Penn State Scandal parallel to Beauvoir Pedophile

[Anonymous]

It is heartbreaking that the Penn State administration did not do anything more (ie call police, investigate further, block sandusky, change rules, reach out to victims, etc) and the firings this week certainly make it clear that there were likely some poor decisions made. I find it an interesting parallel to Beauvoir, when a pedophile was uncovered almost 4 years ago yet no one was ever fired. No one. There was no accountability for how a teacher of 3 years could not only conduct his illegal pedophile activity (ie taking naked pictures and having hidden cameras in the bathroom), but also live at the school, penetrate their security (ie all of the kids records were compromised) and the whole time there were supposedly warning signs as well as the teacher was supposedly told not to have his door closed, not to put kids in his lap, not to go to the woods alone etc.

Jerry Sandusky faces criminal charges as he -- unlike Eric Toth -- did not flee and become a fugitive. The grand jury testimony is pretty damning but like anyone in this country, one is supposed to be presumed innocent until found guilty. Nevertheless the trustees of Penn State sought to try to recover by firing those who were in the position to do something. Beauvoir had the cathedral police escort Eric Toth off the grounds and that was it. Where is the accountability?

And why can't the FBI find him?

[Anonymous]

And whatever happened to the Sidwell pedophile?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And whatever happened to the Sidwell pedophile?

As I recall, he was suspended and reported to the police as soon as the school discovered his activities, fired as soon as the police charged him, and now he has been convicted in the Maryland court system.

[Anonymous]

The Penn State fiasco is all around us. The "crazed" idolatry of sports and athletics over academics in private independent schools and universities. A culture creating student bodies, families and "leaders" with no moral, ethical, legal or intellectual common sense. What place does such worship of sports have in educational instituitions? It's telling this neurotic perversion over sports isn't at all prevalent in universities in Asia, Europe and Africa ... only in America? The rest of humanity attending educational instituitions outside the US are watching in amazement. Where the hell is Penn State? Is this a university or $125 million a year football camp presided over by the mafia?

Frankly, the culture at places like Landon (for an example) are not too far behind that of big brother ... Penn State...cut from the same cloth ... burlap!

Let's get back to education in our private schools.

[Anonymous]

Was Beauvoir ever sued?

[Anonymous]

To the OP,
Could you please identify the specific person (by title, not name) who engaged in what you consider a terminable offense? I didn't know that there was someone who knew there was illegal or inappropriate conduct, on or off school grounds, prior to the date of the incident when the teacher was immediately removed from the school. Also, I had understood that Beauvoir informed the police shortly after the incident was discovered (the same day), and that the teacher was escorted off grounds immediately. Is that incorrect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And whatever happened to the Sidwell pedophile?

As I recall, he was suspended and reported to the police as soon as the school discovered his activities, fired as soon as the police charged him, and now he has been convicted in the Maryland court system.

Good to hear. Hopefully Sidwell did report him as soon as they knew something and didn't sweep it under the rug. Wasn't the guy employed there for many years? I hope don't find out later that Sidwell was a smaller scale PSU situation.

[Anonymous]

OP: IMHO the Board should have been more involved than crafting the eventual press release. The Board (hand picked by the head of school) did not establish any accountability at all. The head of school remained in place, despite having supposed doubts about the teacher. The cathedral police were called, not the DC municipal police. The cathedral police were called to escort the teacher off from school grounds. If the "real" police would have been called, he probably would have been arrested and not had the opportunity to flee. Moreover, he took his computer and probably other evidence with him. The police told me that they did not have the chance to invesitigate the classroom either for a few days. A student's testimony is why they even knew about the hidden cameras (shouldn't the school know that too?!). Besides the acting head of school, there was also an academic dean type of supervisor for that grade. Plus the assistant teacher, who was in the SAME class with this man for 9 months, and either had to suspect he was livimg there or was just really really naive (or dumb, or both) wasn't even fired (she taught again there as an assistant the following year). Of course, had they fired her, then they would have admitted some culpability. There was little if any learning in the classroom, as the teacher played fantasty sports with his boys and as far as I can tell, ignored the girls for the better part of his three years there.

The school knew that the teacher was taking 10-20 boys for a week camping after school let out that summer -- when one parent questioned the school about it, one of the administrators said not to worry that they were taking care of it...

I am not trying to suggest a cover up or conspiracy, but how could they really not know anything? When did they first suspect? Was it true that he wasn't supposed to have his door closed, put kids in his lap, etc.? What is their duty to inform parents?

Moreover, under the head's and the administration's watch, this teacher LIVED at the school. Shouldn't you know that?

