Whitman Teacher and Crew Coach Arrested

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shipley was not only the Crew Coach, he was a teacher at Whitman. Why was he a teacher after the original accusations?

Can you not just read the thread?

You are an a$$. Yes I read the thread. Crew is not an MCPS sport. It’s a club team. If girls reported him to the Crew Board, was he reported to the Principal? If so, why was he teaching up to this school year?

Well you are very rude. All this is covered in the thread so maybe you should read it again, but S.L.O.W.L.Y

Nothing in this thread explains why the Board of Education is pro-sexual predators.

If you had read everything you'd know that the early complaints, were not of a sexual nature - they were about his favoritism and pitting rowers against each other in a nasty way. The sexual complaints appeared later, he was immediately suspended and investigations took place.

if you had actually read the thread, this would be known to you.

Favoritism and pitting students against each other are violations of the MCPS Code of Conduct. That’s harmful behavior designed to isolate and groom a child.
Had MCPS dug a little deeper, the texting and other grooming behaviors would have probably come to light. Predators don’t just wake up one day with the intent to have sex with a high school student. They are planning for a long time to earn parental and student trust. Protecting students means catching the grooming behaviors before the sex act happens. A red flag for MCPS was the original behavior reported but MCPS routinely doesn’t enforce the Code of Conduct to send a message such grooming behaviors won’t be tolerated.

Pitting students against each other is the basis of competitive sports. How it's done matters.

Pitting teammates against one another is not a healthy dynamic for an athletic team. In this example, it was a way to isolate his targets for abuse. Isolation then favoritism is a grooming pattern.

[Anonymous]

Sentenced to three years in prison:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/09/09/kirk-shipley-sentencing-sex-abuse-whitman/

The article is quite something:

Shipley’s attorney Thomas Key asked if he could self-surrender to police in two to three weeks, arguing he’d driven his vehicle to the courthouse and needed to find someone to take care of his dog.

He was expecting probation, apparently.

[Anonymous]

As a former Whitman student who had Shipley as a AP Euro teacher many years ago (early 2000’s) I can assure you that staff, administration, and parents had some sense that he was a predator. Even at 16, my friends and I knew he was too comfortable around his students and his presence was unlike any other staff member at WWHS. People ignored what was directly in front of them; too much paperwork for admin, staff members not wanting to make assumptions about colleagues by throwing them under the bus, and parents being so blind by grades that of course this happened. None of it is surprising since most of this community lives in a bubble. Guarantee he wasn’t the only staff member who took advantage of students. It was a different era back then and staff got away with a lot…thank god things will finally change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former Whitman student who had Shipley as a AP Euro teacher many years ago (early 2000’s) I can assure you that staff, administration, and parents had some sense that he was a predator. Even at 16, my friends and I knew he was too comfortable around his students and his presence was unlike any other staff member at WWHS. People ignored what was directly in front of them; too much paperwork for admin, staff members not wanting to make assumptions about colleagues by throwing them under the bus, and parents being so blind by grades that of course this happened. None of it is surprising since most of this community lives in a bubble. Guarantee he wasn’t the only staff member who took advantage of students. It was a different era back then and staff got away with a lot…thank god things will finally change.

If he wasn’t the only staff member, what makes you think things will change? Students are afraid to report. Adults don’t react to protect students when there are red flags in regards to a staff member’s behavior. Predators operate for decades in MCPS because MCPS doesn’t enforce the employee code of conduct.

[Anonymous]

We need to create a law that makes it illegal to groom someone before they are 18 and have sex with them after.

3 years is pathetic.

[Anonymous]

Whitman cluster turns a blind eye, principals included. I know of one incident where a principal got the person out and that was in an elementary school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former Whitman student who had Shipley as a AP Euro teacher many years ago (early 2000’s) I can assure you that staff, administration, and parents had some sense that he was a predator. Even at 16, my friends and I knew he was too comfortable around his students and his presence was unlike any other staff member at WWHS. People ignored what was directly in front of them; too much paperwork for admin, staff members not wanting to make assumptions about colleagues by throwing them under the bus, and parents being so blind by grades that of course this happened. None of it is surprising since most of this community lives in a bubble. Guarantee he wasn’t the only staff member who took advantage of students. It was a different era back then and staff got away with a lot…thank god things will finally change.

Wow. I’m sorry you had to go through that.
The adults in the school community really let all the kids down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sentenced to three years in prison:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/09/09/kirk-shipley-sentencing-sex-abuse-whitman/

The article is quite something:

Shipley’s attorney Thomas Key asked if he could self-surrender to police in two to three weeks, arguing he’d driven his vehicle to the courthouse and needed to find someone to take care of his dog.

He was expecting probation, apparently.

I hope someone took the dog.

