Longview schools chief charged with obstructing police probe of student sex assaults
Longview police arrested Longview Public Schools Superintendent Karen Cloninger on May 21, 2026, charging her with felony witness tampering and gross-misdemeanor failure to report and obstructing an officer. Police allege that after district staff raised allegations in early February that varsity basketball players at Mark Morris High School sexually assaulted at least four junior varsity players, she told staff to handle it internally, pressured employees not to report to police, and withheld information from investigators for over a month; police said messages about the case were deleted from her phone. Two players were charged with second-degree rape. Executive Director of Student Services Andrew Schoonover faced forthcoming charges. Cloninger pleaded not guilty June 10; the board moved her to unpaid leave and on Oct. 5 found probable cause to fire her for refusing to take part in the district's investigation. She remains employed pending a hearing.
Cloninger faces one felony charge of tampering with a witness, and two gross misdemeanor charges
The Longview School Board voted on Monday to put Cloninger on unpaid leave.
Cloninger is still employed by the district and on administrative leave.
Pleaded not guilty to all three charges on June 10, 2026.
Not yet contacted for this story.
No outcome recorded yet.