Bethel High School (Washington)

Bethel High School is a public high school located in Spanaway, Washington. It is one of four high schools in the Bethel School District, is the district's oldest, having been founded in 1952.^[2]

Bethel High School
Address
22215 38th Avenue East Spanaway , Washington 98387-6828 United States
Coordinates	47°03′15″N 122°22′40″W
Information
Type	Public secondary
Established	1952
School district	Bethel School District
Principal	Christy Rodriguez
Faculty	88[1]
Grades	9–12
Enrollment	1,739 (2022-23)[1]
Student to teacher ratio	20:1
Campus	Suburban
Color(s)	Crimson, Gray & Black
Mascot	Bison
Website

Academics

Bethel High School offers a variety of AP courses in math and computer science, the sciences, English studies, and history and social science.^[3]

English

• AP Language
• AP Literature

History & Social Science

• AP Human Geography
• AP Psychology
• AP US History

Math & Computer Science

• AP Precalculus
• AP Calculus AB
• AP Computer Science Principles

Sciences

• AP Biology
• AP Environmental Science
• AP Chemistry

Athletics

Bethel is part of the Bethel School District along with Spanaway Lake High School and Graham-Kapowsin High School. Bethel competes in the South Puget Sound League (SPSL) 4A in Washington's West Central District.

History

Main article: Bethel School District v. Fraser

During the 1983 elections for student council, student Matthew Fraser delivered a sexually suggestive speech while nominating a classmate for student council vice president.^[4] Fraser was suspended from Bethel High School for three days, but filed a lawsuit against the school board, alleging that the suspension violated his First Amendment right to free speech.^[5] The case was ultimately granted certiorari by the Supreme Court of the United States, which held in the landmark decision Bethel School District v. Fraser (1986) that it does not violate the First Amendment for public schools to punish students for lewd or indecent speech.^[6]

Notable alumni

• Corey Belser, NBA European player, 2006 CI NCAA Defensive POY^[7]
• Mike Blowers, MLB player 1989–1999, broadcaster^[8]
• Ezra Cleveland, NFL player for the Jacksonville Jaguars^[9]
• Derrike Cope, NASCAR Driver, winner of the 1990 Daytona 500^[10]
• Morgan Hicks, 2004 Olympian and rifle coach at University of Nebraska^[11]
• KC Montero, Filipino-American actor and television personality
• Caesar Rayford, NFL and CFL player^[12]
• Rick Story, UFC fighter and wrestler^[13]
• Charlotte Bongat, ASMR YouTuber, Fairy Char ASMR^[14]

References

1. "Bethel High School". Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
2. "Bethel High School changing mascot from Braves to Bison". KING 5 Washington. November 17, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
3. "Bethel High School AP Course Offerings". Bethel High School. Retrieved 2024-09-23.
4. Denton, Jake (June 11, 2019). "Are Racist Yearbook Photos Protected Student Speech?". Pacific Standard. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
5. Bethel School District v. Fraser, 478 U.S. 675 (1986)
6. "Court Backs School on Student's 'Vulgar' Speech". The New York Times. July 8, 1986. p. 18. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
7. "Bethel steps closer to title". The Seattle Times. January 31, 2001. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
8. Marmor, Jon (September 2010). "Mariners' Mike Blowers went from the diamond to the booth". University of Washington Magazine. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
9. Manley, Jon (April 22, 2020). "Bethel grad, Boise State's Ezra Cleveland ready for NFL draft". The News Tribune. p. 9. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
10. Rockne, Dick (February 25, 1990). "Race From Obscurity – Daytona Win Puts Cope In Spotlight". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
11. Kawada, Eijiro (September 17, 2004). "Olympian Morgan Hicks gets homecoming parade". The News Tribune. p. 16. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
12. Condotta, Bob (March 22, 2015). "Former Husky Caesar Rayford badly wants another shot in the NFL". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
13. Danzer, Paul (November 21, 2013). "Story back on track to climb UFC ladder". The Columbian. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
14. YouTube Channel |https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn622AJ6EcQLwpltrYJR8lw