Arlington CCPTA challenges School Board - We'd Never See this in Alexandria

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a difficult issue since while I agree the lack of transparency is frustrating, there are laws in place when crimes involve juveniles. Oftentimes, schools' hands are tied about what they can say.

The line is when does a school system exploit those laws to protect themselves rather than protect the privacy of children (even those accused of a crime).

In the ACPS incident, both the police and city attorney made statements. That is not the first time the police have provided more details about an incident at ACPS than ACPS. There may be valid privacy concerns, but let’s not allow ACPS to hide behind the legality of making statements when it’s clear that giving some detail is not illegal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a difficult issue since while I agree the lack of transparency is frustrating, there are laws in place when crimes involve juveniles. Oftentimes, schools' hands are tied about what they can say.

The line is when does a school system exploit those laws to protect themselves rather than protect the privacy of children (even those accused of a crime).

In the ACPS incident, both the police and city attorney made statements. That is not the first time the police have provided more details about an incident at ACPS than ACPS. There may be valid privacy concerns, but let’s not allow ACPS to hide behind the legality of making statements when it’s clear that giving some detail is not illegal.

I agree with you.

However it is critical to remember that the Minnie Howard rape happened in October. APD and the City Attorney (who has a documented history of pressuring young girls not to press charges against their abusers) made statements in March after they were exposed. Just like the Mayor, city council and school board....they were part of the cover up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You can look this all up in the community crime map by looking up Wakefield. The CCPTA president didn’t make it up.

Are you saying that the rape was at Wakefield?

DP. I found it on the community crime map, which indicates it happened at Wakefield. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the crime happened within the school building. The map report suggests the incident occurred after 6 pm, so unless it happened at an after-hours event, it’s possible that it happened on the school property but was not otherwise associated with the school itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You can look this all up in the community crime map by looking up Wakefield. The CCPTA president didn’t make it up.

Are you saying that the rape was at Wakefield?

DP. I found it on the community crime map, which indicates it happened at Wakefield. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the crime happened within the school building. The map report suggests the incident occurred after 6 pm, so unless it happened at an after-hours event, it’s possible that it happened on the school property but was not otherwise associated with the school itself.

I take your point, but the timestamp could just as easily be when the call first came in to the police, or when the police, upon responding to the call, chose to enter it into the system after the fact. And considering the "maybe, maybe not" approach some APS principals have taken towards calling the police, that 6pm timestamp could easily line up with the school day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You can look this all up in the community crime map by looking up Wakefield. The CCPTA president didn’t make it up.

Are you saying that the rape was at Wakefield?

DP. I found it on the community crime map, which indicates it happened at Wakefield. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the crime happened within the school building. The map report suggests the incident occurred after 6 pm, so unless it happened at an after-hours event, it’s possible that it happened on the school property but was not otherwise associated with the school itself.

Just adding more detail, DP, that the crime map specifically indicates it was on school grounds. (Location Type: School-College/University)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You can look this all up in the community crime map by looking up Wakefield. The CCPTA president didn’t make it up.

Are you saying that the rape was at Wakefield?

DP. I found it on the community crime map, which indicates it happened at Wakefield. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the crime happened within the school building. The map report suggests the incident occurred after 6 pm, so unless it happened at an after-hours event, it’s possible that it happened on the school property but was not otherwise associated with the school itself.

Just adding more detail, DP, that the crime map specifically indicates it was on school grounds. (Location Type: School-College/University)

Yes, but on school grounds does not necessarily mean inside the school building. It could have happened near an athletic field, in the wooded area on the property, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You can look this all up in the community crime map by looking up Wakefield. The CCPTA president didn’t make it up.

Are you saying that the rape was at Wakefield?

DP. I found it on the community crime map, which indicates it happened at Wakefield. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the crime happened within the school building. The map report suggests the incident occurred after 6 pm, so unless it happened at an after-hours event, it’s possible that it happened on the school property but was not otherwise associated with the school itself.

