Petition to initiate RECALL of SEA President Ibijoke Idowu-Holiday
The Issue
The issue is twofold.
First, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) publicly released an investigation that substantiated multiple allegations regarding President Ibijoke “Ibi” Idowu-Holiday’s conduct as a Rising Star Elementary School special education teacher under the district's "more likely than not" standard.
Second, the majority of Seattle Education Association (SEA) members did not have this information when they voted in the SEA presidential election. As a result, members were unable to make a fully-informed election decision. SEA membership must have a fair opportunity to decide, through the recall process established in the SEA ByLaws.
A union cannot properly function with leadership who are distracted and limited in their role. We cannot be a strong union when we are compromised by criminal and district investigations into serious allegations. We cannot be taken seriously when we currently have an abhorrent public image, due to the alleged actions of Idowu-Holiday.
What are the accusations?
SPS concluded it was "more likely than not" that SEA President Idowu-Holiday physically abused multiple disabled elementary students while serving as a special education teacher.
The district substantiated allegations and reports that she likely grabbed one autistic student hard enough to leave bruises. The investigation found she repeatedly threw a hardcover book that struck another student.
The investigation and witness reports uncovered that Idowu-Holiday engaged in repeated yelling, grabbing, and intimidating behavior that left elementary school students fearful, reportedly flinching when Idowu-Holiday approached. Colleagues reported Idowu-Holiday would reportedly scream and frequently put hands on students, according to the investigation. The SPS investigation revealed Idowu-Holiday pulled students by their shirt and hit students with a pointer to get them to respond, according to the report.
According to reports, Idowu-Holiday removed a crying student’s chair and would not let the child have their chair back until the student completed their assignment. She reportedly withheld PE from students until they completed work, a violation of WAC 392-410-135.
The investigation, completed on June 17, 2026, linked to Google folder here containing 1. SPS Investigation Report; and 2. Exhibits. We have redacted the names of two educators, for their safety.
Click link here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1o5HbeUoYDMSvHsEiX-_enouYn_1MH0ZE?usp=sharing
Ibijoke Idowu-Holiday has been accused by numerous SPS staff witnesses and victims of creating an unsafe, abusive classroom at Rising Star Elementary. She has been accused of multiple allegations of child abuse, resulting in a classroom which traumatized our most vulnerable students, according to the investigation.
A similar Seattle Police Department (SPD) investigation resulted in a referral being made to King County prosecutors, and no decision has yet been made whether charges will be filed in the case.
While these multiple investigations were in progress, during her paid administrative leave, Idowu-Holiday ran for the office of President of the SEA while withholding critical information from our members.
The majority of SEA members were not informed about the credible accusations against her, nor were members informed she had been placed on leave since December 2025. SEA members feel strongly that Idowu-Holiday and her campaign omitted information and thereby misrepresented herself. Additionally, Idowu-Holiday ran an effective campaign because she was on paid leave at the time.SEA membership received postcards to their home addresses from the Seattle Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (known as “SCORE”) urging members to vote for Idowu-Holiday without any information about her employment status or multiple administrative and criminal investigations.
The allegations and investigation have now gained widespread negative attention internationally. Idowu-Holiday has been the subject of numerous local, national, and international news stories. As a result of Idowu-Holiday’s reported actions and SCORE’s support of her candidacy, SEA is now the target of intense public derision and condemnation. And now, public perception is not of SEA fighting for pay increases and better working conditions, not for improving student outcomes; but now it appears to the public that the SEA members knowingly installed an accused child abuser as our union president. This is not a public image that helps our union in any way, especially during critical bargaining negotiations with Seattle Public Schools.
Furthermore, while Idowu-Holiday is on paid administrative leave, she is unable to complete the duties assigned as President of SEA. Idowu-Holiday is barred from SPS property and there are severe limitations on her capacity to serve the office of SEA President. We believe that this is an avoidable disruption, and severe disadvantage as our SEA members deserve a candidate who is fully functional to serve the office of President of our SEA Union.
