At the same time as one local school superintendent started work in a new district, another one stepped down.

Ethelda Burke, facing racial discrimination charges, resigned June 26 as Tukwila School District superintendent, effective June 30. Burke had been on administrative leave since March 27, pending investigation of the charges.

On July1, Susan Enfield moved south from Seattle to assume the Highline Public Schools superintendent position.

In its official response to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC,) Tukwila School Board members said they had found no evidence to support charges that Burke had discriminated against African American staff members who had brought the racial discrimination complaints. Burke is also African American.

However, in a letter to board president Mark Wahlstrom, Burke wrote she had decided to resign.
“It would be impossible for me to return and be effective as superintendent,” Burke wrote. “I want the staff and students of the Tukwila School District to remain focused on education.

“My returning, after what has occurred, would be a distraction from that focus.”

The board accepted her resignation. Mellody Matthes, who had been serving as assistant superintendent during Burke's leave, was appointed interim superintendent.

In a press release, district officials said, “The district contends there may have been some comments from time to time that were taken out of context or misunderstood, but they do not support claims of discrimination in any event.”

Nine African-American staff members filed a complaint with the EEOC charging that Burke made the discriminatory complaints against them. Burke is accused of referring to several staff members as her “slaves.”

Athletic and activities director J.D. Hill charged that Burke called him “J. Darky.” He claimed Burke told him he was hiring too many people of color. Hill quoted Burke as saying he was “making the district too black” and was making the district a “ghetto.”

Tukwila’s student enrollment makes the district one of the most racially diverse public districts in the country.

A district press release quoted Burke as declaring, As an African-American woman, born in a charity hospital in New Orleans, I learned at an early age what it’s like to be the victim of discrimination. I clearly understand the magnitude and harm of racially offensive statements and of false accusations.

“I have devoted every moment of my 40-year career as an educator to trying to provide equity in access to learning for all students regardless of their ethnicity, racial heritage or economic level.”

The district has had an interim superintendent since March while board members investigated the allegations.

In March, board members issued a statement that they would not pressured into making a quick decision.
The March statement declared, “Once again we ask that the Tukwila community be patient with the process and support the board’s efforts to keep heated emotion and premature judgment out of the board’s decision making process. It is imperative that we show our children that we are above name calling and can focus on the issues in light of the full facts.”

The Tukwila board’s response, exonerating Burke of the claims has been sent to the EEOC, which will complete its investigation.

In announcing that they will not have further public comments, district officials said, “Although these claims were publicized by the complaining employees at the time they were filed, as personnel matters the district believes they should be addressed privately to the extent permitted by law.”

Concluding her letter to board president Wahlstrom, Burke said, “I hope that if there is a positive outcome from this experience is that you—and other boards and councils—will find a way to protect public servants from the harm that results from sensational but unwarranted claims.

“It is vital, of course, to also honor and protect the rights of employees who have legitimate grievances. Somewhere there must be a balance struck between the two that allows destructive events such as this resignation to be avoided.”