Just adding more detail, DP, that the crime map specifically indicates it was on school grounds. (Location Type: School-College/University)

Yes, but on school grounds does not necessarily mean inside the school building. It could have happened near an athletic field, in the wooded area on the property, etc.

If you're trying to suggest the incident occured on school grounds but outside of APS' jurisdiction or responsibility, I would direct you to what the chair of the CCPTA said: these incidents, including a rape, occured "in our schools".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You can look this all up in the community crime map by looking up Wakefield. The CCPTA president didn’t make it up.

Are you saying that the rape was at Wakefield?

DP. I found it on the community crime map, which indicates it happened at Wakefield. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the crime happened within the school building. The map report suggests the incident occurred after 6 pm, so unless it happened at an after-hours event, it’s possible that it happened on the school property but was not otherwise associated with the school itself.

Just adding more detail, DP, that the crime map specifically indicates it was on school grounds. (Location Type: School-College/University)

Yes, but on school grounds does not necessarily mean inside the school building. It could have happened near an athletic field, in the wooded area on the property, etc.

If you're trying to suggest the incident occured on school grounds but outside of APS' jurisdiction or responsibility, I would direct you to what the chair of the CCPTA said: these incidents, including a rape, occured "in our schools".

Without knowing the source for her information, I am not prepared to assume she has full and accurate information. I will base my views on what is actually known as opposed to what may be assumptions or speculation.

Also, since there has been a formal police report, it is entirely possible that APS has been asked not to publicly comment in order to avoid compromising an ongoing criminal investigation. I appreciate why parents want this information, but do not agree that their interests outweigh the interests of an effective law enforcement investigation and prosecution, if appropriate.

Finally, in my mind, the privacy interests of the victim Trump any public interest in information about the matter. Unfortunately I have the experience of my own sexual assault becoming public knowledge due to a confidentiality breach in college. That violation of my privacy was as traumatizing as the assault itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You can look this all up in the community crime map by looking up Wakefield. The CCPTA president didn’t make it up.

Are you saying that the rape was at Wakefield?

DP. I found it on the community crime map, which indicates it happened at Wakefield. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the crime happened within the school building. The map report suggests the incident occurred after 6 pm, so unless it happened at an after-hours event, it’s possible that it happened on the school property but was not otherwise associated with the school itself.

Just adding more detail, DP, that the crime map specifically indicates it was on school grounds. (Location Type: School-College/University)

Yes, but on school grounds does not necessarily mean inside the school building. It could have happened near an athletic field, in the wooded area on the property, etc.

If you're trying to suggest the incident occured on school grounds but outside of APS' jurisdiction or responsibility, I would direct you to what the chair of the CCPTA said: these incidents, including a rape, occured "in our schools".

Without knowing the source for her information, I am not prepared to assume she has full and accurate information. I will base my views on what is actually known as opposed to what may be assumptions or speculation.

Also, since there has been a formal police report, it is entirely possible that APS has been asked not to publicly comment in order to avoid compromising an ongoing criminal investigation. I appreciate why parents want this information, but do not agree that their interests outweigh the interests of an effective law enforcement investigation and prosecution, if appropriate.

Finally, in my mind, the privacy interests of the victim Trump any public interest in information about the matter. Unfortunately I have the experience of my own sexual assault becoming public knowledge due to a confidentiality breach in college. That violation of my privacy was as traumatizing as the assault itself.

Once the police report is made, APS is 100% within its rights to say "a police report of a sexual assault was made, and this is what we are doing to ensure your children's safety." If the rape was unrelated to school and happened to occur on the grounds, they could say "ACPD will increase patrols". They have a range of possibilities to communicate without having to hide behind the victim's privacy or prejudice the outcome of the investigation. The report has been made. It's in the system and people can see it.