No one sued the school as far as I know. No one has the balls, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: IMHO the Board should have been more involved than crafting the eventual press release. The Board (hand picked by the head of school) did not establish any accountability at all. The head of school remained in place, despite having supposed doubts about the teacher. The cathedral police were called, not the DC municipal police. The cathedral police were called to escort the teacher off from school grounds. If the "real" police would have been called, he probably would have been arrested and not had the opportunity to flee. Moreover, he took his computer and probably other evidence with him. The police told me that they did not have the chance to invesitigate the classroom either for a few days. A student's testimony is why they even knew about the hidden cameras (shouldn't the school know that too?!). Besides the acting head of school, there was also an academic dean type of supervisor for that grade. Plus the assistant teacher, who was in the SAME class with this man for 9 months, and either had to suspect he was livimg there or was just really really naive (or dumb, or both) wasn't even fired (she taught again there as an assistant the following year). Of course, had they fired her, then they would have admitted some culpability. There was little if any learning in the classroom, as the teacher played fantasty sports with his boys and as far as I can tell, ignored the girls for the better part of his three years there.

The school knew that the teacher was taking 10-20 boys for a week camping after school let out that summer -- when one parent questioned the school about it, one of the administrators said not to worry that they were taking care of it...

I am not trying to suggest a cover up or conspiracy, but how could they really not know anything? When did they first suspect? Was it true that he wasn't supposed to have his door closed, put kids in his lap, etc.? What is their duty to inform parents?

Moreover, under the head's and the administration's watch, this teacher LIVED at the school. Shouldn't you know that?

No one sued the school as far as I know. No one has the balls, IMHO.

Which police informed you that they weren't able to investigate for days? That is a very, very serious allegation, and not one I've heard before. Do you have any knowledge of anyone knowing of any inappropriate conduct prior to the incident for which he was discharged? Weren't the DC police called as well? And weren't the Cathedral police closer (on Cathedral grounds) and better able to remove him from the classroom more quickly? Could you explain more about the camping trip. Had he sought parents' permission? Did the school tell parents it was a school-sponsored trip (I've never heard that anyone ever thought it was a Beauvoir trip, but rather that it was a trip he was doing on his own)?

[Anonymous]

Much of what has been said here is complete nonsense. My daughter had him, although not that year. He was a terrific teacher. It isn't always clear what demons lurk beneath the surface. But he did a great job in the classroom, inspiring kids to learn and to think. You cannot delude yourself that you would have seen the signs. Evil doesn't come in neat packages, or wear identifying placards. Beyond the very real effects on the few boys involved, perhaps the biggest tragedy here is that he'll never teach another child.

[Anonymous]

To the PP you are drinking beauvoir koolaid as I know NO ONE who thinks he was a great teacher. NO ONE. He played favorites, manipulated friendships and did not follow the Beauvoir Life Rules, let's ignore the pedophilia for a second. He was disrespectful as he name called the administration and he was a known liar (saying he was rejectied from Navy seals, lying about Cornell, etc.). There are many many people damaged here, not just the few boys he favored.

Maybe there are pictures of your daughter pooping or peeing from his hidden cameras in the air fresheners floating around the internet or other kiddie porn hot spots that you wouldn't be so damn smug and pleased about if it were yours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Much of what has been said here is complete nonsense. My daughter had him, although not that year. He was a terrific teacher. It isn't always clear what demons lurk beneath the surface. But he did a great job in the classroom, inspiring kids to learn and to think. You cannot delude yourself that you would have seen the signs. Evil doesn't come in neat packages, or wear identifying placards. Beyond the very real effects on the few boys involved, perhaps the biggest tragedy here is that he'll never teach another child.

WTF??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP you are drinking beauvoir koolaid as I know NO ONE who thinks he was a great teacher. NO ONE. He played favorites, manipulated friendships and did not follow the Beauvoir Life Rules, let's ignore the pedophilia for a second. He was disrespectful as he name called the administration and he was a known liar (saying he was rejectied from Navy seals, lying about Cornell, etc.). There are many many people damaged here, not just the few boys he favored.

Maybe there are pictures of your daughter pooping or peeing from his hidden cameras in the air fresheners floating around the internet or other kiddie porn hot spots that you wouldn't be so damn smug and pleased about if it were yours.

Obviously, nobody is "pleased" as you accuse. In retrospect it's easy to say that there were clear signs of problems, but there was a group of parents happy to have their children go camping with him, no? Of course, it's a terrible, terrible thing that happened. By a terrible person.

[Anonymous]

"perhaps the biggest tragedy here is that he'll never teach another child."


WHAT?!!!!

Perhaps the biggest tragedy is that he committed the heinous acts he committed. That he took innocence away from a large number of 3rd graders (boys and girls) and beyond. That some of them may never be the same.

Perhaps another tragedy is that he is not rotting in jail. We all know what they do to pedophiles in jail.

And, as this thread was started, another tragedy is that the school and admin did very little (if anything!).

or another tragedy is that there is actually someone out there defending him as a teacher. Yes let's submit the hidden cameras in the bathrooms as evidence of his "innovative" style. or his fantasy baseball statistics as a great way for a handful of boys to learn math. Or how about havng to testify in front of a grand jury as learning to speak in front of an audience. I could go on and on.

I'll just say this though: THANK GOD HE WILL NEVER TEACH AGAIN. Or at least I can hope so.

[Anonymous]

perhaps the biggest tragedy here is that he'll never teach another child.


WTF??

Someone should alert INTERPOL that we have found Eric Toth's current location (probably in Thailand). Only he could write such a thing. INTERPOL should pull this IP address, stat, and trace it.