PSA - Sex abuse at Washington Hebrew

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So you are telling me that if you suspected child abuse and the school did nothing, you would have let it go? You are wrong about me, if I suspected child abuse, my first stop would have been the police.

Ignore the troll. Probably dj herself trying to justify her inaction.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like you have an axe to grind with her. I would like this forum to be used for any real truthful information that will help us deal with this situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you are telling me that if you suspected child abuse and the school did nothing, you would have let it go? You are wrong about me, if I suspected child abuse, my first stop would have been the police.

We don't know any of the details of what the alleged abuse is and obviously with the on going investigation the people who know can't give details now. It could have been something very vague that seems odd but not actual abuse. Something that a school should take seriously and not ignore but that police would have nothing to do with. I very much doubt the perpetrator started with something overtly abusive.

EXACTLY.

[Anonymous]

I suggest contacting Detective Buc with information regarding previous indicents and what the school may have known earlier. I’m not suggesting the lawyer is trying to hide anything but let’s be honest; his job is to protect WHC. That’s his client. I’m sure he is helping to further investigation against the teacher, but he I don’t see him disclosing information that would harm his client, WHC (ie DJ, etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole last set of posts is problematic. There are one or more people reporting they raised concerns to DJ and were dissatisfied with the response. If the issue were so clear cut or serious at that time (2016) it seems like either they should have complained to the administration higher up (if nothing else about DJ’s response) or if really red flags to the police. That fact that this did not happen to me means it likely wasn’t that clear cut even if concerning? I have to assume that and I have to assume that DJ didn’t see them as red flags either because whatever you think, who would ignore a potential child predator when running a school. It just makes no sense to keep harping on this piece.

Also any OPs with information about what was flagged in 2016 and concerns about the response, please make sure to call the lawyer for the temple. The police are investigating the predator. It’s the Temple’s job to investigate whether any red flags were missed. I was told by the lawyer today (paraphrasing here)that in speaking with over a hundred parents, no one stated that there were any concerns about this teacher before this information came to light in August. Maybe he’s protecting the temple (his job) but part of his job is to internally investigate how this happened and fix it, so it seems odd to me he would say something so direct if it’s not true. If you have this information, please call the lawyer in addition to the police.

The lawyer flat out lied in a phone call to me a few days before the Thursday night meeting. No reason to believe he didn't lie to you today.

[Anonymous]

Exactly my point from above. His job is to protect WHC from liability. Disclosing certain info that would harm that would actually be malpractice on his part; as sad and as sick as that sounds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole last set of posts is problematic. There are one or more people reporting they raised concerns to DJ and were dissatisfied with the response. If the issue were so clear cut or serious at that time (2016) it seems like either they should have complained to the administration higher up (if nothing else about DJ’s response) or if really red flags to the police. That fact that this did not happen to me means it likely wasn’t that clear cut even if concerning? I have to assume that and I have to assume that DJ didn’t see them as red flags either because whatever you think, who would ignore a potential child predator when running a school. It just makes no sense to keep harping on this piece.

Also any OPs with information about what was flagged in 2016 and concerns about the response, please make sure to call the lawyer for the temple. The police are investigating the predator. It’s the Temple’s job to investigate whether any red flags were missed. I was told by the lawyer today (paraphrasing here)that in speaking with over a hundred parents, no one stated that there were any concerns about this teacher before this information came to light in August. Maybe he’s protecting the temple (his job) but part of his job is to internally investigate how this happened and fix it, so it seems odd to me he would say something so direct if it’s not true. If you have this information, please call the lawyer in addition to the police.

Do you think anyone is going to trust the results of an internal investigation that comes from WHC (who has an interest in maintaining its reputation and good standing with its members)? LAMB public charter school went through a similar crisis several years ago and the board ultimately hired an independent outside investigative firm to determine whether the administrators were at fault.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole last set of posts is problematic. There are one or more people reporting they raised concerns to DJ and were dissatisfied with the response. If the issue were so clear cut or serious at that time (2016) it seems like either they should have complained to the administration higher up (if nothing else about DJ’s response) or if really red flags to the police. That fact that this did not happen to me means it likely wasn’t that clear cut even if concerning? I have to assume that and I have to assume that DJ didn’t see them as red flags either because whatever you think, who would ignore a potential child predator when running a school. It just makes no sense to keep harping on this piece.

Also any OPs with information about what was flagged in 2016 and concerns about the response, please make sure to call the lawyer for the temple. The police are investigating the predator. It’s the Temple’s job to investigate whether any red flags were missed. I was told by the lawyer today (paraphrasing here)that in speaking with over a hundred parents, no one stated that there were any concerns about this teacher before this information came to light in August. Maybe he’s protecting the temple (his job) but part of his job is to internally investigate how this happened and fix it, so it seems odd to me he would say something so direct if it’s not true. If you have this information, please call the lawyer in addition to the police.