In light of all this, Idowu-Holiday has not stepped down despite a formal letter of request from SEA members to resign. She has continued to make public comments on social media, further jeopardizing her own reputation. Idowu-Holiday continues to demonstrate a lack of compassionate leadership. We believe that Idowu-Holiday is showing she is not committed to the SEA union membership. She is not considering the needs of the many her office serves nor is she considering the betterment of SPS students. We believe Idowu-Holiday must be immediately recalled from the office of SEA President. SEA members deserve better and our students deserve more.
To: The Seattle Education Association (SEA) Board of Directors, Representative Assembly, and Transitional Executive Director Greg Alarid.
Purpose: This petition is initiated by bona fide, active members of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) pursuant to Article III, Section 3.5 of the Seattle Education Association Bylaws. SEA Bylaws provide that an elected officer may be removed from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance through a recall election initiated by the general membership upon a petition signed by at least ten percent (10%) of the bona fide active membership.
SEA Bylaws Section 3.51. We, the undersigned active members, hereby formally request the immediate initiation of recall procedures for the newly elected SEA President, effective immediately due to a loss of confidence in their ability to effectively lead and protect the integrity of our union.
Justification: Bylaws Compliance: Section 3.51 allows for recall procedures to be set in motion upon a petition containing the signatures of at least 10% of bona fide, active members.
Urgency: In light of ongoing investigations of serious, credible allegations regarding student safety and professional misconduct, we believe immediate intervention is required to safeguard the reputation of our union, union members, and to ensure stable leadership focused on member goals.
Procedural Request: We request that the SEA Board of Directors immediately acknowledge this petition, establish an expedited, transparent timeline for signature verification, and execute the remaining conditions outlined in SEA Bylaws Section 3.52.
By signing this petition, I certify that I am a bona fide, active member of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) and I support the initiation of the recall process.
Let SEA Members Decide.
Sign the petition to begin the democratic recall process authorized by the SEA Bylaws.
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The Issue
The issue is twofold.
First, Seattle Public Schools (SPS) publicly released an investigation that substantiated multiple allegations regarding President Ibijoke “Ibi” Idowu-Holiday’s conduct as a Rising Star Elementary School special education teacher under the district's "more likely than not" standard.
Second, the majority of Seattle Education Association (SEA) members did not have this information when they voted in the SEA presidential election. As a result, members were unable to make a fully-informed election decision. SEA membership must have a fair opportunity to decide, through the recall process established in the SEA ByLaws.
A union cannot properly function with leadership who are distracted and limited in their role. We cannot be a strong union when we are compromised by criminal and district investigations into serious allegations. We cannot be taken seriously when we currently have an abhorrent public image, due to the alleged actions of Idowu-Holiday.
What are the accusations?
SPS concluded it was "more likely than not" that SEA President Idowu-Holiday physically abused multiple disabled elementary students while serving as a special education teacher.
The district substantiated allegations and reports that she likely grabbed one autistic student hard enough to leave bruises. The investigation found she repeatedly threw a hardcover book that struck another student.
The investigation and witness reports uncovered that Idowu-Holiday engaged in repeated yelling, grabbing, and intimidating behavior that left elementary school students fearful, reportedly flinching when Idowu-Holiday approached. Colleagues reported Idowu-Holiday would reportedly scream and frequently put hands on students, according to the investigation. The SPS investigation revealed Idowu-Holiday pulled students by their shirt and hit students with a pointer to get them to respond, according to the report.
According to reports, Idowu-Holiday removed a crying student’s chair and would not let the child have their chair back until the student completed their assignment. She reportedly withheld PE from students until they completed work, a violation of WAC 392-410-135.
The investigation, completed on June 17, 2026, linked to Google folder here containing 1. SPS Investigation Report; and 2. Exhibits. We have redacted the names of two educators, for their safety.
