Sidwell Soc. Studies teacher and Sleep Away Camp Director Arrested for Sexual Abuse

[Anonymous]

The letter is still available through Google cache

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:JbPJX7V4dyYJ:robertpetepetersonlegaldefensefund.org/openletter.html+http://robertpetepetersonlegaldefensefund.org/openletter.html&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Perhaps if his health insurance for his wife and enjoying time with his grandson were so important to him he should have not sexually abused a student entrusted to his care.

His defenders assure that they will financially take care of him and his wife so $ wasn't a determining factor. (Sure the poor victim can sleep a WHOLE lot better now that that is cleared up). So if he wasn't paid off to plead guilty, hmmmm, he must in fact BE guilty. Disgusting pervert. Wish he did have to serve time, people like him get what is coming to them in prison.

Prayers for peace and healing to all of his victims and their parents who all had their trust violated.

[Anonymous]

Here's what was reported as the facts:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2010/01/21/reports-of-overspending-mount-loose-lips-daily/

Since he was 65, sure that is the FIRST time he had tried that MO with a child, riiiiiiiiiiiight. Kudos to the victim and family for not backing down in the face of pressure as documented in that website.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's what was reported as the facts:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/citydesk/2010/01/21/reports-of-overspending-mount-loose-lips-daily/

Since he was 65, sure that is the FIRST time he had tried that MO with a child, riiiiiiiiiiiight. Kudos to the victim and family for not backing down in the face of pressure as documented in that website.

????is that the right link?

[Anonymous]

Yes, you have to scroll down. The pertinent text is as follows:

Sidwell Friends teacher is fired after Maryland prosecutors file sex abuse charges, Bill Turque and Dan Morse report in WaPo. Robert A. "Pete" Peterson, 65, 'Peterson taught seventh and eighth grades and was director of the school's Camp Corsica on Maryland's Eastern Shore. He was placed on leave shortly before the beginning of the 2009-10 school year....According to Montgomery County charging documents dated Jan. 14, Peterson befriended a male Sidwell student and repeatedly invited him to his Silver Spring home. Peterson showed the student pornography and touched him inappropriately, the charging documents say. He is charged with sex abuse of a minor and two counts of fourth-degree sex offense.' Also Examiner, Chestertown Spy, NC8. Sidwell to parents: 'The allegations against Mr. Peterson are obviously deeply troubling....We are now focusing on the needs of our students, families, faculty and staff as we begin to cope with this sad and challenging situation.'

[Anonymous]

Question for defense attorneys out there: What happens to "defense funds" when a defendant pleads? Where does the money go?

[Anonymous]

Already spent. The defense lawyers get them.

[Anonymous]

This is clearly much worse than anything that has happened with Landon. How come there isn't a Sidwell forum?

[Anonymous]

because students are victims not the perps.

[Anonymous]

This could happen anywhere, and Sidwell's administration removed Pete from campus and called the police within an hour of hearing of the incident in question. The school did everything necessary to safeguard students. There was no pattern. What else should/could the school have done????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is clearly much worse than anything that has happened with Landon. How come there isn't a Sidwell forum?

Because the school fired the teacher, rather than offering excuses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is clearly much worse than anything that has happened with Landon. How come there isn't a Sidwell forum?

Because the school fired the teacher, rather than offering excuses.

Sexual abuse is a much more serious charge than any offenses of which any Landon staff have been accused in Landon's recent "unusual events." Not a Landon parent here, just a reasonable person.

[Anonymous]

As others have indicated, the school, when it became aware of the allegations, took measures to safeguard the students and remove the threat from campus.

There isn't much more the school could do under this scenario. Compare this to the Beaviour situation from a couple of years ago, or the codification of Landon behavior amongst the faculty.

[Anonymous]

Well, Sidwell hired the teacher and allowed him to run sleep away camps in the first place.

And I have to agree with others that said that this can't possibly be the first time he has done this.

[Anonymous]

Hired him 31 years ago and subjected him to regular background investigations. No other allegations have surfaced. I'm not saying he's innocent, but what shoud the schoo have done differently? My child had this teacher two years ago, and honestly there were no warning signs.

[Anonymous]

The camp is not "Sidwells" camp, it is its own entity.