Beauvoir Scandal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree about things spinning out of control. We are not a current Beauvoir family, but were hoping to apply in the fall. Our child will be attending camp there within a matter of days. Given that we are not part of the Beauvoir community, we did not receive "the letter", but are just as concerned for the safety of our child. It would be very helpful to know what types of policies are or will be in place to ensure that adults are not left alone with children. Perhaps this is a question better directed at the summer programs director. But in the absence of disclosure, we're not so comfortable sending our kid to camp there.

We too have a child who will be attending camp in a few days. I would suggest you call the school and ask your questions and state your concerns. I am positive you will get a response.

[Anonymous]

Does it strike anyone as odd that there are quite a few posts which seem to plead "stay quiet"! Information is sparce and there is as much hush hush as outrage? I'm very surprised to see any posts that actually praise the school???

This can happen anywhere if the appropriate safety controls are in not put in place. It may even be more likely in a private setting if there is a false sense of security that something like this could never happen here or in our community.

How are schools ensuring that teachers are not able to kids alone? What background check methods do schools use? Do they do regular updates? How quickly do they act? All relevant to his situation and other schools as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it strike anyone as odd that there are quite a few posts which seem to plead "stay quiet"! Information is sparce and there is as much hush hush as outrage? I'm very surprised to see any posts that actually praise the school???

This can happen anywhere if the appropriate safety controls are in not put in place. It may even be more likely in a private setting if there is a false sense of security that something like this could never happen here or in our community.

How are schools ensuring that teachers are not able to kids alone? What background check methods do schools use? Do they do regular updates? How quickly do they act? All relevant to his situation and other schools as well.

I think the key to what you said is this can happen anywhere; however I must disagree and change your notion that it can only happen if the appropriate safety controls are not in place. Even if the appropriate safety controls are in place this sort of thing is still possible. An educator myself I can tell you that teachers are not watching other teachers because they are managing their classrooms and ensuring the safety of their students. Also, throughout the course of the day if students (depending upon the age) are going to the bathroom or transitioning to classes or walking to lunch administrators are on duty observing the children along with other school personnel. Many schools even have cameras throughout the building recording the daily happenings. So even with the most secure measures in place it is still possible.

Several things we are neglecting here - The OP states pictures of an unidentified child - Do we know if the child was a Beauvoir student? Do we know if the pictures were even taken on Beauvoir school property? If the camera was a school camera that explains why the school would have obtained the camera (all teachers have to turn in school property at the close of the school year). How do we know if parents were not contacted once the situation was uncovered? Legally all schools private and public must have board approval to send out letters and notification when this type of situation occurs to ensure the entire school community is receiving the same information at the same time. I am sure the school wanted to respond immediately however it is a legal issue to ensure the rights of all involved are protected. Any schools private and public will do their best to keep the media out of sticky situations (they have a way of twisting the truth) so I do not think it has anything to do with the fact that a member of the board works for the Washington Post (how do we kow if this is true).

Just a few thoughts to consider before we destory the history and legacy of such a great school. No I am not a Beauvoir school administrator or even a parent for that matter. Just a public school educator who understands the day to day operations of the school house.

[Anonymous]

I have no stake in defending Beauvoir (as one of those "bitter" waitlisted parents who have been considerably maligned on other threads!), but I think it's also worth pointing out that we don't know whether the incident(s) in question occurred at the school. In the St Columba's case, according to what I've read, the husband's conviction stemmed from his actions while babysitting a child he had met through Janney aftercare in the child's home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does it strike anyone as odd that there are quite a few posts which seem to plead "stay quiet"! Information is sparce and there is as much hush hush as outrage? I'm very surprised to see any posts that actually praise the school???

ITA with this. I have no connection at all to Beauvoir, but the more posts I see asking people to simmer down or to hold off judgments just make me more suspicious. I suspect some of these posts are coming from people officially connected to the school. These forums are a valuable source of information and are being used in a logical way. It seems very likely that something happened; it is not clear exactly what or how serious; parents are rightfully concerned; and in the absence of a formal announcement from the school, people are bound to ask others what they know to try to piece the story together.

[Anonymous]

I am also concerned about this situation and want answers. We are also applying for our child to attend in 2009-2010. If we call the school to ask about this, will this 'damage' our child's application if they know our names?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would suggest you call the school and ask your questions and state your concerns. I am positive you will get a response.

On what do you base your confidence?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would suggest you call the school and ask your questions and state your concerns. I am positive you will get a response.

On what do you base your confidence?

Yes, I would like to know as well, because 50% of the time I contact someone at the school, I do not receive a reply.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am also concerned about this situation and want answers. We are also applying for our child to attend in 2009-2010. If we call the school to ask about this, will this 'damage' our child's application if they know our names?

If it did, would you want your child to attend that type of school? A school that assigns a black mark to parents who inquire about practices and policies that could have a bearing on their child's safety? (Not saying that Beauvoir does this; simply addressing PP's hypothetical.)

[Anonymous]

To all of you who have concerns about this because you will be applying to Beauvoir this fall, or in coming years: keep in mind that your odds of getting accepted are low, unless you have an "in." (For a refresher on this, go back and read the threads from early March and see how many of us were waitlisted!)

So isn't all this angst a bit premature, since you aren't really involved now at all and very likely won't be?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To all of you who have concerns about this because you will be applying to Beauvoir this fall, or in coming years: keep in mind that your odds of getting accepted are low, unless you have an "in." (For a refresher on this, go back and read the threads from early March and see how many of us were waitlisted!)

So isn't all this angst a bit premature, since you aren't really involved now at all and very likely won't be?

Great post I think this sums up what a few posters have been saying. The school does not have to put out a public statement. The stakeholders they are accountable too have been notified(Current and Newly Accepted Parents). The rest of us will remain wondering until Open House and Tour season begins in September; when school administrators will be forced to answer our questions.

[Anonymous]

Could it be possible that some (certainly not all, but some) are fueling the fires in the hope this spins out of control precisely to disuade others from applying to Beauvoir in the Fall. Keeping the numbers down would increase one's odds of gaining acceptance. Not unlike that other recent thread where, it seemed to me, at least one parent was seeking to talk another family out of accepting a slot in the (futile) hope of moving off the wait list?

[Anonymous]

The whole thing (combined with St. Columba's, which is even more horrifying to me) just makes me wonder about the competence of schools in terms of background checks and also in terms of watching teachers very closely. Maybe there should always be an aide in the room when teachers are alone with individual students.

Now I'm also a little wary of all male teachers. I don't care if I get flamed for this; all these local cases involve men.

[Anonymous]

Just how would a "background check" have served to flush out the teacher at the center of the Beauvoir investigation?!

Most "background checks" consist of reference checks and, increasingly, criminal history checks. The teacher in question had (has?) impeccable credentials and heretofore impeccable references. He was (is?) adored by students and families. Whether he did what everyone says he did is a separate issue, and I hope dealt with aggressively and to the full extent of the law. But all this talk about background checks (for one of these fancy schools or otherwise) is, in my view, misguided.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The whole thing (combined with St. Columba's, which is even more horrifying to me) just makes me wonder about the competence of schools in terms of background checks and also in terms of watching teachers very closely. Maybe there should always be an aide in the room when teachers are alone with individual students.

Now I'm also a little wary of all male teachers. I don't care if I get flamed for this; all these local cases involve men.

I am with you on the male teachers point!! If my child ends up in a class with a male teacher I will do my own background check.