After an unsavory series of text messages allegedly involving Robert Service High School Principal Allen Wardlaw and others, Wardlaw is now on administrative leave.
The school district sent a team to meet with faculty and staff at the high school on Wednesday, said Communication Director MJ Thim, who added that Assistant Principal Imtiaz Azzam has been named acting principal during the investigation.
The district wanted to reassure the school community it was taking their concerns about Wardlaw seriously.
Get caught up at our first story, here:
In early afternoon Wednesday, the district sent a letter to the Service High School community, including teachers and staff:
Good afternoon Service HS Families and Staff,
I want to make you aware of a leadership change that has occurred today.
The District has begun an investigation into community concerns about Principal Allen Wardlaw. He has been placed on administrative leave and Imtiaz Azzam has been named acting-principal during this time—she brings strong leadership and a student-first perspective to this important role.
We understand you have many questions. As we work through this matter, we will provide updates in a timely manner when we can. Because this is a personnel matter, we can’t comment further at this time.
Ensuring a safe and stable learning environment for students and staff is a top priority for us. We are committed to making sure that continues for you.
If you have any questions and/or concerns, please contact my office directly in order for our staff to stay focused on educating our Service High School students. You can email me ([email protected]) or call 907-742-4256.
The letter was signed by Senior Director of Secondary Education Kersten Johnson-Struempler.
The allegations evolved over several days after a person posted text messages purported to be between Wardlaw and a woman who was not his wife, but who is also employed by the district.
After students started passing around sordid text messages on social media, especially over SnapChat earlier this week, several parents contacted Rep. Jamie Allard, who serves as co-chair of the House Education Committee. They said they were getting no answers from the school district, and they wanted to know what is going on at Service High, because their children were being exposed to some pretty raw material.
On Wednesday afternoon, Must Read Alaska reported about the text messages that were, by Tuesday night, being shared throughout the Anchorage School District. The district responded a few hours later with its answer: The administration has taken the appropriate steps to protect Wardlaw’s personnel rights, while ensuring the safety of students and stabilizing the learning environment.
The text messages, full of demeaning and grotesque sexual remarks, pertain to educators having what are evidently sado-masochistic, bondage-play extramarital sexual relations, using illegal drugs, and texting demeaning messages to each other, including direct sexual accusations.
Rep. Jamie Allard said she had received several emails and texts about the situation.
“Once again, we see how important it is for parents to be made aware of whats taking place in their kids’ school. There is nothing that goes on in schools that the parents shouldn’t be allowed to know,” Allard said.
From past observations I think this may be the norm for a certain segment of Anchorage School District administrators and teachers.
Fact. Public schools harm children.
That is an utterly stupid thing to say. I’m embarrassed for you.
Which is why my children attend a Christian school! They are safe there and they get taught what they need – the bible.
But surely this fellow was the very best, the brightest, and the most qualified for the position he was just removed from, Tom, amirite?
Just sick, and these are the people who are teaching our children and spending many hours of the day with them unsupervised. You can’t go to the school directly because you won’t get anywhere, and they will target your child. I doubt anything will happen to Wardlaw, he’ll be back next week.
I know right! That is why I have my children at a Christian school, at great expense to me. They teach the basics (the “three Rs”), the Gospel and nothing else – no wokeness, CRT, etc. I know they are safe there because every member of the school takes an oath to serve God!
Reminds me of Berkowitz
we need to see the texts.
Fat chance. You will see the texts when the manifestos from Nashville and Louisville come to light.
Excuse the interruption, but appropriating a pseudonym isn’t cool!
As for the texts, the exact wording is immaterial. More important is proof that they actually came from the principal and how they ended up being common knowledge to the students. If indeed these are actual texts of an explicit and derogatory nature from the principal, then this individual is clearly unsuitable in a leadership position. It also highlights again the ASD’s questionable approach to vetting and hiring appropriately.
