Gonzaga Kairos Vandalism

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So...were any of these fools actually expelled after TWO days of rampant destruction of a home where someone actually lives?

How can you assume that someone actually lives in the structure? Nothing in the reporting conveys facts upon which to base such a conclusion.

Please stop. The Washington Post clearly states that there is a real homeowner who actually came home to find kids in her home...where she lives. Why are you insisting no one lives there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Sounds like some heads need to roll among the faculty/ administrators/ chaperones as well. Ultimately the HOS is responsible

No. Ultimately their parents are responsible.

Disagree. The administrators/ chaperones on the trip let this happen.

But as a prospective parent? I’m horrified at an administration that could produce a group of 40+ kids who would do this

The administration didn’t “produce” them their parents did but if they allow them to stay at the school that is on them.

Let me spell it out for you. The administrators at this school- including the HOS who is ultimately responsible- created, fostered, nurtured and allowed a school culture and ethos whereby a sizeable group of a particular class thought it was fine to participate together in actions like this, while on school time and in school care.

As a prospective parent, I find that unconscionable

Fair point but the students and parents shouldn’t be off the hook because they write a big check.

Why on earth characterize any reparations as "a big check"? What constitutes "a big check"? Do you truly have even the remotest notion as to the cost of the damage? And how can making monetary reparations that be offensive, as you imply, if the amount makes the property owner whole, legally speaking? If it were your property, would you not wish to receive an amount from the perpetrators that enabled you to return yourself to the position you were in prior to the damage? That, of course, is the whole point of lawsuits.

[Anonymous]

For the poster who is strangely holding on to the notion that there is no evidence of anyone owning the destroyed property:

Copied from the WashPost:
“According to those who heard Every’s account, some of the students may have believed the properties were abandoned. Every told the staff that the owner of the house arrived Thursday afternoon, while the students were still there. The owner then went to the retreat center to report what had happened.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was "pack behavior" at its finest. I'm sure some of the group were very hesitant in participating, but peer pressure, testosterone, etc. played a huge part in their inclusion. Remember that Gillette commercial that had everyone up in arms? You may not agree with the commercial in its entirety, but they were right when they said "boys will be boys". We, as parents, have to do better at raising our children to not only be better individuals, but to also be strong enough to say to the next person, "Hey, that's not right!"

Groups of young men seem uncontrollable . Uncontrollable and extremely stupid and self centered. They’re so spoiled they don’t even see how someone might have wanted to use this modest house? How can you serve meals to the homeless but then literally destroy a home ??

Have you been to this "modest house" you describe? I find the reporting devoid of details enough to determine whether anyone actually lived there, whether there were any furnishings at all. How are commenters arriving at the conclusion that someone was living there, or that it was a "modest house"? Are you privy to more information? Its address, square footage, purchase price? I am sincerely interested as I find the article based on no first hand knowledge whatsoever ( not new for the WaPo, especially of late)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This was "pack behavior" at its finest. I'm sure some of the group were very hesitant in participating, but peer pressure, testosterone, etc. played a huge part in their inclusion. Remember that Gillette commercial that had everyone up in arms? You may not agree with the commercial in its entirety, but they were right when they said "boys will be boys". We, as parents, have to do better at raising our children to not only be better individuals, but to also be strong enough to say to the next person, "Hey, that's not right!"

Groups of young men seem uncontrollable . Uncontrollable and extremely stupid and self centered. They’re so spoiled they don’t even see how someone might have wanted to use this modest house? How can you serve meals to the homeless but then literally destroy a home ??

Have you been to this "modest house" you describe? I find the reporting devoid of details enough to determine whether anyone actually lived there, whether there were any furnishings at all. How are commenters arriving at the conclusion that someone was living there, or that it was a "modest house"? Are you privy to more information? Its address, square footage, purchase price? I am sincerely interested as I find the article based on no first hand knowledge whatsoever ( not new for the WaPo, especially of late)

PP, WHAT EXACTLY IS YOUR POINT? You keep posting. Are you trying to make the case that none of this happened?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son is a student at Gonzaga and I echo the other parents posting here who are disappointed with the school's response to this incident. I would like to know why the ring leaders of the operation were not expelled. It is highly suspicious because I know that the school has expelled students in the past for incidents much less in severity. These kids should not have gotten off so easily and it is very short sighted of the administration to not take stronger action. I am also deeply disappointed that Fr. Planning sent a letter over two weeks after the incident...and only because the Washington Post was going to write an article. The school has been lacking in transparency lately and students, parents, teachers, and alumni are very distraught and angry.

C
Is there a mechanism where people can make their feelings known? Will the distraught and angry actually do something like press for greater transparency or a more detailed explanation?

These incidents always make me wonder what goes on at private schools that no one ever hears about because they hide it.

Minors damaging PRIVATE property.

This business is between the kids’ parents, the property owners, and since it was while on a school sponsored activity, the school. Other than that, disciplinary actions towards MINORS, should be private and confidential. Not “transparent” so that it can be posted on DCUM.

But why did the private property owners not press charges with such significant damage? Perhaps they were asked not to or were given compensation under the table? If that is the case, and several posters have suggested as such, that is shady.

Providing money to the injured property owner is not "shady". It is how civil cases are resolved. All the time. If you even accidentally damaged your neighbor's property, say by throwing a ball threw his window, you would compensate him for it. It would be the right and proper thing to do. It is not at all shady. And the neighbor is in no way obligated to call the police on you and press charges. (Obvious a simplification, but to say making amends monetarily is somehow sinister is nuts.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By your logic, nothing we read or see in the news can ever be commented upon because it's not "first-hand knowledge."

