What Went Wrong?

Accordin to The New York Times:

A hih school principal in Columbus, Ohio, has been fired and three assistant principals suspended without pay because they failed to notify the police last month about accusations that a 16-year-old special-education student had been sexually assaulted in the school auditorium by a roup of boys, one of whom videotaped the incident, school officials said yesterday.

The principal and her assistants not only failed to report the incident but also ured the irl's father to avoid callin the police out of concerns that reporters would become aware of the assault, accordin to statements iven to school investiators.

Somethin is terribly wron. How have we come to the point that a hih school principal would not wish to notify police immediately? Is this just one traic and isolated incident of a school administration placin unwanted attention above reprehensible and criminal behaviour; or is this  the tip of an iceber?  What went wron?

MaxedOutMama offers a well thouh out piece in which she offers her predictions for this case. She also claims that "everybody is lyin by omission. Take a moment and read her informative post.

Comments

[Dave]

It's really a sad statement about our society that this is even an issue. I thought these types of allegations were supposed to receive immediate attention, not ignorance. It's times like this when I'm almost ashamed to be a part of the human race.

[tommy]

As far as the immediate attention aspect goes, my son's school pretty much refuses to acknowledge or document any misbehavior. It allows them to say they don't have any behavioral issues at school, and I can only guess they feel that prevents them from being held liable for not addressing it. Unfortunately I think that is somewhat of a trend, not just in schools, and is part of what is going on here.

[TIsh]

Just when you think society cannot sink any further, this happens. Where do you begin? The parents, the school officials - what are their morals? Where is their outrage? Only on getting caught AND/OR trivializing the incident since the girl was of lesser intelligence. IF these boys had sexually molested a DOG, they would be considered monsters but since it was just a girl of lesser intelligence, it can be swept under the carpet.

[Tom]

Many parallels to the Catholic Church scandal...didn't these educators learn from that? We had a similar event in Boston a few months ago. All the boys involved were expelled immediately. MaxedoutMama hit the nail on the head.

[Ole Blue The Heretic]

The principle should be put in jail for life.

[Mr L.]

Fire the principal! Isn't it possible that she may even be criminally liable for attempting to cover it up, depending on the laws there? Not sure about that.

[Mamacita]

Oh believe me, it's only the tip of the iceberg. I wish I could say something positive here, but I can not. Schools are busy throwing the book at students who chew gum and teachers who are concerned and try to help; they don't have time or inclination to do anything about the true horrors that take place every day. Students are far 'safer' to say nothing about what they see, and teachers who are apathetic and do only the basic requirements of the job, ie care nothing for the actual child but only for the paycheck, are far 'better off' than are their counterparts who report injustice and bend over backwards to help a child in need. When and how did this happen? I don't know. But I can tell you for a fact that it happens. And it happens every day. And it happens to people you know.

[Phil]

Mr. L: That was my thought. Seems to me like the principal can (and probably should) be brought up on aiding and abedding charges, or accessory after the fact.

[MaxedOutMama]

Mr. L, they are going to dismiss the principal. However, that is only because the father went to the police and pressed the issue.

Tom, I am amazed at my own stupidity at not making the connection, but you are absolutely correct. There is a definite parallel.

Mamacita, Keep telling it like it is! What the public doesn't realize is that teachers are bound to confidentiality and so can't speak. In many of these cases the matter is covered up and no one ever hears about it.

Tish, it doesn't just happen to the disabled - it's just that they are an awfully easy target. Believe me, a number of totally normal girls have found themselves the object of this type of behavior. And it happens to boys too.

[atmikha]

2 reasons, 1) No one wants to make trouble, especially if they "aren't sure" and 2) there is so much pushing and shoving and petty brutality that you get desensitized. Also, I think educators come at problems from the angle of solving them. Calling the police is the last resort, like throwing the kid away. Unfortunately, most of the behaviour controls that will work on a lower level of aggression are banned from use by public employees.
I work as a Nurse in a school, and usually end up calling the police 2-3 times a year, usually for criminal neglect or abuse. Believe me, no one ever thanks me for it.

[Margaret]

I have worked in public education for 25 years, in the trenches, so to speak. In that time, I have seen a radical change in young people--in what they are allowed to do, watch, play, etc...When I started teaching, "nice" girls and boys were exactly that; now even the ultra polite and seemingly respectable students go to parties, are sexually active and think nothing about it. It is absolutely normal to them, and evidently to their parents as well.

[Garrison Steelle]

I don't know. I've seen a lot, heard a lot, and can be fairly certain of only a few things.

1. What you see on the surface seldom has any relationship to the reality that lies beneath.

2. Aggressive journalists and overly-sensationalized news stories cause people to take great pains to avoid being in their glare. When was the last time you saw a newspaper or TV station apologize for treating an innocent person as though they were guilty?

3. For that matter, when was the last time you saw a news story, even in the once-honorable Times, that got all its facts straight?

I don't condone inappropriate and possibly illegal behavior, but I cannot support lynching, either.

-G

[sleepingmommy]

I just saw this story a little bit ago. If it is totally true I have the same question Michele, what went wrong. What could make someone anyone make a developmentally disabled girl the butt of their sexual aggression and what were the witnesses thinking? Did no one think to stop it? I'm so scared for my children when I see stories like this.

[laura]

what made the boys stop? how far would they have gone? i am trying to find follow up information on this, appreciate any links! This has hit me to the core as I have two mentally handicap aunts. thanks.