Beauvoir Scandal?

[Anonymous]

Why are you drudging this up again a month after the last post?

[Anonymous]

so what...I am curious to know if there has been any resolution yet. or any dead bodies recovered.

[Anonymous]

His family must know where he is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It didn't change my mind about whether to apply. The school had performed adequate security checks before hiring him and it was an unfortunate situation for all involved. I never felt it reflected poorly on the school. I certainly find it inappropriate to volunteer, "Guess what! We had a pedophile teacher here last year!" on a prospective parent tour.

Err... I'm largely sympathetic to Beauvoir on this issue, but when you say "The school had performed adequate security checks before hiring him" you overstate your case. In point of fact, had Beauvoir performed adequate security checks, this never would have happened (or at least it wouldn't have happened here). So now, where I was perfectly happy to see this thread die, I read this comment and I think "Hell No!" This is a disgrace, and maybe it shouldn't be let go yet.

[Anonymous]

How did you reach this conclusion? Did he have prior convictions? Prior arrests? What evidence could or should the school have uncovered?

[Anonymous]

I don't think it was a background check issue (though maybe that too). They had huge warning bells. Supposedly they told him not to have the door closed, not to have kids (ie boys) in his lap, and so on. They had suspicions and never said anything to the parents.

Plus they have been out of touch since. My son has zero desire to go to the annual reunion coming up for last year's graduates, and I don't blame him.

[Anonymous]

I think it's constructive to have this thread bumped up to the top now and then, so people can review the circumstances and, if they suspect a caretaker, speak up. This is more common than we realize. If reading these comments can prevent or contain another incident ...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it was a background check issue (though maybe that too). They had huge warning bells. Supposedly they told him not to have the door closed, not to have kids (ie boys) in his lap, and so on. They had suspicions and never said anything to the parents.

Plus they have been out of touch since. My son has zero desire to go to the annual reunion coming up for last year's graduates, and I don't blame him.

So Toth was with young boys behind closed doors and had students sitting on HIS LAP in school? HIS LAP? If he was not playing Santa Claus for kindergarten and lower at a party then he should have been questionned and fired. I'm sick of this pandering just because the administrators are employed by Beauvoir. Parents pay tuition and yet don't stick up for their children. they are sheep and have peer pressure issues with these schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it's constructive to have this thread bumped up to the top now and then, so people can review the circumstances and, if they suspect a caretaker, speak up. This is more common than we realize. If reading these comments can prevent or contain another incident ...

ITA. But why give Beauvoir all the press? Is there something underlying besides the interest of the children? Why is no one as eager to continue the discussion about St. Columba's or Browne Academy or Bethesda Cooperative Nursery School?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it was a background check issue (though maybe that too). They had huge warning bells. Supposedly they told him not to have the door closed, not to have kids (ie boys) in his lap, and so on. They had suspicions and never said anything to the parents.

Plus they have been out of touch since. My son has zero desire to go to the annual reunion coming up for last year's graduates, and I don't blame him.

I haven't gotten one piece of information from the school or anywhere (other than this board) about what went on in that classroom (and my son was in it one year). I'd be happy, as a parent, to actually be given information (other than the form letters on the "inappropriate photos").

[Anonymous]

Why is no one as eager to continue the discussion about St. Columba's or Browne Academy or Bethesda Cooperative Nursery School?

These cases are not as well known, I'd never heard of them. Beauvoir's been in the Post and other media outlets. Further the case has been on America's Most Wanted and the former teacher is on the FBI's Most Wanted List. Again, I'm for anything that prevents people -- parents, other teachers -- from keeping their suspicions to themselves or from taking strong measures. As for Beauvoir not commenting further, I would guess it's for legal reasons. This is a criminal case. The police may have asked the school not to release details they would help build the case against the former teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are you drudging this up again a month after the last post?

PP, I think you mean dredging (unless you're punning the Drudge Report? In which case, clever). Anyway, just a shot in the dark here, but perhaps someone is on the Beauvoir WL? and is trying to get others who've been accepted to back out? Just supposing...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you drudging this up again a month after the last post?

PP, I think you mean dredging (unless you're punning the Drudge Report? In which case, clever). Anyway, just a shot in the dark here, but perhaps someone is on the Beauvoir WL? and is trying to get others who've been accepted to back out? Just supposing...

My children are older therefore not on the waitlist . I'm simply disgusted about the lap sitting. Who would want some man holding your son or daughter on their lap? It's not dad and the dog didn't just die. Duh....................

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What happened is a terrible shame. However, good procedures help to prevent a repetition. Every State in the USA requires that schools do a background check on teachers and administrators. Most States have extended the background check requirements to any employee that is on the property when children are present. When I was a parent volunteer for our catholic school, all parents, coaches, and any volunteer had to get fingerprints and criminal record background search . Then we had to attend a seminar on the protection of children. And, that is repeated every year, just in case someone commits a crime since last year. College campuses give ID cards to each student and all personnel. The ID cards must be scanned before the student can enter a building.

This is far more than a terrible shame!

Toth's demeanor was odd and after brief conversations with him a few times, my impression of him was that he was strange. Sure you can't fire an employee based on that alone. However, if he was sleeping in his classroom overnight, allowing boys to sit on his lap, and closing his classroom door while alone with a child after admin asked him not to do so. Is it that Beauvoir's admin shrugged off his behavior. It amazes me that Beauvoir's seasoned & brilliant, admin team did not instinctively pick up that there was something seriously wrong with this guy.

[Anonymous]

My guess is that they did have a hunch there was something wrong, and thus did not renew his contract for this year. But until the photos were found, they didn't have anything that was grounds for firing him in the middle of the school year.