So which one leaked the private messages? Him or girlfriend? I think it
was pretty vindicative and crummy action to do, but that’s the risk one takes when one is pomiscuous hooking up with someone with issues. I am sorry for his wife (tear).. I hope they don’t get a divorce to work through their marital communication and physical problems
Remember there is New Life’s Every Man’s Battle workshop for him, even one for the wounded spouse, and Every Woman’s Battle for his ex-girlfriend. There is it . Again, take it or be MRAK’s next scathing headline.
People don’t just “become” this sexually corrupt. It is a pattern over time, so the School District didn’t really vet very well did they? How many of them are a part of this group? Hmmmm. Something to think about, people.
If the Anchorage School District does not want to hire somebody, they will vet and vet and vet until they find something to disqualify the prospective employee. They’ll even make stuff up if they want to make sure somebody is not hired. Alternatively, when there is somebody ASD wants to hire, not much vetting is required; remember how ASD hired the current under-qualified superintendent who needs the district to spend money on his tutoring and job coaching.
It appears Wardlaw had a fair amount of classroom experience with young elementary-level children. So, was he the best qualified person for a high school principal job? Or did he get the job based on his resume that says he holds the position of “UAA professor” teaching “Equity and Antiracism in Education” when he does not hold the rank/position of “professor”. I call BS on this hiring. Now he needs to be fired.
“If the ASD doesn’t want to hire somebody, they will vet…..?? HEY, they’re perpetuating it all, after all they’re pushing the “WOKE garbage and trans garbage.. and they promote this type of stuff to be taught in the schools, I figure the ADS is otherwise(?) responsible in part for the problem.
Boy, oh boy, do churches need to work on their religious official vetting process. So. Many. Rapes. WAY more than school officials… if public schools hurt kids, I can only imagine the language you’ve got for private religious institutions…
Really going out on a limb there huh, AKIP. Sexual predators are bad! Wow, expecting someone to argue with that? I’m trying to figure out if the victims of religious predators are more harmed than the victims of school based predators. Is that what you’re trying to point out? Because, I’m kinda old fashioned about rapes and sexual violence in general. I don’t see much of a differentiation as per the perpetrators. I see victims of sexual predators and don’t much care what the predator did as a profession.
Paul I like your groundedness in what you perceive.
In this regard of preditors in the church-victims have particular difficulty with the extreme power differential when the pertpetrator is a church member, especially church leaders, as the perpetrator is understood to be a representative of God.
All assaults are bad news-please consider the uniquely cruel ramifications when it comes to church related assaults.
My take on this is that all sexual assaults are based on power over the victim. So wouldn’t all sexual violence be a matter of one person having control/power over another, whether physical or titular?
My personal view is that a forced sexual attack is worse than murder, so I guess that I see that the perpetrator, being from an organization of trust, just makes it extra ‘gross’. In a nutshell, I’m not minimizing any particular attacks, I’m actually raising them all to the same horrible level.
Oh. And I truly believe that God will be sorting out those ‘representatives’ in his own way. Hope He doesn’t mind that I’d like to get them prepped for Him.
My bet is that none of that are crimes, the ones exposed in those texts will be terminated (to seek similar employment elsewhere), and the rest of them will crawl back under the slimy stones from whence they slithered forth.
All administrators involved should be given a promotion and put in charge of reading to our first graders.
(as long as they aren’t reading the Bible to them, that would be grounds for firing)
Hey, so long as the children bring home report cards that have high grades no one is going to pay much attention. When they do poorly on national tests we can blame it on the tests, even say the tests are racist.
Principals have to have some fun too! Isn’t that the point?
A quote from reddit:
“Check the great alaska tea spill on Facebook. He’s accused of doing shrooms at work and sleeping with multiple teachers”
And not from reddit:
“Service High School is a highly rated, public school located in ANCHORAGE, AK. It has 1,473 students in grades 9-12 with a student-teacher ratio of 22 to 1. According to state test scores, 26% of students are at least proficient in math and 32% in reading.”
Source:
‘https://www.niche.com/k12/service-high-school-anchorage-ak/
Good thing this didn’t come up before last week’s election. Whew.
