Here are the documents SPS says mandate keeping controversial principal
Despite community uproar in April, Anitra Jones began her tenure as principal of Adams Elementary School in Ballard on May 18, after longtime Principal Doug Sohn went on leave.
Jones' appointment is arguably the most controversial decision Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Ben Shuldiner has made since he took the helm of the state's largest district in February.
But after a raucous meeting with concerned Adams parents, and a subsequent School Board meeting where Shuldiner scolded those parents for their "unacceptable" behavior, Shuldiner is sticking with his decision to place Jones at Adams Elementary.
That's a marked shift from prior SPS administrations, which have often announced major districtwide decisions - like closing dozens of elementary schools, ending the Highly Capable Program and plans to bring students back into school buildings during the pandemic - and then quickly reversed course after public outcry.
Shuldiner's resolve regarding Jones' placement comes amid his efforts to usher in a new era of frequent communication, more transparency and promises of improving efficiency and fidelity of everything from curriculum to human resource processes at SPS.
Past allegations loom
Community concerns about Jones' placement stem from allegations during her time at Rainier View Elementary School, where she served as principal for 13 years. She was removed from that position in April 2024, following allegations that she created a "toxic" and "unsafe" environment for students and staff. Allegations included that Jones implemented harsh discipline policies that fell disproportionately on Black and brown students, discriminated against English-language learners and on the basis of religion, and violated students' individual education plans.
An SPS spokesperson confirmed the district received complaints about this alleged "toxic" environment on June 13, 2023, and subsequently hired an independent contractor to investigate the allegations surrounding Jones' disciplinary policies and allegedly discriminatory conduct. That investigator's report, dated Sept. 27, 2024, concluded "that there was insufficient evidence to substantiate any of those allegations," according to the district spokesperson.
In addition, the state's Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction investigated community complaints from Rainier View families in 2023. The state agency conducted three investigations into allegations that Rainier View staff failed to appropriately identify and support students requiring special education services. The OSPI investigations identified a violation related to special education disciplinary requirements, and mandated that staff - including Jones - complete a training, and develop a schedule to provide "compensatory education" for students whose rights had been violated.
In November 2024, a state labor relations adjudicator found that Jones unlawfully discriminated against three Rainier View staff members for protected union activity.
In February 2025, Jones was placed in a temporary role as a principal on special assignment at Rainier Beach High School.
Letters, laws, legal principles
Despite these allegations, Shuldiner has consistently said that he was required to place Jones in a principalship by state law, the principal's contract and a former superintendent's agreement.
The Seattle Times obtained a copy of that agreement from former superintendent Brent Jones (no relation to Anitra Jones), and a copy of Anitra Jones' current contract, through public records requests.
On first read, neither document appears to explicitly compel the district to place Anitra Jones in a principalship for the 2026-27 school year, but legal experts point to three portions of state law that they say, when read together, explain why the district's hands are tied.
In January 2025, then-Superintendent Brent Jones wrote a letter to Anitra Jones that read: "For the 2025-2026 school year, I will evaluate principal position openings and assign you a building to be a principal. The assignment will likely be back to an elementary school, but I reserve the right to place you into another school level (e.g., middle or alternative), if such a principal placement is in the best interest of SPS and matches our organizational needs."
Brent Jones, who was recently named interim president of Seattle Central College, declined to comment because the matter involved a personnel issue.
While insisting he's bound to honor his predecessor's agreement, Shuldiner has been clear that moving forward he won't make the type of agreement Brent Jones made with Anitra Jones. He has said that principals will not be appointed, but rather go through a competitive application process, like all district hires. "Everybody - and I mean everybody - has to apply for their job," Shuldiner told The Seattle Times last month.
Why does a predecessor's promise matter?
The letter Brent Jones wrote is not an official employee contract, nor was it approved or considered by the School Board, as principal hires fall under the superintendent's purview.
Multiple lawyers who reviewed the Brent Jones letter said it was unusual, and not a typical part of the district's hiring or appointment protocols.
However, in a statement provided to The Seattle Times, spokespeople for Seattle Public Schools note that Washington law recognizes the concept of "promissory estoppel," which means that if someone makes a promise on which another person reasonably relies, the promise may be legally enforceable. The district does not concede that this principle applies in this situation, but stated that "this is the legal theory at issue with respect to the letter" from the former superintendent.
Notably, Brent Jones' letter only promises Anitra Jones a job for the current 2025-26 school year, which ends this month.
And Anitra Jones is currently employed under a one-year contract, which expires June 30. Her contract appears to be the standard used for principals districtwide, which are single-year contracts renewed every Spring or early summer.
Legal experts point to a section of Washington code that establishes a concept known as "continuing contract" - meaning certificated school district employees (including principals) have one-year contracts, which are expected to be renewed automatically unless the district has sufficient cause not to renew.
Another section of Washington code applies uniquely to Seattle Public Schools - as it's the only public school district in the state with more than 35,000 students enrolled. According to that law, any principal who has worked at the district for at least three consecutive school years cannot be transferred to a subordinate position unless the principal's annual performance evaluation indicates such a demotion is appropriate.
Finally, a third section of code outlines what school districts must do if there is probable cause to terminate a teacher, principal or other district employee who holds a professional certification - including providing formal notice of the probable cause, and a hearing to address the findings, where the employee may have legal representation.
Despite the allegations against and investigations into Anitra Jones, Shuldiner has repeatedly said there are no disciplinary records in her personnel file. And without such records, he contends he does not have the legally required sufficient cause to end or decline to renew her contract.
Through a public records request, The Seattle Times reviewed Anitra Jones' personnel file from Rainier View between 2010 and 2021, and found no documented disciplinary notes. However, Brent Jones' letter does reference an evaluation training Anitra Jones completed as part of the employment discrimination decision.
Shuldiner maintains that he cannot retroactively investigate past claims. However, he has said that if concerns arise about Anitra Jones' conduct at Adams, parents or staff can document them, and he has promised the district will investigate those claims.
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