Mount Vernon High School Teacher Suspended Over Inappropriate Discussions With Students
In a recent disciplinary order, the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction suspended the teaching credentials of a former Mount Vernon educator following his admission that he discussed his sexual history and drug use with students.
According to the state’s disciplinary findings, the suspension stems from incidents during Jacob Young’s employment as a half-time Computer Science teacher at Mount Vernon High School during the 2023-2024 school year.
Classroom Question Sessions
State documents indicate that Young held classroom events where students were permitted to ask questions.
During these sessions, Young “commented on personal topics concerning his previous sexual history and controlled substance use” in front of the classroom, according to the agreed order on suspension.
While state disciplinary reports often rely on allegations, the OSPI order notes that Young explicitly admitted to making the inappropriate comments during a meeting with Mount Vernon School District administrators on April 10, 2024.
A Timeline Raising Questions
Despite this admission, the district’s subsequent handling of the situation may raise concerns for Skagit County parents expecting swift accountability for staff members who engage in explicit conversations with minors.
Instead of immediate termination following the April 10 meeting, state records reveal that Young was permitted to submit a resignation more than two months later, on June 14, 2024.
Furthermore, his resignation was not slated to take effect until August 27 of that year—allowing him to depart the district on his own terms.
It was only after Young submitted his resignation that Mount Vernon Superintendent Ismael Vivanco filed a formal complaint with OSPI’s Office of Professional Practices on June 17, 2024.
A 30-Day Penalty
Nearly two years later, in a March 24, 2026 Agreed Order of Suspension, the state concluded there was “clear and convincing evidence” that Young committed acts of “unprofessional conduct.”
To reach its conclusion, the state noted it applied standards outlined in the Washington Administrative Code, which requires officials to weigh eleven factors when determining educator discipline. These factors include the seriousness of the act and the age and maturity level of the participating students.
Yet, despite the severe nature of the admitted conduct involving high school students, OSPI ordered a minimal 30-day suspension of Young’s teaching credentials.
According to state records, his teaching certificate will be automatically reinstated after 30 days and remains valid until 2030.
OSPI officials concluded in the document that the brief suspension serves the interest of Washington State by deterring subsequent unprofessional conduct and “protecting the health, safety, and general welfare of students, colleagues, and other affected persons.”