Interesting that the message involves “others” but Wardlaw was the only one removed. “After an unsavory series of text messages allegedly involving Robert Service High School Principal Allen Wardlaw and others, Wardlaw is now on administrative leave.” “..text messages purported to be between Wardlaw and a woman who was not his wife, but who is ALSO EMPLOYED by the district.” Just wondering.
Good point. – sd
Superior messing around with a subordinate will get the superior suspended/fired. I’m sure she has a sexual harassment, hostile work environment etc… case.
Probably missgendered someone and hurt their feelings! SMH
Likely it was a subordinate, so he bears the responsibility to behave.
This kind of stuff is going on and yet we have to fight tooth and nail to push for HB105 – Parental Rights Bill. And BTW, tomorrow evening is the opportunity for verbal testimony in favor of HB105.
FYI-
https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/33/Bills/HB0105A.PDF
Email House Ed Committee at [email protected]
TAKING ACTION BY PHONE
To testify by phone on HB105, call any of the following numbers this Thursday, April 13th, at 5:15 p.m.
— Juneau: (907) 586-9085
— Anchorage: (907) 563-9085
— Statewide: (844) 586-9085
He didn’t tick enough boxes on the woke equity test. If only was more of a poc and transitioning…….then instead of being sent home with pay he would win a denali award for bravery.
Oh well he is I’m pretty sure getting paid to undergo sensitivity classes at home. Not a bad gig for a deviant.
All the text are on the Facebook page “The Great Alaskan Tea Spill”. The former Service High Principal’s side chick posted the info there.
So, who ratted-out Wardlaw? Probably some savy high school sophomore hacker who didn’t get his blackmail payment from Wardlaw?
I’m a Service High mom and disgusted by Mr. Wardlaw’s behavior. He’s about the level of a freshman junior higher in heat. Get him out, now.
Hell has no wrath as that of a woman scorn.
A principle lesson learned the hard way
Mr. Principal.
I have seen some of the alleged posts because of my daughter. They are disgusting and there are other names on it from different schools. I don’t think it is fair that we automatically assume this is all true. This does not seem like the Principal I have spoken with. He has always seemed very professional.
agreed –
Too bad principal Wardlaw didn’t also sit on the board of a Ukrainian gas company —- this would all have been swept under the rug, and been totally repressed by the (so-called) media.
Remember Satch Carlson? Yep many things like this go on longer than they should!
We are aging ourselves Judy.
But I can’t remember what the end result was. I think he was terminated.
He was, eventually, and there is a law on the books referred to as the “Satch Carlson Law” that says that there is no such thing as consent if you have custodial responsibility.
Satch wasn’t the only one from that era. Had a 7th grade teacher who liked the girls to sit on his lap. Nobody said anything about it. Perverts will always work in schools so long as there are kids there to take advantage of. And if you say something, well, you become part of the problem. Ever was it thus.
What kind of team did they send in?
I would hope the parents are the team? Or part of the team! Wow!
Hmm, stone the man but the woman is immune. Hey parents, this is what we know…..imagine the stuff your not seeing or being told about the personal lives of the people who have your children most of the day…oh, wait thats called privacy. I have mixed feelings about this but not about public education. Get your kids out of government schools.
Hey, it takes two to tangle, she’s in this mess also. Now, If there was a promotional “gig” involved, She also had the responsibility to stop BEFORE it starts, and was lied to that she would get a promotion from this garbage.
People, this is one of the reasons you should testify today, April 13, on HB105, Parents Rights in Education. Testimony will be heard at 5:15. If you cannot call in, then send email to [email protected]. Remember, this Service High School principal is the ONLY one who can sign a student’s “desire” to transgender. Parents cannot have a role! Would you want a school staff member to come between you and your child? I hope not. Here is the bill: https://www.akleg.gov/PDF/33/Bills/HB0105A.PDF
Without seeing the texts, this is kinda thorny. Personally, I support the rights of people to say what they want to say to others. Consenting adults in a quasi free society.
I support this even if I might find their thoughts repugnant.
