GDS Student Newspaper posts about the horrible incident

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do schools really not have hallway cameras? Obviously not in the bathroom, but a camera outside of the bathroom would put an end to the speculation. I know many schools that have this and I can’t come up with a good reason not to have them.

The question isn’t just whether they have cameras, but whether those cameras keep data for months.

Right - if you keep footage for 2 weeks or even 2 months, it would be gone by the time the family notified the school of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love GDS and am a fan of Russell Shaw; that said, i am awaiting to see what actions the school takes on security protocols, transpatency on security incidences/complaints, and also protocol on accusations of sexual violence in the future.

This. After this was reported they could have upped security measures but they did not. In addition, though they say that victims will be treated with compassion, the school's email showed little compassion at all, and was dismissive. "So kids, please report if anything happens so the head of the school can send everyone an email effectively calling you a liar. And, by the way kids even though we say there are clear lines of communication to report such things, we also are telling you to stop talking about this and we won't even send out a reminder of the proper reporting procedures after the incident". They could have just sent people a reminder of that and other procedures without saying why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do schools really not have hallway cameras? Obviously not in the bathroom, but a camera outside of the bathroom would put an end to the speculation. I know many schools that have this and I can’t come up with a good reason not to have them.

The question isn’t just whether they have cameras, but whether those cameras keep data for months.

Right - if you keep footage for 2 weeks or even 2 months, it would be gone by the time the family notified the school of this.

GDS needs to answer whether or not there is a trend or has there been any incidents of students attacking another students in the bathroom. Was there any allegations of rape prior or after? Was there any incidents that any students were inappropriately touched in the bathroom? What security measures are in place??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do schools really not have hallway cameras? Obviously not in the bathroom, but a camera outside of the bathroom would put an end to the speculation. I know many schools that have this and I can’t come up with a good reason not to have them.

The question isn’t just whether they have cameras, but whether those cameras keep data for months.

Right - if you keep footage for 2 weeks or even 2 months, it would be gone by the time the family notified the school of this.

And the footage won’t be there if it didn’t happen either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone at GDS share whether or not there are cameras?

My kid doesn't attend BUT does club volleyball practice there, and I believe there are are cameras at least in building that is on the left when you drive onto campus (I think this is the upper school). I have had to be buzzed in by the security guard to use the bathroom/lockerroom and he was sitting at a desk area with a computer watching all these different camera angles. Whether that is just for after hours or during school day too, I don't know.

[Anonymous]

Well, either two kids in addition to the alleged victim entered the restroom or they didn’t. If there were 20 kids that went in at the same time, you’d have some witnesses if it happened. If no one went in, that would be telling as well. If there were just the two kids + alleged victim, it’s not definitive but would answer some questions (timing, identities).

[Anonymous]

I can't understand why anyone thinks parents should have been told about this - from the school's position a student alleged an incident happened and somewhere between 2 and 3 investigations produced no evidence the school could act on. If the victims parents want other parents to be told to either protect those children from an ongoing threat or to get info from kids if they had it, I'm not sure why the parents didn't just send a message on the grade parent chat. And if they don't want disclose their identity (which is absurd because there is only one family that abruptly pulled their kids) they could have asked a friend to send the message.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes the timing of the email from the family is curious. They waited an entire year until right before admissions decisions come out to email the entire community. And they emailed during the school day versus waiting until after school when parents could speak with their kids about it before they heard it at school.

False - It's clear from the family's letter that they have tried for many months to engage w/ the HOS and the board and have waited patiently for the school to send a letter to all parents telling. them that an incident occured. The letter says the board refused or refused to even meet with them. So they probably reached their limit and send the email. The school's response seemed canned and ready so I'm guessing they knew that the parents were upset and were going to go public.

I'm sure the press (not just the Augur Bit) will be all over this son - well if we had a local paper that covered our region. I worry that the MAGA media will pick this up - "Antiracist Baby Ketanji school fails victim" - and frankly that might be deserved here

If I truly believe my 11 year old had been raped in a school bathroom I would not wait a whole year for the school to do something.