This reporting is particularly removed from first-hand knowledge. Pretty poorly sourced story devoid of reliable facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By your logic, nothing we read or see in the news can ever be commented upon because it's not "first-hand knowledge."

This reporting is particularly removed from first-hand knowledge. Pretty poorly sourced story devoid of reliable facts.

Again, what is your point? If you’re trying to make the case that this didn’t happen or that there are misrepresentations, then I’m pretty confident that Gonzaga and its alumni would have no problem challenging the veracity of the Post reporting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By your logic, nothing we read or see in the news can ever be commented upon because it's not "first-hand knowledge."

This reporting is particularly removed from first-hand knowledge. Pretty poorly sourced story devoid of reliable facts.

Again, what is your point? If you’re trying to make the case that this didn’t happen or that there are misrepresentations, then I’m pretty confident that Gonzaga and its alumni would have no problem challenging the veracity of the Post reporting.

Nobody from Gonzaga has challenged the Post reporting. Two recent letters from Fr. Planning both did not dispute the contents of the article. Whoever is posting these defenses here, please stop. You are just making things worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As soon as I heard there were no suspensions I assumed the kids were involved in a sport.

This is an absurd statement reflecting a very faulty assumption. It is way off the mark in this case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:By your logic, nothing we read or see in the news can ever be commented upon because it's not "first-hand knowledge."

This reporting is particularly removed from first-hand knowledge. Pretty poorly sourced story devoid of reliable facts.

Whoa. Was your son there or something? “Poorly sourced story”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Our son is a rising freshman and GZ is one of 3 schools to which he applied. Not presuming he's accepted, but truly to help us in our decision matrix, are you able to share which sport/team was represented in the group of vandals? Is there someplace we can find out the "cultures" of the different sports teams? Please don't beat me up over this question. Thanks.

Earlier in the comments on this post, someone referenced baseball...

Gonzaga parent here. Heard it was a combo of boys from the lacrosse and baseball teams. Star players involved w/elite college aspirations so doubt expulsions will be the punishment (though it should be).

Not surprised to hear about lacrosse team involvement. Also if team leaders were involved...easy to see how they could get 30-40 boys to follow them for an adventure on private property. I doubt they pre-planned the destruction but it started once they got there when a few alphas went over the top and the other boys followed.

My son participates in one of the sports mentioned here and says that only a few boys participated. At first, the team rallied around their teammates but once the truth of the scale of destruction became known the younger boys including my S were horrified. We hope the admin does the right thing and expels the few responsible and certainly punish the bystanders who didn't report what they witnessed. Gonzaga is getting a black eye from this episode and maybe deservedly so but the vast majority of students are great kids who unfortunately will be tainted by the actions of a few.

First, not a Gonzaga hater, and I don't think that this vandalism means that all kids or the school is bad. But the Washington Post cited 40-50 students involved in the vandalism. Is that inaccurate?

The number reported by WaPo report is not accurate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Our son is a rising freshman and GZ is one of 3 schools to which he applied. Not presuming he's accepted, but truly to help us in our decision matrix, are you able to share which sport/team was represented in the group of vandals? Is there someplace we can find out the "cultures" of the different sports teams? Please don't beat me up over this question. Thanks.

Earlier in the comments on this post, someone referenced baseball...

Gonzaga parent here. Heard it was a combo of boys from the lacrosse and baseball teams. Star players involved w/elite college aspirations so doubt expulsions will be the punishment (though it should be).

Not surprised to hear about lacrosse team involvement. Also if team leaders were involved...easy to see how they could get 30-40 boys to follow them for an adventure on private property. I doubt they pre-planned the destruction but it started once they got there when a few alphas went over the top and the other boys followed.

Well, then, you might be entirely surprised to hear that that information is inaccurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gonzaga Alumni here...

KAIROS generally consists of anywhere from 40-50 kids, so it's safe to say the Post wrote the article in such a way that lead readers to believe the entire group participated. From what I know, it was somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 kids - give or take a few.

Exactly. Think maybe the writer could have avoided misleading in that manner? Pretty lazy, flawed, poorly sourced reporting all around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you. Our son is a rising freshman and GZ is one of 3 schools to which he applied. Not presuming he's accepted, but truly to help us in our decision matrix, are you able to share which sport/team was represented in the group of vandals? Is there someplace we can find out the "cultures" of the different sports teams? Please don't beat me up over this question. Thanks.

Earlier in the comments on this post, someone referenced baseball...

Gonzaga parent here. Heard it was a combo of boys from the lacrosse and baseball teams. Star players involved w/elite college aspirations so doubt expulsions will be the punishment (though it should be).

Not surprised to hear about lacrosse team involvement. Also if team leaders were involved...easy to see how they could get 30-40 boys to follow them for an adventure on private property. I doubt they pre-planned the destruction but it started once they got there when a few alphas went over the top and the other boys followed.

My son participates in one of the sports mentioned here and says that only a few boys participated. At first, the team rallied around their teammates but once the truth of the scale of destruction became known the younger boys including my S were horrified. We hope the admin does the right thing and expels the few responsible and certainly punish the bystanders who didn't report what they witnessed. Gonzaga is getting a black eye from this episode and maybe deservedly so but the vast majority of students are great kids who unfortunately will be tainted by the actions of a few.

First, not a Gonzaga hater, and I don't think that this vandalism means that all kids or the school is bad. But the Washington Post cited 40-50 students involved in the vandalism. Is that inaccurate?

The number reported by WaPo report is not accurate

Thank you for sharing, Anonymous Poster. This really clears everything up.