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Who is Ryan Akiyama? Ex-Yelm High School principal under fire for 'kill fascists' post

Ryan Akiyama shared a disturbing social media post where he flaunted a “flag” with the words “this teacher kills fascists” written on it.

Published on: May 25, 2025, 08:27:21 IST
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An Olympia, Washington, teacher is under fire for a disturbing social media post where he flaunted a “flag” with the words “this teacher kills fascists” written on it. Ryan Akiyama shared a photo of himself and the flag, with the caption, “Flying this little flag on my hydration pack during the Leavenworth SkyRace this weekend. Might need to print it on a t-shirt next for all my fellow WOKE DEI educators still showing up with courage and care.”

Who is Ryan Akiyama? Washington educator under fire for disturbing ‘this teacher kills fascists’ post (salishsearunner/Instagram)
Who is Ryan Akiyama? Washington educator under fire for disturbing ‘this teacher kills fascists’ post (salishsearunner/Instagram)

He added, “Yes, I’m woke. Yes, I teach DEI. No, I’m not sorry if that triggers the willfully ignorant.”

Who is Ryan Akiyama?

According to the above X post, Akiyama is a teacher in Olympia. He is a former Yelm High School principal who was arrested for DUI a few years back. In 2019, he accepted a plea agreement and pleaded guilty to charges of reckless driving. During his court appearance, he was ordered to pay $533, placed on probation and given a suspended jail sentence, according to Thurston County District Court documents, Nisqually Valley News reported.

During a November 5, 2019, court appearance, Akiyama pleaded guilty to reckless driving. At the time, original charges of DUI and possession of a dangerous weapon were amended.

A jail sentence of 364 days with 364 days suspended was imposed by the court, which meant Akiyama would avoid being put behind bars as long as he did not commit any additional crimes. His probation included breath and urine testing, a substance abuse evaluation, alcohol information school and a victims panel, court documents stated.

The case stemmed from an April 28 incident that year when the Washington State Patrol pulled Akiyama over for speeding in a 25 mph zone. He was subsequently placed under arrest for DUI and possession of a dangerous weapon.

A Washington State Patrol investigation report said that just after midnight on the day of the incident, which took place on Fourth Avenue near Plum Street, Akiyama passed a trooper without his lights on and accelerated to 10 miles over the 25 mph speed limit. A trooper pulled him over, and found that there was an “obvious odor of alcohol emanating from the vehicle.” Akiyama later admitted that he had had three to four drinks since 6 pm. Brass knuckles were found in his pocket.

Akiyama was then transported to the Olympia Police Department where his blood alcohol testing was carried out. The report revealed that his samples read in at 0.123, 0.124, 0.125 and 0.128. After the incident, he was demoted by Yelm Community Schools.

  • Sumanti Sen
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Sumanti Sen

    Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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