Plus, if the incident occurred outside of APS' control except for the fact that it happened on their property, do you really think they would be maintaining a stony silence about it? If it didn't involve a student as accuser or accused, FERPA wouldn't even apply, and they could actually say "the allegations do not involve any APS student".

APS has painted themselves into a corner here where the worse a situation looks for them, the less they're going to say about it, by policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You can look this all up in the community crime map by looking up Wakefield. The CCPTA president didn’t make it up.

Are you saying that the rape was at Wakefield?

DP. I found it on the community crime map, which indicates it happened at Wakefield. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean the crime happened within the school building. The map report suggests the incident occurred after 6 pm, so unless it happened at an after-hours event, it’s possible that it happened on the school property but was not otherwise associated with the school itself.

Just adding more detail, DP, that the crime map specifically indicates it was on school grounds. (Location Type: School-College/University)

Yes, but on school grounds does not necessarily mean inside the school building. It could have happened near an athletic field, in the wooded area on the property, etc.

If you're trying to suggest the incident occured on school grounds but outside of APS' jurisdiction or responsibility, I would direct you to what the chair of the CCPTA said: these incidents, including a rape, occured "in our schools".

Without knowing the source for her information, I am not prepared to assume she has full and accurate information. I will base my views on what is actually known as opposed to what may be assumptions or speculation.

Also, since there has been a formal police report, it is entirely possible that APS has been asked not to publicly comment in order to avoid compromising an ongoing criminal investigation. I appreciate why parents want this information, but do not agree that their interests outweigh the interests of an effective law enforcement investigation and prosecution, if appropriate.

Finally, in my mind, the privacy interests of the victim Trump any public interest in information about the matter. Unfortunately I have the experience of my own sexual assault becoming public knowledge due to a confidentiality breach in college. That violation of my privacy was as traumatizing as the assault itself.

Do you think that the President of the CCPTA just steps up to the dais and spreads thinly sourced gossip willy-nilly? Wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a difficult issue since while I agree the lack of transparency is frustrating, there are laws in place when crimes involve juveniles. Oftentimes, schools' hands are tied about what they can say.

The line is when does a school system exploit those laws to protect themselves rather than protect the privacy of children (even those accused of a crime).

In the ACPS incident, both the police and city attorney made statements. That is not the first time the police have provided more details about an incident at ACPS than ACPS. There may be valid privacy concerns, but let’s not allow ACPS to hide behind the legality of making statements when it’s clear that giving some detail is not illegal.

I agree with you.

However it is critical to remember that the Minnie Howard rape happened in October. APD and the City Attorney (who has a documented history of pressuring young girls not to press charges against their abusers) made statements in March after they were exposed. Just like the Mayor, city council and school board....they were part of the cover up.

I don’t disagree that they waited to long ot make statements. Just countering the argument that the schools hands were tied. They purposefully remained silent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a difficult issue since while I agree the lack of transparency is frustrating, there are laws in place when crimes involve juveniles. Oftentimes, schools' hands are tied about what they can say.

The line is when does a school system exploit those laws to protect themselves rather than protect the privacy of children (even those accused of a crime).

In the ACPS incident, both the police and city attorney made statements. That is not the first time the police have provided more details about an incident at ACPS than ACPS. There may be valid privacy concerns, but let’s not allow ACPS to hide behind the legality of making statements when it’s clear that giving some detail is not illegal.

I agree with you.

However it is critical to remember that the Minnie Howard rape happened in October. APD and the City Attorney (who has a documented history of pressuring young girls not to press charges against their abusers) made statements in March after they were exposed. Just like the Mayor, city council and school board....they were part of the cover up.

I don’t disagree that they waited to long ot make statements. Just countering the argument that the schools hands were tied. They purposefully remained silent.

If they couldn't make a statement at the time, why could they make a statement to the Washington Post after their cover up was brought to light? They only made statements after they were found out so yes they were purposefully silent. And would have remained so if they could have.