ACPS - Sexual Assault at School - What Should Parents be Told

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The accused was acquitted in a court of law.

Presumably when the girl was hospitalized, a rape kit test was performed. Was it negative?

Are we to assume people are rapist based on accusation, and not conviction?

A prosecutor would not take a case to trial if the rape kit didn’t support charges.

Most likely scenario is that the victim refused to cooperate so they weren’t able to prove the case sufficiently to meet the beyond a reasonable doubt standard.

[Anonymous]

Imagine a murder on school campus not being disclosed to the public. Why is it acceptable for a rape to go unannounced?

Again, nobody needs names or identifying details but the public and ACPS families should know about criminal incidents in school property. This whole thing is horrifying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The accused was acquitted in a court of law.

Presumably when the girl was hospitalized, a rape kit test was performed. Was it negative?

Are we to assume people are rapist based on accusation, and not conviction?

A prosecutor would not take a case to trial if the rape kit didn’t support charges.

Most likely scenario is that the victim refused to cooperate so they weren’t able to prove the case sufficiently to meet the beyond a reasonable doubt standard.

Exactly. Which is why this is so concerning. There is a rapist now at school probably operating under the assumption that he got away with it once so he would probably get away with it again. And he has discovered that intimidation works (because why else would the victim not cooperate). His friends are all watching and they are making the same conclusions. Meanwhile, a 14-year-old girl was raped and has been intimidated into not cooperating with the police, and I presume she is seeing her rapist every day at school. How much horrible could her life get?

As a parent I would like clarification if the rape happened during the school day and within the school building, or if it was after school when there is less supervision of students? I also would like to know how the rape was discovered. These can be disclosed without violating the victim's privacy.

[Anonymous]

There is a lot of conjecture here about what happened. As a criminal defense attorney (white collar), I support innocent unless proven guilty. However, I think that ACPS should have notified parents that there was an alleged rape.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read anyone demanding information that would violate the privacy of the victim. There would be less to conjecture about if there were more definitive information. It is hard to trust people to take care of your children when you don't see those same people taking good care of other peoples children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The accused was acquitted in a court of law.

Presumably when the girl was hospitalized, a rape kit test was performed. Was it negative?

Are we to assume people are rapist based on accusation, and not conviction?

A prosecutor would not take a case to trial if the rape kit didn’t support charges.

Most likely scenario is that the victim refused to cooperate so they weren’t able to prove the case sufficiently to meet the beyond a reasonable doubt standard.

Exactly. Which is why this is so concerning. There is a rapist now at school probably operating under the assumption that he got away with it once so he would probably get away with it again. And he has discovered that intimidation works (because why else would the victim not cooperate). His friends are all watching and they are making the same conclusions. Meanwhile, a 14-year-old girl was raped and has been intimidated into not cooperating with the police, and I presume she is seeing her rapist every day at school. How much horrible could her life get?

As a parent I would like clarification if the rape happened during the school day and within the school building, or if it was after school when there is less supervision of students? I also would like to know how the rape was discovered. These can be disclosed without violating the victim's privacy.

The police were called at 2:30 - in the middle of the school day. A FOIA for dispatch logs has revealed this fact. The initial report by the superintendent also said there were multiple assailants.

[Anonymous]

And by "report" I mean FOIAd email from superintendent to Mayor and city council.

[Anonymous]

Holy crap. Not the news I wanted to hear (timing and multiple assailants) but I appreciate the information.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I haven't read anyone demanding information that would violate the privacy of the victim. There would be less to conjecture about if there were more definitive information. It is hard to trust people to take care of your children when you don't see those same people taking good care of other peoples children.

Agree. The public school system has become corrupted and dangerous. I feel badly for poor families who have no other option.

[Anonymous]

Here's what has been reported about the School Safety Data Report. Not a lot that can be gleaned.

I think ACPS listened to their lawyers and took the most cautious approach that was still legally defensible. The law at the time and the current law gives the school principal the discretion to provide information to a threat assessment team. The school principal didn't even have to do that. In light of the criticism of how LCPS handled its sexual assault incidents and the new legislation being considered in the state legislature, should ACPS have handled communication of the incident in a more open manner? Probably.

https://www.alxnow.com/2022/03/07/new-report-details-arrests-and-safety-incidents-in-acps/

https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=15986&mtgId=1923

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's what has been reported about the School Safety Data Report. Not a lot that can be gleaned.

I think ACPS listened to their lawyers and took the most cautious approach that was still legally defensible. The law at the time and the current law gives the school principal the discretion to provide information to a threat assessment team. The school principal didn't even have to do that. In light of the criticism of how LCPS handled its sexual assault incidents and the new legislation being considered in the state legislature, should ACPS have handled communication of the incident in a more open manner? Probably.

https://www.alxnow.com/2022/03/07/new-report-details-arrests-and-safety-incidents-in-acps/

https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=15986&mtgId=1923

Indeed. Because now that I know it is "multiple assailants" my mind moves from one bad-acting kid to a bunch of out of control boys or, worse, a bang-in (or whatever it is called) by a gang for gang initiation. Then of course there is the problem that it happened in the middle of the school day. Where were all these kids that a rape could occur without it being seen or heard by adults. That's out and out scary. It really makes me mad at the jerks on the City Council who removed funding for the SROs. Damn, I am a really unhappy parent right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's what has been reported about the School Safety Data Report. Not a lot that can be gleaned.