The lawyer flat out lied in a phone call to me a few days before the Thursday night meeting. No reason to believe he didn't lie to you today.

Can you elaborate?

[Anonymous]

For goodness sake, the lawyer’s job is to protect the temple from litigation. He will absolutely not be disclosing problems at the school!

[Anonymous]

Wapo now following:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/local/education/police-investigate-sexual-abuse-allegations-at-jewish-preschool-in-district/2018/08/27/1c80e05a-aa34-11e8-a8d7-0f63ab8b1370_story.html?noredirect=on

[Anonymous]

I spoke with a friend who’s mother has worked at the school at the Binderman Center in Potomac for like 30 years and she had no idea about any of this. I get it’s a different location but it’s all part of WHC. How could they not be discussing procedures, etc with them.

I get it’s an ongoing investigation but still.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I spoke with a friend who’s mother has worked at the school at the Binderman Center in Potomac for like 30 years and she had no idea about any of this. I get it’s a different location but it’s all part of WHC. How could they not be discussing procedures, etc with them.

I get it’s an ongoing investigation but still.....

Their interest is in minimizing this to avoid lawsuits and embarrassment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole last set of posts is problematic. There are one or more people reporting they raised concerns to DJ and were dissatisfied with the response. If the issue were so clear cut or serious at that time (2016) it seems like either they should have complained to the administration higher up (if nothing else about DJ’s response) or if really red flags to the police. That fact that this did not happen to me means it likely wasn’t that clear cut even if concerning? I have to assume that and I have to assume that DJ didn’t see them as red flags either because whatever you think, who would ignore a potential child predator when running a school. It just makes no sense to keep harping on this piece.

Also any OPs with information about what was flagged in 2016 and concerns about the response, please make sure to call the lawyer for the temple. The police are investigating the predator. It’s the Temple’s job to investigate whether any red flags were missed. I was told by the lawyer today (paraphrasing here)that in speaking with over a hundred parents, no one stated that there were any concerns about this teacher before this information came to light in August. Maybe he’s protecting the temple (his job) but part of his job is to internally investigate how this happened and fix it, so it seems odd to me he would say something so direct if it’s not true. If you have this information, please call the lawyer in addition to the police.

Do you think anyone is going to trust the results of an internal investigation that comes from WHC (who has an interest in maintaining its reputation and good standing with its members)? LAMB public charter school went through a similar crisis several years ago and the board ultimately hired an independent outside investigative firm to determine whether the administrators were at fault.

I am not speaking about LAMB specifically, but many "independent" investigations by outside counsel (retained by the entity being investigated and sometime with a long standing relationship as counsel) are often not terribly independent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wapo now following:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/local/education/police-investigate-sexual-abuse-allegations-at-jewish-preschool-in-district/2018/08/27/1c80e05a-aa34-11e8-a8d7-0f63ab8b1370_story.html?noredirect=on

Finally!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This whole last set of posts is problematic. There are one or more people reporting they raised concerns to DJ and were dissatisfied with the response. If the issue were so clear cut or serious at that time (2016) it seems like either they should have complained to the administration higher up (if nothing else about DJ’s response) or if really red flags to the police. That fact that this did not happen to me means it likely wasn’t that clear cut even if concerning? I have to assume that and I have to assume that DJ didn’t see them as red flags either because whatever you think, who would ignore a potential child predator when running a school. It just makes no sense to keep harping on this piece.

Also any OPs with information about what was flagged in 2016 and concerns about the response, please make sure to call the lawyer for the temple. The police are investigating the predator. It’s the Temple’s job to investigate whether any red flags were missed. I was told by the lawyer today (paraphrasing here)that in speaking with over a hundred parents, no one stated that there were any concerns about this teacher before this information came to light in August. Maybe he’s protecting the temple (his job) but part of his job is to internally investigate how this happened and fix it, so it seems odd to me he would say something so direct if it’s not true. If you have this information, please call the lawyer in addition to the police.

Do you think anyone is going to trust the results of an internal investigation that comes from WHC (who has an interest in maintaining its reputation and good standing with its members)? LAMB public charter school went through a similar crisis several years ago and the board ultimately hired an independent outside investigative firm to determine whether the administrators were at fault.

I am not speaking about LAMB specifically, but many "independent" investigations by outside counsel (retained by the entity being investigated and sometime with a long standing relationship as counsel) are often not terribly independent.

Agree. It would be best for the parents, or some other independent advisory board, to organize and hire an outside firm. In the case of LAMB, the board provides oversight of the administration and the report’s findings did find the administrators at fault. The executive director, principal and school psychologist were all fired. I know that WHC operates under a different structure, so it’s not apples to apples with LAMB. But there has to be some kind of indeendant ovetaight beyond the police if WHC wants to rebuild trust with the parents and congregation.