The new developments involving Adam Schoonover center on a single, hard fact.
The Longview Public Schools Executive Director of Student Services now faces criminal charges tied to the Mark Morris High School sexual assault case.
For families in Cowlitz County, the question is no longer whether adults failed to act, but who answers for it.
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Key Takeaways
- Adam (Andrew) Schoonover faces charges of failure to report and making false statements to police, according to the Longview Police Department via FOX 13 Seattle.
- Superintendent Karen Cloninger faces a felony witness tampering charge, and five district staff were placed on administrative leave.
- A third-party investigation by Kathleen Haggard, released July 30, 2026, found gaps in supervision and mandatory reporting.
What exactly is Schoonover charged with?
We found the charges against Schoonover to be narrow but serious.
Police allege he did not report suspected abuse and later gave a false or misleading statement to a public servant.
Both counts connect directly to Washington’s mandatory reporting duty for school staff.
That duty is not optional.
Under RCW 26.44.030, school employees must report suspected child abuse to law enforcement, not handle it internally.
Our analysis suggests the state’s case rests on the gap between what officials knew and what they told police.
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Longview School District Sexual Assault Investigation: New Developments Involving Adam Schoonover
The new developments involving Adam Schoonover center on a single, hard fact.@MarkMorris10 @KATUNews @LongviewSchoolshttps://t.co/FVbQK5NUl5
— Atholton News (@atholtonnews55) August 18, 2026How did the case reach this point?
If you have followed the locker room misconduct reports, this timeline won’t surprise you. The alleged assaults involved the boys’ basketball team, with two victims aged 14.
KGW reported that staff were alerted before police, yet the first official report came from a parent. Detectives say Cloninger directed employees to keep the matter internal. That decision now sits at the heart of the criminal case.
Timeline of major events
| Date | Development |
|---|---|
| Jan 29, 2026 | Alleged locker room misconduct first surfaces at Mark Morris High School |
| Feb 5, 2026 | Longview PD asks the district if help is needed; district says it is handled internally |
| Feb 9, 2026 | A parent reports the assault; police open a formal investigation |
| Feb 2026 | Two students arrested and charged with rape |
| June 2026 | Cloninger placed on unpaid leave; Schoonover and others on leave |
| July 30, 2026 | Third-party Haggard report released publicly |
| Aug 7, 2026 | Records name five staff, including Adam Schoonover |
| Jan 2027 | Trials scheduled for the two former players |
| March 2027 | Cloninger’s trial scheduled |
What did the third-party report find?
We reviewed the Haggard report coverage from KATU.
The findings can be grouped into clear points:
- It was unclear whether the Title IX coordinator was ever notified.
- The code of conduct for student-athletes was vague and needs an overhaul.
- Locker room supervision required tighter, more specific rules.
- The district needed a stronger anti-hazing program.
- Existing bullying and harassment policies existed but were not enough.
The report stopped short of confirming whether the conduct met the legal definition of hazing.
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What does this mean for Longview families?
Here is the practical picture, stated plainly.
The new developments involving Adam Schoonover show that accountability may extend beyond the students charged.
Five employees remain under review while a second investigator checks whether staff followed the law and district policy.
For parents, the near-term outcome depends on the 2027 trials and the district’s follow-through.
Industry insiders are noting that mandatory reporting cases like this often turn on documentation and timing.
Our analysis suggests the district’s response gaps, not just the original crime, will shape the legal fallout.
Rebuilding trust may take longer than resolving the charges.
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Where the case goes next
We will keep tracking three things.
- Whether Schoonover’s charges lead to a plea or trial.
- How the district acts on the third-party investigation recommendations.
- What the 2027 trials reveal about the administrative leave decisions.
If you want to follow the record directly, start with the Longview Police statement and the KATU records report.
Both give you the primary facts without the noise.