Last September, the Boise School District suspended Timberline High School teacher Laura Boulton for alleged “inappropriate” behavior toward students and colleagues.
The suspension sparked outrage among students, who held walkouts and called on the district to reinstate her. Boulton accused the district of retaliating against her for reporting an incident of alleged sexual misconduct — a story the district denied.
Nearly a year later, the school district has agreed to pay Boulton $400,000 as part of an agreement that requires her to voluntarily submit a letter of resignation, according to documents obtained through a public records request.
The agreement, first reported by KBOI, was signed on July 11 by Boise School District general counsel Dan Skinner and Boulton. The agreement, which was partially redacted, said that along with the resignation letter, Boulton acknowledged that she would not be considered for future employment with the district “at any time in any capacity.”
The document also includes an agreement between Boulton and the district “not to take any action against the other in any forum,” and says Boulton would serve on a district executive committee to provide training to teachers on “appropriate boundaries in student-staff relationships.”
Neither party will take any action that is “derogatory to, or could reasonably be construed as derogatory to, any Party,” the agreement says. It adds that Boulton has agreed to respond to any inquiry that she has “amicably resolved issues with the District and looks forward to working with the District.”
In a text message, Boulton said she could not comment other than to say she had reached an amicable settlement and was proud of the district for giving her the opportunity to work with them “to make our schools safer.”
The Boise School District did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This embedded content is not available in your region.
Boulton was suspended last September
Boulton was placed on administrative leave on Sept. 7, 2023, just weeks into the school year, according to previous reporting by the Statesman. About a week later, hundreds of Timberline students walked out of the school demanding answers from the district and calling on the administration to bring Boulton back.
The school district sent an email at the time denying social media rumors about the reason for Boulton's suspension.
“The rumors and speculation circulating … about why Ms. Boulton is on administrative leave are untrue,” the letter from the Boise School District said, according to previous reporting in the Statesman. “Ms. Boulton was not placed on administrative leave for reporting sexual assault and/or harassment, or any other report by Ms. Boulton involving harassment, bullying or abuse.”
In letters obtained by the Statesman last year that the district wrote to Boulton when she was terminated, the district said Boulton may have behaved in “an inappropriate manner” that could violate the district’s code of ethics, board policies and employee handbook.
According to the suspension letter and two follow-up letters, six of Boulton's colleagues had complained about her. Some accused her of “bullying, hazing, intimidation and what appeared to be retaliation,” along with inappropriate relationships with students and “repeated attempts to undermine the academic environment with colleagues,” the Statesman reported.
Boulton denied all allegations.
“I have confidence that my community sees the needs of my children and focuses on the truth: Boise School District schools are not safe for their children because powerful people make bad choices,” Boulton previously told the Statesman.
At a press conference last September, she said the district had retaliated against her and alleged an environment in which the district had covered up incidents of bullying, violence and sexual assault. At the time, the district said in a statement that it had fully investigated all allegations of sexual abuse or harassment but acknowledged it could do “better” to support students.
