The Censure of Mark Stuart

On February 5, 2024, following a complaint from a parent, the Lake Washington School Board voted to publicly censure District 4 director Mark Stuart and remove him from all leadership positions. An independent investigation of the parent complaint found that Stuart:

  • abused his power as a school board member
  • repeatedly lied to his colleagues and the community
  • put his personal interests ahead of his duties to the district

Stuart broke trust with other board members and made it impossible for the board to do its job properly. This kind of formal punishment is rare and serious, showing that Stuart failed to meet the basic standards of honesty and integrity that voters expect from their elected officials.

What Happened?

  • A district parent received an anonymous phone call related to their advocacy at a school board meeting.
  • The parent reasonably interpreted the call as a threat and filed a police report to protect attendees at the school board meeting.
  • Mark Stuart knew that the anonymous caller was his wife. He failed to reveal this information when he spoke with the concerned parent, other board members, and district staff regarding the call.
  • Stuart convinced the parent to withdraw the police report and take responsibility for “misunderstanding” the situation. Stuart’s actions left the parent feeling ashamed and embarrassed.

Official Findings

An independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the anonymous phone call found that Stuart:

  • Misused his authority as a school board member
  • Failed to maintain honest communication with community members
  • Prioritized personal interests over his duties to the district
  • Limited the board’s ability to function by withholding critical information
  • Broke trust with fellow board members through repeated dishonesty

Read the full report from the independent investigation of Stuart’s conduct.

Consequences

The LWSD Board of Directors voted on a resolution to:

  • Publicly censure Mark Stuart for violating board policies and ethical standards
  • Ban him from serving on any board committees
  • Remove him from his position as Legislative Representative

The vote was 4-1. Stuart was the only director to vote against the resolution. Read the full resolution or watch the video of the board action.

Why This Matters

This incident reveals a pattern of behavior where Stuart:

  • Put his personal interests ahead of his board responsibilities
  • Used his position of authority to manipulate a concerned parent
  • Deliberately misled his board colleagues and the public
  • Showed no accountability when confronted with his actions

School board members are entrusted to serve the entire community with integrity and transparency. Stuart’s actions demonstrate a fundamental breach of that trust.