A KUOW journalist returns to the story that rocked Garfield High School when she was a student

In 1999, student journalists at Garfield High School heard a rumor. It was about a beloved teacher named Tom Hudson. 

He taught biology. He ran a popular outdoors program. And, according to the rumor, he sexually abused students. 

The journalists broke the news of these allegations for their school newspaper…. And chaos unfolded. 

The reporters faced pressure to step down from the paper. Their schoolmates turned on them. Their teacher was placed on leave. 

And, just a few months after everything blew up, Mr. Hudson died by suicide.  

“Adults in the Room” is a new series from KUOW that explores the questions that went unanswered 27 years ago: Did Mr. Hudson really abuse these students? Or did these young journalists act irresponsibly, at the expense of a teacher’s life? 

Guests: 

• Isolde Raftery is a managing editor at KUOW. She's also the host of “Adults in the Room" and 

  one of the student journalists who broke the news on these allegations at Garfield. 

Related links: 

• KUOW - Focus: Adults in the Room
• KUOW - Two Seattle girls learn a secret at their high school. Their lives change forever
• KUOW - In 'Adults in the Room,' a KUOW investigative journalist re-reports the story that's haunted her for nearly three decades

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