Coach cleared by Sheriff’s Office

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office detectives cleared a West Valley High School softball coach Wednesday of any criminal wrongdoing regarding alleged sexual misconduct with a female softball player.

Dana Schmerer, 41, however, has not been cleared by two school districts, and the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction launched its own investigation this week.

The North Pines Middle School teacher remains on paid administrative leave in the Central Valley School District, where he’s a physical education teacher, and the West Valley School District, where he’s a coach.

Allegations that the coach had inappropriate contact with a West Valley High School student, who is now 18, surfaced in mid-April when a parent volunteer said he saw Schmerer and the female student leaving an outdoor equipment shed together at the school.

Schmerer was put on paid leave May 13 by the two districts. The sexual assault unit of the Sheriff’s Office began its investigation the following Monday.

“Regardless of how the law enforcement investigation turned out, we still have our own internal personnel issue process that has to be concluded,” West Valley School District spokeswoman Sue Shields said.

Shields said she didn’t know when the investigation would be finished.

Melanie Rose, a spokesman for the Central Valley School District, said her administration will also continue its personnel investigation into the sexual allegations, and Schmerer will not teach at North Pines Middle School until it is completed.

OSPI began its investigation Monday.

“We just received one complaint regarding Schmerer from the West Valley School District on May 19 and initiated investigation and opened a case file on May 23,” said Charles Schreck, director of the office of professional practices for OSPI. “The letter of complaint was in connection with an inappropriate relationship with a female student.”

Schreck said the administrative investigation would also go forward despite the conclusion of the criminal investigation.

“We have less of a burden of proof than in a criminal investigation,” Schreck said. “Theirs must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and ours requires clear and convincing evidence” of the first-degree sexual misconduct.

State law prohibits teachers – or any adult in a position of authority over youth – from having sexual contact with a minor.

Sgt. Jeff Tower, supervisor of the sexual assault unit for the Sheriff’s Office, said investigators cleared Schmerer of criminal wrongdoing after completing interviews with everyone involved, except Schmerer.

“We determined the allegations were unsubstantiated,” Tower said. “The most important interview was with the student herself who said nothing had happened between her and Schmerer.”

Schmerer could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The female student told police that the report made about activities that took place between Schmerer and herself in her house while someone was downstairs was inaccurate.

Tower said that detectives “did not come across anyone who saw the two of them have any type of sexual contact.”