Students and parents allege inappropriate conduct by Gateway Unified physical-education teacher; staff and former colleagues speak in support

A student and several parents used the public-comment period of a Gateway Unified School District board meeting to allege inappropriate conduct by a district physical-education teacher, while district employees and former colleagues offered contrary accounts.

Aubriannan Marie Hutsul said she attended Gateway Unified schools and described an episode she said occurred when she was in eighth grade at Shasta Lake School during the 2022–23 school year. "He starts discussing how our bodies are changing and are developing and how we are growing into young women," Hutsul said. She said a male teacher asked girls to follow him to the back of the gym, spoke to them about bodies and food in a way she called "disgusting," and used heavier students as examples of "unhealthy diets." Hutsul said she and a friend went directly to the office to report the incident, but she was later told by a counselor that "there is nothing they could do" beyond talking to the teacher.

Why this matters: the allegations, if substantiated, would raise concerns about students' safety and staff supervision. Board bylaws cited at the meeting also limit what the board can act on during public comment, and the district typically handles personnel complaints through its internal processes.

Other speakers at the meeting described similar concerns or corroborating accounts. A parent who identified herself as Krista Aschenbrenner said she had posted the student's letter on Facebook and received at least two additional statements from students reporting similar behavior. One student statement read into the record said the teacher had required some students to pull down pants briefly to verify gym attire and that girls were made to perform squats while feeling watched.

Several other attendees disagreed with the accusations. A district employee who identified herself as Sandy said she had worked alongside the teacher for about eight years and had not witnessed the behaviors described. "He teaches respect, teaches character, teaches the skills," Sandy said, adding she had not seen the conduct alleged and called him "one of the best teachers I have ever had the privilege to meet." Sherry Lewis, a former Gateway teacher who said she had worked with the teacher for more than 20 years, similarly said she had never witnessed the conduct described and called public attacks on an individual's reputation "inexcusable."

Board process and next steps: during the public-comment introduction the board chair reminded speakers that "the board is not allowed to take action on matters that are not listed on the agenda" and referenced board bylaws encouraging public participation but limiting on-the-spot action by trustees. At one point a board member asked whether a formal complaint had been filed; a parent replied that she had spoken with administrators but had not filed a formal administrative complaint. The meeting record does not show the board initiating any personnel action or investigation at the session.

The meeting transcript contains inconsistent renderings of the teacher's name (examples include "Mister Brock," "Mister Broadmark," and other variants). The district did not provide any personnel/personnel-investigation statements on the public record during the meeting. The board did not announce further public action on this item at that time.