Provided said texts were not unwanted, not on school time, and do not deal tangibly with illegal issues. And of course stay out of the hands of students.
The professionally ethical and legal implications come in play if there are threats involved, if there is pressure with a side of “or else”, if there was a professional power imbalance between the parties involved, if these texts when from discussing something illegal to planning to do something illegal.
The bigger issue for the muni isn’t the personal morality of the people involved. It’s this being a symptom of something very wrong to the core of ASD. ASD, frankly, is out of control and no longer suitable for its mission
-the main guy is unqualified
-it is in thrall to the unions
-the quality of its education is beyond substandard.
-there appears to be far more interest in pushing sexual orientation issues than actual teaching.
It’s beyond broken and needs wholesale replacement.
And did the principal use taxpayer resources (i.e., cell phone/computer/tablet) to message his salacious messages?
Don’t know. Hopefully he’s not that stupid, but evidence appears to say he is.
Amen masked brother!
If you love you kids, get them out of public school. Leave Alaska if you have to.
Yes!! Leave Alaska if you have to!!
Let us remember that there are hundreds of employees and support staff in ASD who are excellent teachers, who work hard to educate their students in the required subject matter, are ethical and moral professionals as well as good role models for their students. And no, they don’t push sexual orientation issues or wokeness.
Every institution or corporation has a few employees who “slip through the cracks” during vetting. Let this investigation play out as you continue to support ASD. Look at the thousands of graduates who have gone on to become community leaders, doctors, engineers, and yes, teachers.
Look at the kids who are last in the nation in almost every meaningful statistic.
That is not true of Anchorage. There are many incredible, moral, ethical hard working educators in our district who are devastated by this news. Don’t paint everyone with a broad brush and look more closely at our scores.
I have. I stand by my statement.
Your school system is abysmal.
DEI
Get woke, go broke, lose your job, destroy your family, ruin your reputation permanently, damage your children…
You have freedom but there is no such thing as a life without consequences. Conservatives understand this basic connection.
Plenty of conservative sex scandals attest to the truth of your statement
There are always three sides to a story.
Any relation to Ethan B. ? Here we go again. ?
There are always three sides to a story, and I think everyone is forgetting that one side is the truth. Many things are being said, but it’s a person’s life that could potentially be ruined by what may not be true, so be considerate! It’s not right to spread rumors or assume something is right based on opinionated comments and little evidence that could easily be inaccurate. Let the people handling this do their job.
????
You’re still in High School! It’s too bad Civics isn’t taught in public school anymore. Sweet summer child, life has some BIG lessons in store for you.
Why in hell would any woman working at the school district date anyone else who worked at the school district? Didn’t mom tell you not to fish off the company pier?
My child had incredible teachers in ASD. Anchorage School District has countless teachers who are committed to giving the best education to students and are excellent moral and ethical role models. These teachers are totally stunned and disgusted by this behavior. Please consider the teachers that make huge impacts on students lives in many positive ways and help shape their futures. They are many in number!
I agree with your statement. Problem is, one cannot distinguish the good teachers from the bad. And that is exactly what the teachers unions want. All teachers are considered the same. And the good have to make up for the mediocre/bad teachers. We should reward the excellent classroom teachers and rid ourselves of the incompetent classroom teachers. The kids will benefit and the teacher corps will benefit.
I don’t understand why salacious texts among ASD employees is a problem. I also don’t understand why students knowing about them is a problem. If it’s A-OK to have books in the school library teaching kids how to sexually use and abuse themselves and others, how great porn is, and how to share explicit images via text or the internet, then why can’t the adults in the building do the same thing?
Might be fun to find out who the “others” are.
.
Wait’ll the kids learn how to set up AI for honey traps, maybe make a buck or two in the process.
.
Can’t happen here, right?
So one Principal and an unnamed ASD person were sending grossly inappropriate texts to each other, which somehow was accessed by students. The number of people on this thread who want to tarnish EVERY employee for the actions of two people is astounding. Deductive reasoning skills are greatly lacking in many of these posts.
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