I think ACPS listened to their lawyers and took the most cautious approach that was still legally defensible. The law at the time and the current law gives the school principal the discretion to provide information to a threat assessment team. The school principal didn't even have to do that. In light of the criticism of how LCPS handled its sexual assault incidents and the new legislation being considered in the state legislature, should ACPS have handled communication of the incident in a more open manner? Probably.

https://www.alxnow.com/2022/03/07/new-report-details-arrests-and-safety-incidents-in-acps/

https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=15986&mtgId=1923

Indeed. Because now that I know it is "multiple assailants" my mind moves from one bad-acting kid to a bunch of out of control boys or, worse, a bang-in (or whatever it is called) by a gang for gang initiation. Then of course there is the problem that it happened in the middle of the school day. Where were all these kids that a rape could occur without it being seen or heard by adults. That's out and out scary. It really makes me mad at the jerks on the City Council who removed funding for the SROs. Damn, I am a really unhappy parent right now.

The problem with SROs IME is that it's not like they are patrolling the halls looking for problems. They usually sit in their office or their car all day so it really wouldn't prevent something like this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's what has been reported about the School Safety Data Report. Not a lot that can be gleaned.

I think ACPS listened to their lawyers and took the most cautious approach that was still legally defensible. The law at the time and the current law gives the school principal the discretion to provide information to a threat assessment team. The school principal didn't even have to do that. In light of the criticism of how LCPS handled its sexual assault incidents and the new legislation being considered in the state legislature, should ACPS have handled communication of the incident in a more open manner? Probably.

https://www.alxnow.com/2022/03/07/new-report-details-arrests-and-safety-incidents-in-acps/

https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=15986&mtgId=1923

Indeed. Because now that I know it is "multiple assailants" my mind moves from one bad-acting kid to a bunch of out of control boys or, worse, a bang-in (or whatever it is called) by a gang for gang initiation. Then of course there is the problem that it happened in the middle of the school day. Where were all these kids that a rape could occur without it being seen or heard by adults. That's out and out scary. It really makes me mad at the jerks on the City Council who removed funding for the SROs. Damn, I am a really unhappy parent right now.

The problem with SROs IME is that it's not like they are patrolling the halls looking for problems. They usually sit in their office or their car all day so it really wouldn't prevent something like this

Your opinion is really stupid, and based on false assumptions about what SROs do in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's what has been reported about the School Safety Data Report. Not a lot that can be gleaned.

I think ACPS listened to their lawyers and took the most cautious approach that was still legally defensible. The law at the time and the current law gives the school principal the discretion to provide information to a threat assessment team. The school principal didn't even have to do that. In light of the criticism of how LCPS handled its sexual assault incidents and the new legislation being considered in the state legislature, should ACPS have handled communication of the incident in a more open manner? Probably.

https://www.alxnow.com/2022/03/07/new-report-details-arrests-and-safety-incidents-in-acps/

https://alexandriapublic.ic-board.com/public_itemview.aspx?ItemId=15986&mtgId=1923

Indeed. Because now that I know it is "multiple assailants" my mind moves from one bad-acting kid to a bunch of out of control boys or, worse, a bang-in (or whatever it is called) by a gang for gang initiation. Then of course there is the problem that it happened in the middle of the school day. Where were all these kids that a rape could occur without it being seen or heard by adults. That's out and out scary. It really makes me mad at the jerks on the City Council who removed funding for the SROs. Damn, I am a really unhappy parent right now.

The problem with SROs IME is that it's not like they are patrolling the halls looking for problems. They usually sit in their office or their car all day so it really wouldn't prevent something like this

Your opinion is really stupid, and based on false assumptions about what SROs do in school.

+1. I worked in the school in Fairfax for many years. The gang problem was very pervasive in the 90's and early 2000's in the schools. It was the invovlement of the SRO's that was the main factor in turning that tide, especially in middle schools. There were many, many "wanna be" gangs forming there, often younger siblings of full fledge gang members and also real gang recruitment going on. It was becoming "chique," if you will, to form a crew. Yhere were beat ins and so on.... The SRO's and the development of the after school programs that mad a huge difference and while the gang problem in the county remained, the presence within schools and during the school day dropped dramatically. The SRO's actively got invovled with the kids and when things popped up, very often a kid would talk to an SRO -- who was trusted by the kids -- and the SRO was able to intervene to stop things before they got started. And the presence of SRO's, along with prevention programs like the middle school after school programs, have kept the gangs mostly out of active involve,emt within schools. The narratives on SRO's had become one sided in the media and I am very concerned we are doing a disservice to our kids allowing for dangerous behavior to avoid the perception - and I mean perception (not saying it is never reality) - of overly harsh discipline and what has been accepted with little public understanding as a "school-to-prison" pipeline. I believe we are being short sighted.

[Anonymous]

Dear Luke Rosiak:

I am sorry I called you a liar.

Signed, DCUM