Click link here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1o5HbeUoYDMSvHsEiX-_enouYn_1MH0ZE?usp=sharing
Ibijoke Idowu-Holiday has been accused by numerous SPS staff witnesses and victims of creating an unsafe, abusive classroom at Rising Star Elementary. She has been accused of multiple allegations of child abuse, resulting in a classroom which traumatized our most vulnerable students, according to the investigation.
A similar Seattle Police Department (SPD) investigation resulted in a referral being made to King County prosecutors, and no decision has yet been made whether charges will be filed in the case.
While these multiple investigations were in progress, during her paid administrative leave, Idowu-Holiday ran for the office of President of the SEA while withholding critical information from our members.
The majority of SEA members were not informed about the credible accusations against her, nor were members informed she had been placed on leave since December 2025. SEA members feel strongly that Idowu-Holiday and her campaign omitted information and thereby misrepresented herself. Additionally, Idowu-Holiday ran an effective campaign because she was on paid leave at the time.SEA membership received postcards to their home addresses from the Seattle Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators (known as “SCORE”) urging members to vote for Idowu-Holiday without any information about her employment status or multiple administrative and criminal investigations.
The allegations and investigation have now gained widespread negative attention internationally. Idowu-Holiday has been the subject of numerous local, national, and international news stories. As a result of Idowu-Holiday’s reported actions and SCORE’s support of her candidacy, SEA is now the target of intense public derision and condemnation. And now, public perception is not of SEA fighting for pay increases and better working conditions, not for improving student outcomes; but now it appears to the public that the SEA members knowingly installed an accused child abuser as our union president. This is not a public image that helps our union in any way, especially during critical bargaining negotiations with Seattle Public Schools.
Furthermore, while Idowu-Holiday is on paid administrative leave, she is unable to complete the duties assigned as President of SEA. Idowu-Holiday is barred from SPS property and there are severe limitations on her capacity to serve the office of SEA President. We believe that this is an avoidable disruption, and severe disadvantage as our SEA members deserve a candidate who is fully functional to serve the office of President of our SEA Union.
In light of all this, Idowu-Holiday has not stepped down despite a formal letter of request from SEA members to resign. She has continued to make public comments on social media, further jeopardizing her own reputation. Idowu-Holiday continues to demonstrate a lack of compassionate leadership. We believe that Idowu-Holiday is showing she is not committed to the SEA union membership. She is not considering the needs of the many her office serves nor is she considering the betterment of SPS students. We believe Idowu-Holiday must be immediately recalled from the office of SEA President. SEA members deserve better and our students deserve more.
To: The Seattle Education Association (SEA) Board of Directors, Representative Assembly, and Transitional Executive Director Greg Alarid.
Purpose: This petition is initiated by bona fide, active members of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) pursuant to Article III, Section 3.5 of the Seattle Education Association Bylaws. SEA Bylaws provide that an elected officer may be removed from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance through a recall election initiated by the general membership upon a petition signed by at least ten percent (10%) of the bona fide active membership.
SEA Bylaws Section 3.51. We, the undersigned active members, hereby formally request the immediate initiation of recall procedures for the newly elected SEA President, effective immediately due to a loss of confidence in their ability to effectively lead and protect the integrity of our union.
Justification: Bylaws Compliance: Section 3.51 allows for recall procedures to be set in motion upon a petition containing the signatures of at least 10% of bona fide, active members.
Urgency: In light of ongoing investigations of serious, credible allegations regarding student safety and professional misconduct, we believe immediate intervention is required to safeguard the reputation of our union, union members, and to ensure stable leadership focused on member goals.
Procedural Request: We request that the SEA Board of Directors immediately acknowledge this petition, establish an expedited, transparent timeline for signature verification, and execute the remaining conditions outlined in SEA Bylaws Section 3.52.
By signing this petition, I certify that I am a bona fide, active member of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) and I support the initiation of the recall process.
Let SEA Members Decide.
Sign the petition to begin the democratic recall process authorized by the SEA Bylaws.
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Petition created on July 21, 2026