The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has placed a two-year suspension on the teaching certificate of a tutor affiliated with the Skokomish Tribe, following an investigation into multiple instances of inappropriate conduct with students across two states.
William Heelan, who holds Washington Education Certificate No. 399469F issued in July 2002, is barred from applying for reinstatement until at least two years from the order’s issuance on July 23, 2026. Deputy Chief Legal Officer Monique Malson signed the final directive, which applies to his substitute credential—a lifetime authorization with no scheduled expiration.
According to the order, Heelan served as a tutor for the Skokomish Tribe at Shelton High School during the 2016–17 and 2017–18 academic years. The district, which serves students from the Squaxin Island and Skokomish Indian Nations, documented several concerning interactions beginning in February 2017. On February 23 of that year, Heelan used physical force to remove a student from the Indian Education Room. After the student responded by grabbing his throat and pushing him, Heelan removed his glasses and advanced toward the student before a second student stepped in.
A formal response from the tribe followed on March 3, 2017: Heelan received a written warning and was placed on 60-day probation.
Further concerns emerged in February 2018, when Heelan was observed making repeated physical contact with a female student in the school’s concession area—touching her shoulders, back, and lower back. Additional incidents occurred on November 14, 2018, when he struck one student on the head and directed strong profanity at both that student and another. One week later, the Shelton School District informed the tribe that Heelan’s services were no longer needed, though the order does not clarify why his tribal employment records appear to end before these 2018 events.
The investigation then turned to Nebraska, where Heelan worked as a math teacher at Pope John XXIII Central Catholic High School in Elgin during the 2022–23 school year. There, he reportedly made多次 sexually themed remarks to students. On February 10, 2023, the Nebraska Department of Education filed a formal complaint stemming from reports by the school’s principal and administrator.
Heelan opted to surrender his Nebraska teaching credentials in July 2023. Under state regulations, such a voluntary surrender carries the same weight as a permanent revocation, triggering reporting to Washington through the NASDTEC Clearinghouse in September of that year.
Though OSPI’s Office of Professional Practices had been aware of the Nebraska action for over two years, the agency’s final order was issued in summer 2026. During that time, Heelan’s Washington credential remained active.
State officials determined that his conduct met statutory definitions of unprofessional behavior under WAC 181-87-060—specifically, flagrant disregard or clear abandonment of widely accepted standards in student instruction or supervision—and found sufficient, credible evidence under WAC 181-86-170 to support discipline.
TROH is a news rewriter.