Investigation continues against Kent School Board president

Published 10:37 am Friday, January 9, 2026

Kent School Board member Donald Cook expects to find out soon the results of a Title IX complaint he filed in June against Board President Meghin Margel under a federal law that protects people from discrimination based on sex, including harassment.

“I filed this complaint because I believe President Margel has been targeting me unfairly, including making inappropriate comments about my character and trustworthiness around children,” Cook said in a Jan. 7 Facebook post to inform district residents about the case.

Cook claims that Margel made public comments disparaging him inappropriately during a board meeting on Sept. 11, 2024; and that she made similar disparaging comments about him after being asked to stop during a meeting June 11, 2025.

Cook filed the complaint June 12, 2025.

“This process has taken over seven months, which is much longer than it should take,” Cook said about his reasons for the social media post. “I believe our community deserves to know what’s happening with their elected school board members. The board majority has not been transparent about this situation, so I’m providing this update directly.”

Cook emphasized that the communication was his doing and that the board did not approve his message.

An investigator from a group called Clear Risk Solutions conducted an investigation, Cook said. He said he received a copy of the report in October 2025. He said the Kent School District hired Amy Klosterman, an independent decision maker, and she gave him until Jan. 14 to respond to the report.

After Jan. 14, a decision maker, independent of the school district, will review all information, ask any additional questions, if needed, and make a final decision about whether Title IX was violated, Cook said.

“I will continue to keep you informed as this process moves forward,” Cook said. “My goal is accountability and making sure all board members are treated fairly. I appreciate your patience as we work through this process. Our students and families deserve better from their school board leadership.”

The district’s communications team in a Jan. 9 email said it “is unable to comment on these types of situations.”

Previous conflict

A previous conflict on the Kent School Board also involved Cook and Margel.

The Kent School District paid $45,000 last year to Cook to settle a civil lawsuit Cook filed in 2024 against the district after the board adopted a controversial resolution to exclude Cook from a Labor Policy Committee, according to a Kent Reporter article.

The board claimed it excluded Cook because his wife teaches in the district and it could be a conflict of interest if he’s involved with contracts of other employee unions. Cook agreed he wouldn’t be part of any discussion with the teachers union, but disagreed he should be banned from talks with other unions that represent office workers, bus drivers, food service employees and others.

Margel, recently reelected board president and the president during the formation of the Labor Policy Committee, led the drive to exclude Cook. The board voted 3-2 in favor of the measure. Margel and then-board members Tim Clark and Awale Farah voted for the ban. Cook and Andy Song voted against it.