Ann Dornfeld
Reporter
About
Ann is a reporter on KUOW's Investigations Team. Previously, she covered education stories for KUOW for a decade, with a focus on investigations into racial and socioeconomic inequities.
Her ongoing series exposing Seattle Public Schools’ lenient discipline of staff who abused students has won investigative reporting awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Radio Television Digital News Association, and the Education Writers Association. She was also lauded for her years of work covering disparities in the amount of recess and P.E. time students received in low-income schools.
Previously, Ann worked at Alaska Public Radio Network, in Anchorage, and KLCC, in Eugene, Oregon. Her freelance work, focusing on science and environmental issues, has appeared on national outlets including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Marketplace and The World.
Ann’s marine and underwater photography has appeared in the American Museum of Natural History and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry.
She lives with her husband and two children in South Seattle.
Location: Seattle
Languages Spoken: English
Pronouns: she/her
Professional Affiliations: Member, Investigative Reporters and Editors
Stories
-
Controversial county effort to divert youth criminal cases to community groups not meeting goals
A $16 million effort by King County to send most juvenile criminal cases to community-based diversion programs, rather than the court system, is having trouble meeting its goals, a county report shows.
-
Juvenile crime is up in King County. Officials can’t agree about how to handle it
As juvenile crime rates surge in King County, there is little consensus over what is causing the trend or how to respond to it.
-
Seattle says 'Belltown Hellcat' driver ignored order to quiet ear-splitting car
Seattle is suing the so-called “Belltown Hellcat” driver for allegedly continuing to rev his souped-up racecar’s engine at high volume more than a month after the city ordered him to stop.
-
How loopholes in Washington state law can protect abusive school staff
In Washington state, if a teacher or other certified school staff commits serious misconduct, like abuse, districts are required to report that to the state for investigation – and possibly the revocation of that person’s certification to work in schools.
-
Garfield High School sex abuse allegations reveal weaknesses in staff oversight laws
A coach allowed to work at a Seattle high school – despite being barred from the district. An abandoned sexual abuse investigation. Inconsistent standards for school district employees to report suspected child abuse. No requirement that school districts report abusive coaches to the state to prevent their hire elsewhere.
-
City could tear down dangerous vacant buildings under Seattle Mayor Harrell's emergency proposal
The city of Seattle would be allowed to demolish unsafe vacant buildings to prevent them from catching fire under emergency legislation proposed by Mayor Bruce Harrell.
-
Could a return of workers to downtown offices rescue Seattle’s ailing budget?
Suburban workers returning to Seattle offices would boost payroll, business & occupancy and sales tax revenues, analysts say – and help pay the city’s rising costs due primarily to inflation.
-
This law said teachers could hurt kids to 'correct' them in Washington. One boy shared his story to change that
The law, changed this legislative session, said teachers could hurt students to “correct” them as long as the violence was “reasonable and moderate” and caused only “transient pain or minor temporary marks.”
-
Former student sues Seattle Schools after teacher punched him in the face
Seattle Public Schools faces a lawsuit from a 2018 incident in which a math teacher at Meany Middle School punched an eighth-grader in the face in front of the entire class.
-
Family sues Seattle nonprofit over shooting at violence prevention meeting
The family of a young man shot dead at a Seattle violence prevention program meeting in 2021 has filed suit against the nonprofit organizers.