The incident was reported to the police and CPS by the school as soon as the school was informed. The parents seem to want the school to have done something beyond reporting it and conducting an investigation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't understand why anyone thinks parents should have been told about this - from the school's position a student alleged an incident happened and somewhere between 2 and 3 investigations produced no evidence the school could act on. If the victims parents want other parents to be told to either protect those children from an ongoing threat or to get info from kids if they had it, I'm not sure why the parents didn't just send a message on the grade parent chat. And if they don't want disclose their identity (which is absurd because there is only one family that abruptly pulled their kids) they could have asked a friend to send the message.

You lack the understadiing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think we should be discussing this as no one here knows the details.

A case like this could be 2 sick teens who raped a kid and it could also be an 11 yr old who was previously abused by a baby sitter or neighbor (and told no one) and is now making a scenario up about masked kids at school as he continues to processes the pain and fear. Crazier things have happened. I mean none of us know.


There is zero way of knowing.

THIS. I don't know why more people aren't concerned that this child has other clear trauma that should be addressed.

Why is it so hard for people to believe victims? I have an 11 year old son. If he told me this had happened I would believe him 100%. I don’t think most 11 year olds would make something like this up, even as a cover for other abuse. They are old enough to explain exactly what happened and should be believed when they do.

There is an important difference between believing the victim and the actions to follow. I believe that the victim was traumatized, but I also believe that there is not sufficient evidence for the school to take action beyond offering counseling and care to the victim and his family. This is a super serious allegation and without compelling evidence beyond testimony that cannot be corroborated (as far as we know at this point), GDS is limited in what it can do.

They could have amped up security measures or reminded everyone what the reporting protocols are in cases when theres any sort of bad incident. They even have a consent summit--all of this could have been done as part of that, so people wouldn't speculate about why all of a sudden the leadership was talking about SA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The parents’ email said it happened in 7th/8th grade bathroom. The alleged victim was in a lower grade at the time so since he wasn’t even supposed to be in that bathroom, it is unreasonable to think it was planned specifically for him. My guess is the two older middle schoolers went to the bathroom and meant it as a prank on whoever was there. It escalated and something happened. What exactly is really complicated since the alleged victim didn’t share even with his family until two months later hence no evidence. I believe something bad happened. But if it was at the level what is alleged all 3 (the alleged victim and the alleged 2 perpetrators) would have done or said something to give it away that day or following few days.

As far as i know, there aren't bathrooms designated for specific years, there are just bathrooms on the floors where specific years have classes. And non 7th/8th graders do go to those floors sometimes for school related reasons--my child, not in 7/8, has mentioned having to go up there at times.

Also, victims of SA are also often very quiet after, i've seen it in people I know. The parents could have known that the child was upset but not known why. and i think the scenario of 2 older kids going too far is plausible and in that case i definitely think they could hide it/not give it away. think of all the kids that age who vape, take drugs, etc. they can definitely hide things when they want to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The parents’ email said it happened in 7th/8th grade bathroom. The alleged victim was in a lower grade at the time so since he wasn’t even supposed to be in that bathroom, it is unreasonable to think it was planned specifically for him. My guess is the two older middle schoolers went to the bathroom and meant it as a prank on whoever was there. It escalated and something happened. What exactly is really complicated since the alleged victim didn’t share even with his family until two months later hence no evidence. I believe something bad happened. But if it was at the level what is alleged all 3 (the alleged victim and the alleged 2 perpetrators) would have done or said something to give it away that day or following few days.

As far as i know, there aren't bathrooms designated for specific years, there are just bathrooms on the floors where specific years have classes. And non 7th/8th graders do go to those floors sometimes for school related reasons--my child, not in 7/8, has mentioned having to go up there at times.

Also, victims of SA are also often very quiet after, i've seen it in people I know. The parents could have known that the child was upset but not known why. and i think the scenario of 2 older kids going too far is plausible and in that case i definitely think they could hide it/not give it away. think of all the kids that age who vape, take drugs, etc. they can definitely hide things when they want to.

EXCALTY.

[Anonymous]

FWIW I have kid(s) at GDS and kid(s) in public. Public seems to notify at level of serious accusation with police involved. They don’t (and can’t) say a lot, but they seem to say something with anything this serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tightly written story. Good job, student reporters.

Agree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How was the school newspaper allowed to publish this? Is there a faculty advisor that’s now in trouble with admin?

The faculty advisor strongly believes in freedom of the press, and the administration, fortunately, seems to back that up. Many schools do not.