To the Cascade Community,

The safety and welfare of our students is our highest priority as a district. News of the lawsuit that has been filed against the district may raise concerns about our commitment to safety, which saddens us. Today, Monday December 1st, the lawsuit was officially served to the district.

The district’s first knowledge of the initial allegation in the lawsuit came by letter in late March/early April of 2025. All policies and procedures were followed for investigation and reporting to appropriate authorities, and the subject of the allegations was placed on leave immediately.

In the lawsuit received today, other allegations were also made against Superintendent Darin Drill. “While I vehemently deny these wild allegations against me from decades ago,” Drill said, “no matter who the employee is, even myself, an investigation should take place. It’s the right thing to do.” 

School Board Chair Brett Stegall and Superintendent Drill have decided that Superintendent Drill will step aside from his duties while an investigation takes place, and an outside investigator will be hired and brought in. These actions demonstrate the district’s commitment to take every allegation seriously.

In our commitment to integrity and safety, we can clearly state the following:

• All official complaints against staff of any nature are investigated and reported to authorities when that applies. Board Policy guides the whole process, including policy GCPD-AR  when investigations warrant discipline or dismissal.

• At all times, the district provided training on mandatory reporting and prevention of sexual abuse and grooming that met or exceeded legal requirements at the time. Our annual training in these areas has increased over time, to follow best practices to keep our students safe.

• If you or any one suspects abuse or misconduct of a student, we encourage you to make a report. You can do that through the district’s official complaint procedure, or through SafeOregon (call or text 844-472-3367). SafeOregon is a statewide organization that refers all complaints to the appropriate district and authorities.

We remain committed to doing what is necessary to safeguard the students you entrust with us.