor was untrue. In an interview with the basketball coach, the coach told Zeman that none of his players had sustained a bloody nose that season. However, the coach stated that a couple of other players had to change their jerseys during a game for unspecified bleeding.

In Pray’s interview, she denied having sex with the student but said she recalled at some point seeing the student having a tissue in his nose. However, she did not remember helping him with a nosebleed during a basketball game.

Another allegation described as unfounded in the report was that Pray had an inappropriate relationship with a former Soap Lake High School student. The unnamed former student said Pray was like a second mother to him.

“He told me the rumor is not true and he felt bad for Ms. Pray having to deal with it,” Zeman wrote in the report.

The former student graduated from Soap Lake in 2020.

Pray said she did not have a sexual relationship with the former student.

Pray denied she had a romantic relationship with a subordinate teacher while the male teacher was a teacher at the school but said she did have a romantic relationship with him prior to his employment. She told Zeman she thought the rumors about her alleged misconduct were started by the teacher and she felt he had a vendetta against her. The report does not include an interview with the teacher with whom Pray was accused of having a relationship.

The final accusation of Pray having a romantic relationship with a school board member was denied by both Pray and the school board member.

Pray did not respond to requests by the Herald for comment and the former Soap Lake High School student Pray was accused of sleeping with declined to answer questions.

Zeman’s report also addressed other accusations including cheating and plagiarizing by Pray while working on her doctorate, a photo of Pray and the same previous student in her car at graduation and allegations of student safety and student discipline not being handled properly.

All were explained by Pray as handled or untrue.

An anonymous letter sent to the Columbia Basin Herald also alleged that Pray had plagiarized work in her doctoral thesis and was on academic suspension. The letter also included photos of Pray and another woman wearing Soap Lake High School cheerleading uniforms while partying. It was unclear in the photos why Pray was wearing the uniform and district policies regarding how uniforms are issued or used were unclear as well.

With Pray not responding to comments, and her social media being privatized or non-existent on some platforms, the Herald could not confirm if the photos are of Pray, were posted to Pray’s social media, and when or where the photos took place.

Soap Lake School Board President Curt Dotson said he felt the four initial accusations were not credible, especially since the allegations were unsigned or signed with fictitious names. Because of that, Dotson said he did not contact law enforcement but reached out to Clear Risk Solutions to investigate and see if there was any basis for the claims. Formal complaints, as outlined in Soap Lake School District Policy BP3205P, need to be in writing and signed, according to the policy

Soap Lake School District policy BP3205 states: “The district will take prompt, equitable and remedial action within its authority on reports, complaints and grievances alleging sexual harassment that come to the attention of the district, either formally or unformally.”

It also states that allegations of criminal misconduct will be reported to law enforcement and suspected child abuse will be reported to law enforcement or Child Protective Services.

Jason Wettstein, Director of Communications at Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families, said they could not confirm or deny if a report was made regarding Pray. However, he did say that any complaints, anonymous or not, are still required to be reported and mandatory reporters, including professional school personnel, licensed and registered nurses and social service counselors, among others, would either need to report allegations such as those against Pray directly to Child Protective Services or law enforcement or cause a report to be made to CPS/law enforcement.

Soap Lake Police Chief Ryan Cox confirmed that there was no investigation by the Soap Lake Police Department, closed or active, into the allegations against Pray.

Pray resigned as the superintendent of Soap Lake Schools in early March. Her contract with the school district started in July 2018 and was originally set to end June 30, 2021, but was amended to end June 30, 2023. Her total annual base salary was $120,000.

The severance agreement between SLSD and Pray stated that the Soap Lake School District agreed to make a lump sum payment to Pray in the amount of nearly $175,000. The agreement broke down the lump sum as follows:

• $150,000, less normal and regular payroll deductions, which is the equivalent of Pray's salary (excluding salary for serving as principal) through June 30, 2023
• $9,920.55 which is the net amount of health insurance premiums for Pray to obtain insurance coverage via COBRA, through June 2023
• $13,846.20, for 30 days of unused Annual Leave paid for at the superintendent's per diem rate of - - $461.54/day, as stated in Pray's employment contract with the district.

Kim Casey was selected as Pray’s replacement in May and took the oath of office in early July. Casey’s contract was signed with her base salary being $135,000 not including insurance and paid vacation. Her contract is set to expire June 30, 2025 if not extended.