Cloverly Elementary teacher charged with sexual offenses
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Anonymous
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This was posted by the Greater Olney News in case anyone lives in that area (along with a picture of the suspect):
-- Information from a Montgomery County Police press release Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) have been investigating reports of sexual offenses by a third-grade teacher involving two students. It began for one student in August of 2014 and continued into February of 2016; and involved a second student in February of 2016. The incidents occurred at Cloverly Elementary School located at 800 Briggs Chaney Road in Silver Spring, and were reported to police in February of this year. The teacher was placed by the Montgomery County School system on administrative leave in February 2016 and remained on administrative leave throughout the rest of the school year. John Vigna, age 49, of the 1000 block of Notley Road in Silver Spring, turned himself in and was served his arrest warrant this morning, June 27. He was charged with one count of sexual abuse of a minor and four counts of third-degree sexual offense for victim 1. He was charged with one count of sexual abuse of a minor and one count of third-degree sexual offense for Victim 2. Through the course of the investigation it was learned that beginning in August of 2014 and continuing through February of 2016, Vigna had on four or five occasions held Victim 1, currently an 11-year-old girl, on his lap, holding her hips and moving her back and forth on his lap while holding her close to him. When she tried to leave, he resisted letting her get down. It was also learned that Victim 1 had been inappropriately touched on the buttocks several times in the classroom while other students were engaged in activities that prevented them from noticing the contact. The victim sometimes hugged the teacher goodbye and he would use that opportunity to make that further inappropriate contact. In February of 2016, Victim 1’s friend, also currently an 11-year-old girl, came into the classroom. Both students hugged the teacher goodbye and both witnessed that Vigna made the same inappropriate contact, rubbing the buttocks, with each girl. Victim 2 talked to her parents and police were contacted. Investigators are releasing this information in order to determine if any other students were victimized by Vigna. Detectives are requesting that parents of students who had Vigna as a teacher, talk to their children about their interactions with him and contact SVID detectives at 240-773-5400 if they believe their child was victimized. |
Anonymous
| This is what happens when MCPS's half-assed background investigation is a fingerprint check. |
Anonymous
| He's been a teacher at that school for over 10 years. A favorite amongst kids. Really sad for everyone involved. |
Anonymous
| Ugh. Wtf? |
Anonymous
From the descriptions of what happened (which will turn your stomach if you read them), he's a charmer who knows how to groom his victims. "Favorite." 
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Anonymous
What background investigation would have turned this up? |
Anonymous
none honestly If you have a "clean" record when you are going through a background check, you obviously have nothing in your history that's alarming. That isn't to say that you're absolutely clean. You could have committed perverted acts w/o being caught. Pervs are all over the place. Sadly, when they're in schools, they have access to children - but so do coaches and people in the clergy and daycare providers and . . . You get the picture. You simply have to try to equip your children with the skills to recognize sick behavior and the strength to tell someone immediately. Yes, very young children are most vulnerable, and that's when it's up to the organization to ensure that no one is left alone with a child. Ideally, having two educators in a room would be a start. But with all the complaints about PS costs, this would never fly. This guy was given the opportunity to be alone with kids. That's the issue. I tell my children that if they are alone with a teacher (and I'm one myself, folks) they need to sit by a door, and the door should be open. If they sense something is odd with the behavior, they should not be afraid to leave and they should always tell another adult asap - as well as us. I don't want to alarm my children - or make them live in fear - but predators are groomers. Once they gain your trust (and who better to gain trust than a teacher who's with children all day), they make bolder moves. As parents, it's our responsibility to talk to our children at every stage of the game. This doesn't stop in high school, folks. Attention from a favorite teacher is flattering (and of course, sick). What also worries me is that he worked with special needs children at Paint Branch through their bocce club. talk about a vulnerable population He's a sick fuck, but he's not the only one unfortunately. |
Anonymous
| Familiar with some of the teachers there. When I read this story, I had a strong feeling I knew exactly who this was. Just saw the picture. Confirmed. Scary. |
Anonymous
| I heard the accusing family is crazy and he is innocent. Can you imagine the horror either way for his wife and son? If he did it, but even worse if he is being wrongfully accused??? |
Anonymous
I thought there were 2 girls (so, not just one family)? If he was really innocent, would the police have his pic out there? |
Anonymous
| If he turned himself in, doesn't that mean he is guilty? |
Anonymous
Yes they would and the girls are friends. I would not jump to conclusions and wait for a trial. I certainly hope it's not true. |
Anonymous
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This is why I just don't like unrelated men alone with kids. A female pervert would tend to target a HS boy, but that sort of thing is so much more rare. |
Anonymous
I think that the police wouldn't be putting all the info out there, unless there was some strong suspicion of impropriety. I'm willing to wait and see, but this type of thing has been known to happen in MCPS before. |
Anonymous
It's events like these and comments like those above that make me sick as a male educator. I was an elementary classroom teacher for nearly ten years before moving out of the classroom and into administration. It disgusts me to hear stories like these were a male teacher (or any gender for that matter) takes advantage of the students in his/her care. It only makes the job more difficult for those of us who are in education for all of the right reasons. |