Tacoma Teacher Suspended After Consuming Marijuana on School Grounds

A former Tacoma Public Schools first-grade teacher has had her teaching certificate suspended after possessing and consuming marijuana on an elementary school campus, according to a recent disciplinary order issued by the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.

State documents reveal that Stacy Kerrigan, whose Washington teaching credentials date back to 2010, was suspended for a minimum of 30 days following an investigation into the September 2024 incident.

📄 Agreed Order Of Suspension Stacy Kerrigan (517KB ∙ PDF file)

Marijuana on Campus

According to the Agreed Order of Suspension, Kerrigan was employed by the Tacoma School District as a first-grade classroom teacher at Manitou Park Elementary School during the 2024-2025 school year.

The state document reports that on September 23, 2024, Kerrigan “was in possession of and then consumed marijuana or a marijuana-infused product upon school grounds.”

Following the discovery of the incident, Kerrigan was placed on administrative leave that same day.

The school district moved quickly to address the misconduct. On October 17, 2024, Tacoma Public Schools issued a Notice of Probable Cause to Terminate Employment.

While state records note that Kerrigan filed a timely appeal against the termination notice, OSPI received a formal complaint from Tacoma Superintendent Joshua Garcia on November 25, 2024, regarding the educator’s possession and use of the substance on campus.

Rather than facing a direct termination by the district, state records show Kerrigan ultimately stepped down.

She resigned her position on April 4, 2025, with her departure becoming officially effective on August 31, 2025.

A Slow State Response and a 30-Day Penalty

Kerrigan participated in an interview with the state’s Office of Professional Practices on May 1, 2025, regarding the incident. Yet it took the state over a year following the interview—and 21 months after the initial incident occurred—to finalize its disciplinary order on June 24, 2026.

The state concluded there was “clear and convincing evidence” that Kerrigan committed acts of unprofessional conduct.

The disciplinary order noted that her actions represented a behavioral problem which “endangers the educational welfare or personal safety of students, teachers, or other colleagues within the educational setting.”

For possessing and consuming marijuana on an elementary school campus, OSPI ordered Kerrigan’s Washington Education Certificate to be suspended for no less than 30 days.

By signing the Agreed Order of Suspension, Kerrigan knowingly and voluntarily waived her right to appeal the state’s disciplinary action.