Independence, Ore. – Central School District 13J released a letter to families on Friday detailing its handling of complaints against former Central High School teacher Ian Imamura. The district says it received concerns about Imamura’s performance and practices beginning on June 5, 2025, and continued reviewing them through a progressive disciplinary process.
Timeline of district reviews
According to the letter, each complaint was “thoroughly reviewed and addressed” but did not meet the district’s criteria for administrative leave because none involved alleged abuse of a student. The district maintained this stance until May 26, 2026, when it received new information from the Oregon Department of Human Services and a parent regarding “communications with a student.” At that point, Imamura was placed on leave immediately and later dismissed on September 29 after a closed‑door board session.
Earlier concerns and why they did not trigger leave
The district’s correspondence notes that the first documented concern came from a parent email on June 5, 2025, in which the parent reported that Imamura publicly shamed her daughter over grades. Subsequent complaints included a May 21, 2026 letter alleging that Imamura met with female students behind closed doors and sometimes texted them late at night, “sometimes when he seems to have been drinking.” The parent also claimed she first raised concerns on October 28, 2025, without receiving a follow‑up.
District officials explain that, at the time, these reports were not classified as student abuse, which is the threshold for administrative leave under district policy. On May 25, 2026, Principal Rick Dormer responded that the concerns had been investigated with involvement from the supervising principal, the teachers’ union, and human resources, but the district’s letter does not specify any disciplinary outcome before May 26.
Staff reporting and mandatory‑reporter obligations
Three current Central High staff members and a former student, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they raised concerns as early as the winter of 2025‑26 and observed Imamura alone with female students in his office. The district emphasizes that all staff are mandatory reporters trained annually to report suspected child abuse to DHS or law enforcement. One staff member reported that a colleague who contacted DHS about Imamura was subsequently investigated by the district, a claim the district’s letter does not address.
Criminal case and district cooperation
Imamura, 28, faces eight felony charges, including three major sex crimes under Oregon’s Measure 11, which mandates minimum prison sentences. Prosecutors allege he posed online as a teenage actor and as pop star Ariana Grande to coax a 17‑year‑old student into sending explicit images. He has not yet been convicted.
The district says its internal investigation concluded after interviews with students, parents, and Imamura, with a union representative present. It shared information with law enforcement on June 23 regarding “non‑sexual criminal activity” tied to the concerns, and police later uncovered additional evidence leading to his arrest on July 2 (court records list July 3). The district directs further questions about the criminal case to Independence police, the state Department of Justice, and Polk County courts.
Legal motions and next steps
Imamura’s attorney has filed motions seeking to suppress statements made during the district’s internal interviews and to exclude evidence from a vehicle search. Those motions remain pending.
While the district acknowledges that earlier complaints did not rise to the level of student abuse, it stresses that each report was investigated and that the new information in May 2026 prompted decisive action to protect students. The district’s letter reflects its commitment to a transparent, step‑by‑step disciplinary process while cooperating fully with law‑enforcement authorities.
Original reporting: KPTV FOX 12 Portland (news) — read the source article.
