North, South high school students walk out to protest district inaction on alleged abuse

Hundreds of students from North Salem and South Salem high schools walked out of classes Friday morning to protest what they say is district inaction on student complaints about an educator.

The students walked to the district’s Student Support Services Center on Commercial Street SE, where they held a rally, chanting “No more predators.”

The students leading the walkout allege they were sexually assaulted and harassed over several years by Trever Ball, a licensed teacher at North Salem High School who previously coached girls' basketball at the school.

They say they told school officials about the incidents more than a year ago, but nothing has been done.

Ball was put on paid administrative leave June 1, district spokesman Aaron Harada said. He previously was on paid administrative leave from Dec. 9, 2021, through March 27, 2022. Ball resigned from his coaching position when he returned.

"This is part of our standard procedure when allegations of this nature are made against staff while the district investigates," Harada said. "This procedure is ongoing, and we cannot share specific details due to personnel confidentiality laws."

Ball did not respond to emails and other attempts by the Statesman Journal to seek comment.

Allegations reported in 2021

In a public Instagram post advertising the walkout posted June 1, North Salem student and basketball team member Natalya Mendoza wrote at length about the alleged abuse and accused the district of inaction.

Mendoza also gave the document, dated May 25, to her English teacher, who is a mandatory reporter, prompting the district to open a new investigation, said Raychel Vipperman, another student and team member.

Vipperman, 18, said she is among the team members who reported abuse to the district in December 2021.

“The district didn’t do anything,” she said. “Even after the whole situation, he thought it was OK to talk to us, make weird comments around us in the hallways. This season he even came to one of our games.”

"All we want is our justice," Vipperman said.

Students speak out in support

At the rally, Grace Minahan, 16, said she left classes at South Salem High School to support her friend Vipperman.

Alexis Large-Cooley, a senior at North Salem, helped organize the march and rally.

She said she advocated last year for Mendoza and other students with complaints against Ball, but was shut down by the school’s administration.

“They kept telling me it wasn’t my fight,” Large-Cooley said.

Belinda Joye came to support Mendoza, who is her niece.

“The system failed those kids, for three years,” Joye said.

In the Salem-Keizer district, Ball previously worked at Judson Middle School and McKay High School. He also was head basketball coach at the private Crosshill Christian School, and worked at South Albany High School.

Latinos Unidos Siempre, a local nonprofit supporting youth, publicized the walkout, and helped with security, rides and water.

“Adults who hurt children and youth should be held accountable,” the group said on its Instagram account.

Tracy Loew covers the environment at the Statesman Journal. Send comments, questions and tips totloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503-399-6779. Follow her on Twitter at@Tracy_Loew