Gonzaga Kairos Vandalism

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The president of Gonzaga sent out a letter to parents this past week, which I thought Was quite good. I think if I were a parent there, I would be OK with it. They seem to be owning the event and addressing the broader cultural issues.

Thoughts and prayers are always a sure bet when something violent goes down.

[Anonymous]

It wasn’t a “thoughts and prayers” letter. It was substantive and meaningful. I am grateful that it was sent - and it went to all parents, past and present, as part of the weekly Eye Sreet Headlines e-mail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who can sue under this law?
And can they sue if the property is no longer improperly disposed of?
Are minors considered people under the definitions?

Not you. It's like laws against littering. You can tattle, but you can't force them to fine anyone.
No.
Probably, with a huge dose of prosecutorial discretion.

So in reality it’s hard if not impossible to find a victim or crime here.

Yep.

Yes (without the property owner pressing charges). The fridge in the river (but then removed) is the red herring of this thread.

Well. . . the whole notion that a victim has to "press charges" for a criminal offense is BS. The prosecutor decides when to bring charges. What's not clear from the facts we know about this incident is whether the police even came to take a report about the vandelism. Absent a police report, the prosecutor won't have a file to work with. Police responded to a "missing person" call. It's unclear they even saw the vandalism.

[Anonymous]

Nobody was expelled...

excerpt from "the letter"

I believe that in a school, whenever possible, discipline should be educational.

.....

The students who were on the retreat are receiving punishment for their actions, making amends and restitution to the victims and to Gonzaga, and finally, being offered the possibility of reconciliation with the school community.

[Anonymous]

^^^ You left out a very important part of the letter, the key part, really, as it pertains to making amends and being sorry:

“This is contingent, however, upon fulfillment of imposed conditions. Failure to accept responsibility and engage the process will result in dismissal from Gonzaga.”

[Anonymous]

^^^

You left out the part where they recognize their is a bigger cultural issue at GZ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Regarding criminal charges, etc., I am glad they were able to avoid this. It just muddies the waters and really can ruin a kid's life.

This is what angers many of us. The vast majority of kids in the country (especially if minority and/or not from well-off families), if they committed the exact same actions, would not likely have escaped criminal charges. Textbook definition of privilege IMO.

What if the perpetrators were not from privileged families? There are many students at Gonzaga who are on scholarship. Maybe the Father is being more lenient because expelling the kids would send them back to a really undesirable school environment? Just a thought.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^

You left out the part where they recognize their is a bigger cultural issue at GZ.

Almost impossible to fix in the near term at this point.

[Anonymous]

No one wants to hurt these kids college chances....so no one expelled. The boys are restricted from playing sports through the rest of the year. That’s it. Ridiculous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one wants to hurt these kids college chances....so no one expelled. The boys are restricted from playing sports through the rest of the year. That’s it. Ridiculous.

Seriously? No suspensions? The destruction that these Gonzaga boys inflicted could have easily led to felony level criminal charges but instead they get a slap on the wrist. And none of this would appear on their disciplinary records that any college admissions officer would ever see. If it is true that some of the boys involved have been previously cited for disciplinary action what kind of lessons are they truly learning?

[Anonymous]

The word is that the larger GZ community is infuriated but the administration is holding firm that the kids will be “spiritually coached and mentored” through this challenging time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The word is that the larger GZ community is infuriated but the administration is holding firm that the kids will be “spiritually coached and mentored” through this challenging time.

They were ON A RETREAT when this happened? Clearly something isn't working with the spiritual coaching and mentoring going on at the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted before but as a Catholic who knows a lot about these retreats and has had family participate in them, this is deeply disturbing. If it’s all true as reported Gonzaga should clean house of the students involved.

AND ADMINISTRATORS. Why do they get a pass?

You could easily make a case for also blaming the parents. Isn't that what happened when minority kids sold drugs, the parents were blamed? Why are these wealthy parents not blamed? They raised these kids.

Also, I doubt the administrators told them to destroy property? Look, kids are spoiled jerks, parents protect them and yell at the teachers for trying to discipline and most administrators don't want the kids to leave ( less money) so they put up with the shit that the kids do.

[Anonymous]

You’re making a lot of (false) assumptions about the boys primary involved.

[Anonymous]

Apparently, the Washington Post still has reporters following up on the story. My S heard through the grapevine--granted all hearsay--that reporters have been in contact w some GZ administrators and Kairos chaperones. Wonder if there is another shoe about to drop...