Community, staff, and students: District clarifies reports on incident at high school
Community, staff, and students: District clarifies reports on incident at high school
As the district's investigation is concluded, and Mr. Imamura is no longer employed in the district, we wanted to clarify the timeframe and some details that led to his dismissal and arrest. Further questions about his ongoing court case can be directed to Independence Police Department, the DOJ, or Polk County Courts.
Between June 5, 2025, and May 25, 2026, the district received concerns regarding Mr. Imamura’s performance and practices. Each concern was thoroughly reviewed and addressed in accordance with established procedures. The district followed the progressive disciplinary process. The concerns provided and investigated prior to May 26 did not meet the criteria for administrative leave because none of the reported concerns involved the abuse of a student. The district’s investigation included interviews, information gathering, and observations by administrative staff.
On May 26, the district received new information from the Oregon Department of Human Services and a parent that included different concerns, specifically communications with a student, which constituted a need for Mr. Imamura to immediately be put on administrative leave, pending investigation. Mr. Imamura was given specific stipulations that he was not to be on district property or contact students or staff. The investigation included interviews with students, parents, and with Mr. Imamura. Union representation was present during his interviews.
During the course of the investigation, information was developed that indicated there could be non-sexual criminal activity associated with the reported concerns, and information was shared with law enforcement on June 23. Law enforcement uncovered additional information that led to the arrest of Mr. Imamura on July 3. Additional details of the criminal investigation and arrest should be directed to the Independence Police Department.
The district continued the disciplinary process, which led to the dismissal of Mr. Imamura on September 29 after an executive session by the board, in accordance with Oregon Public Meetings Law (ORS 192.660(2)(b)).
The district and its staff take all concerns seriously and evaluate each concern to ensure appropriate, lawful steps are taken to protect our students, staff, and the rights of all individuals.
All district staff are mandatory reporters, which means they have an individual obligation to report suspected child abuse to either law enforcement or DHS directly themselves. Staff are trained annually regarding child abuse and child abuse reporting, including this individual obligation to report their concerns externally to the appropriate agency if they suspect abuse.
The district maintains a collaborative working relationship with our law enforcement agencies so that whenever an incident or investigation uncovers potential criminal activity, it is provided to them for further investigation and action. As always, the district encourages students, parents, guardians, and staff to report incidents of concerning behavior.