Former Gaithersburg High School wrestler awarded $4 million in damages in sexual assault case

[Anonymous]

After a week-long trial in front of Judge Kevin Hessler, the student’s lawyer told FOX 5, the jury sided with the student, and awarded him $4 million in damages.

Court papers detailed that the sexual assault happened when "John Doe" was a freshman on Gaithersburg’s wrestling team.

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[Anonymous]

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/former-gaithersburg-high-school-wrestler-awarded-4-million-in-damages-in-sexual-assault-case

[Anonymous]

I'm so glad he won!

MCPS has a horrible track record of sweeping assault (physical and sexual, on students and staff), under the rug. They employ very-well-paid lawyers who use every trick in the book to get MCPS off the hook.

The more precedent is created to force MCPS into accountability, the better it is for students.

[Anonymous]

He deserved more.

[Anonymous]

Anyone have a link to the court case itself?

[Anonymous]

MCPS has repeatedly claimed that it has no responsibility to protect kids while they’re at school. It made that claim in the Damascus case and in this case. Other districts have also claimed that they have no responsibility for protecting kids at school, and they’ve also settled or lost. When will the BOE realize that it’s not getting the best advice from its lawyers and start taking student safety seriously?

[Anonymous]

What if the teachers accidentally found out about what happened. Do you think they might have been retaliated against for trying to teach the victim when the admin was involved in the cover up. I would say many teachers were retaliated against for trying to teach and help the victim of rape.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What if the teachers accidentally found out about what happened. Do you think they might have been retaliated against for trying to teach the victim when the admin was involved in the cover up. I would say many teachers were retaliated against for trying to teach and help the victim of rape.

Huh? Do you have examples?

[Anonymous]

I do not understand why Casey Crouse, the principal at Gaithersburg HS at the time of the assaults, still to this day has a job with MCPS. She clearly mishandled the management of the sexual assault reporting and did not maintain a safe environment for students.

Now MCPS has had to pay out millions in her defense.

We will never have a safe, sexual assault free school environment until school leadership responsible for safety experience real consequences. The only consequence she experienced was being taken out of her principal position and given a job at the same guaranteed salary in Human Resources. Still, today, she earns 160K+ a year, and she is probably on track to retire with that salary.

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2019/05/damascus-principal-struck-deal-to-resign-retain-160k-salary-in-mcps-office-job/#:~:text=WhenCaseyCrouseresignedTuesday,wouldmaintainhersalary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand why Casey Crouse, the principal at Gaithersburg HS at the time of the assaults, still to this day has a job with MCPS. She clearly mishandled the management of the sexual assault reporting and did not maintain a safe environment for students.

Now MCPS has had to pay out millions in her defense.

We will never have a safe, sexual assault free school environment until school leadership responsible for safety experience real consequences. The only consequence she experienced was being taken out of her principal position and given a job at the same guaranteed salary in Human Resources. Still, today, she earns 160K+ a year, and she is probably on track to retire with that salary.

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2019/05/damascus-principal-struck-deal-to-resign-retain-160k-salary-in-mcps-office-job/#:~:text=WhenCaseyCrouseresignedTuesday,wouldmaintainhersalary.

Every assault case needs to have maximum media spotlight so that MCPS understands it costs more to defend the indefensible than it is to do the right thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand why Casey Crouse, the principal at Gaithersburg HS at the time of the assaults, still to this day has a job with MCPS. She clearly mishandled the management of the sexual assault reporting and did not maintain a safe environment for students.

Now MCPS has had to pay out millions in her defense.

We will never have a safe, sexual assault free school environment until school leadership responsible for safety experience real consequences. The only consequence she experienced was being taken out of her principal position and given a job at the same guaranteed salary in Human Resources. Still, today, she earns 160K+ a year, and she is probably on track to retire with that salary.

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2019/05/damascus-principal-struck-deal-to-resign-retain-160k-salary-in-mcps-office-job/#:~:text=WhenCaseyCrouseresignedTuesday,wouldmaintainhersalary.

Every assault case needs to have maximum media spotlight so that MCPS understands it costs more to defend the indefensible than it is to do the right thing.

What's the "right thing" here?

[Anonymous]

Firing and prosecuting principals that break the law regarding rape cases that have become a warped tradition in mcps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand why Casey Crouse, the principal at Gaithersburg HS at the time of the assaults, still to this day has a job with MCPS. She clearly mishandled the management of the sexual assault reporting and did not maintain a safe environment for students.

Now MCPS has had to pay out millions in her defense.

We will never have a safe, sexual assault free school environment until school leadership responsible for safety experience real consequences. The only consequence she experienced was being taken out of her principal position and given a job at the same guaranteed salary in Human Resources. Still, today, she earns 160K+ a year, and she is probably on track to retire with that salary.

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2019/05/damascus-principal-struck-deal-to-resign-retain-160k-salary-in-mcps-office-job/#:~:text=WhenCaseyCrouseresignedTuesday,wouldmaintainhersalary.

I'm surprised you assume her actions weren't dictated by mcps in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand why Casey Crouse, the principal at Gaithersburg HS at the time of the assaults, still to this day has a job with MCPS. She clearly mishandled the management of the sexual assault reporting and did not maintain a safe environment for students.

Now MCPS has had to pay out millions in her defense.

We will never have a safe, sexual assault free school environment until school leadership responsible for safety experience real consequences. The only consequence she experienced was being taken out of her principal position and given a job at the same guaranteed salary in Human Resources. Still, today, she earns 160K+ a year, and she is probably on track to retire with that salary.

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2019/05/damascus-principal-struck-deal-to-resign-retain-160k-salary-in-mcps-office-job/#:~:text=WhenCaseyCrouseresignedTuesday,wouldmaintainhersalary.

She was the Damascus principal, not Gaithersburg.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why principals can break the most important rules that keep students safe but teachers get harassed and nonrenewed for following the rules.