Former O’Dea High teacher facing ‘credible allegations’ of misconduct

GIG HARBOR, Wash. — An investigation is underway into allegations that a former O'Dea High School teacher acted inappropriately with a student.

That former teacher was fired Tuesday from his current job as principal of a Gig Harbor Catholic school.

Forty-one-year-old Davin Reyes appears to be the picture of a dedicated educator in his profile that was once on the website of Saint Nicholas School.

But that was before someone told the Archdiocese of Seattle he may have been too dedicated to at least one student.

“We received credible allegations that Mr. Davin Reyes supplied a student with money, drugs and alcohol,” said Helen McClenahan, Archdiocese of Seattle spokeswoman.

It allegedly happened while Reyes was a teacher at O’Dea High School in Seattle. He taught Spanish and religion at the all-male O’Dea for 10 years beginning in 2008.

McClenahan says the archdiocese took action when it received the complaint.

“Anytime we receive any allegation of any kind, we’ll do investigations,” she said. “Sometimes they turn out to be nothing, and sometimes they turn out to be more serious, as in this case.”

In his profile, Reyes said his career began as a teacher in Guam, his ancestral home. He spent 17 years in the classroom. Then in 2018, he was elevated to principal of the Saint Nicholas School in Gig Harbor, more than 40 miles south of Seattle.

Last Tuesday, Reyes was fired.

McClenahan says the decision was difficult.

“Absolutely,” she said. “We don’t take termination very lightly. We know it impacts not just the individuals and their families, but the entire community. So it’s just a very sad time for everybody involved.”

KIRO 7 tried to talk to parishioners there at the 5:30 Mass at St. Nicholas Church but was asked to leave.

One parishioner said off camera she has a lot of respect for Reyes. She said he was doing a “fabulous job” running St. Nicholas School.

Reyes could not be reached for his side of the story.

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