[Anonymous]

Transparent sympathy play. The atty can handle the dog issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former Whitman student who had Shipley as a AP Euro teacher many years ago (early 2000’s) I can assure you that staff, administration, and parents had some sense that he was a predator. Even at 16, my friends and I knew he was too comfortable around his students and his presence was unlike any other staff member at WWHS. People ignored what was directly in front of them; too much paperwork for admin, staff members not wanting to make assumptions about colleagues by throwing them under the bus, and parents being so blind by grades that of course this happened. None of it is surprising since most of this community lives in a bubble. Guarantee he wasn’t the only staff member who took advantage of students. It was a different era back then and staff got away with a lot…thank god things will finally change.

I second what this person said. I too had him for AP Euro in 2003-04 and looking back can’t say I am too surprised. Back then he was 30 and living on P or Q street. Crew kids commented on how they would go over to his house and how he gave rides to rowers. He seemed overly comfortable with some girls even then.

I wonder which other staff members this person is referring to here? I have an idea but obviously can’t say.

Regardless three years is a joke but it is better than nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former Whitman student who had Shipley as a AP Euro teacher many years ago (early 2000’s) I can assure you that staff, administration, and parents had some sense that he was a predator. Even at 16, my friends and I knew he was too comfortable around his students and his presence was unlike any other staff member at WWHS. People ignored what was directly in front of them; too much paperwork for admin, staff members not wanting to make assumptions about colleagues by throwing them under the bus, and parents being so blind by grades that of course this happened. None of it is surprising since most of this community lives in a bubble. Guarantee he wasn’t the only staff member who took advantage of students. It was a different era back then and staff got away with a lot…thank god things will finally change.

Was the other staff member the one who had students mow their lawn despite not having a property with a lawn? Those rumors were present even in the early 1990s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a former Whitman student who had Shipley as a AP Euro teacher many years ago (early 2000’s) I can assure you that staff, administration, and parents had some sense that he was a predator. Even at 16, my friends and I knew he was too comfortable around his students and his presence was unlike any other staff member at WWHS. People ignored what was directly in front of them; too much paperwork for admin, staff members not wanting to make assumptions about colleagues by throwing them under the bus, and parents being so blind by grades that of course this happened. None of it is surprising since most of this community lives in a bubble. Guarantee he wasn’t the only staff member who took advantage of students. It was a different era back then and staff got away with a lot…thank god things will finally change.

I second what this person said. I too had him for AP Euro in 2003-04 and looking back can’t say I am too surprised. Back then he was 30 and living on P or Q street. Crew kids commented on how they would go over to his house and how he gave rides to rowers. He seemed overly comfortable with some girls even then.

I wonder which other staff members this person is referring to here? I have an idea but obviously can’t say.

Regardless three years is a joke but it is better than nothing.

I went to another W school (slightly before this timeframe) and there was a teacher just like this. He had a couple of female students always hanging around him and he gave them rides all over the area. I even remember seeing them out at the mall together. We all new it didn't look right at the time but didn't fully understand just how screwed up this was back then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former Whitman student who had Shipley as a AP Euro teacher many years ago (early 2000’s) I can assure you that staff, administration, and parents had some sense that he was a predator. Even at 16, my friends and I knew he was too comfortable around his students and his presence was unlike any other staff member at WWHS. People ignored what was directly in front of them; too much paperwork for admin, staff members not wanting to make assumptions about colleagues by throwing them under the bus, and parents being so blind by grades that of course this happened. None of it is surprising since most of this community lives in a bubble. Guarantee he wasn’t the only staff member who took advantage of students. It was a different era back then and staff got away with a lot…thank god things will finally change.

Nothing has changed. Nothing. It was not a different era, it is the same era. Did you miss the John Vigna case at Cloverly ES? 20 years of lap sitting with 7 year old girls, reported to principal 3 times and nothing done? MCPS is a sexual predator friendly institution and Maryland allows sexual predators to have their names removed from the sex offender registry.
John Vigna wasn't even fired by the Board of Education. He was kept on the payroll and allowed to resign after he went to prison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sentenced to three years in prison:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/09/09/kirk-shipley-sentencing-sex-abuse-whitman/

The article is quite something:

Shipley’s attorney Thomas Key asked if he could self-surrender to police in two to three weeks, arguing he’d driven his vehicle to the courthouse and needed to find someone to take care of his dog.

He was expecting probation, apparently.

I hope someone took the dog.

According to my kids, who rowed for TBC, he did not treat the dog very well and consequently was quite a menace. The dog will be better off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a former Whitman student who had Shipley as a AP Euro teacher many years ago (early 2000’s) I can assure you that staff, administration, and parents had some sense that he was a predator. Even at 16, my friends and I knew he was too comfortable around his students and his presence was unlike any other staff member at WWHS. People ignored what was directly in front of them; too much paperwork for admin, staff members not wanting to make assumptions about colleagues by throwing them under the bus, and parents being so blind by grades that of course this happened. None of it is surprising since most of this community lives in a bubble. Guarantee he wasn’t the only staff member who took advantage of students. It was a different era back then and staff got away with a lot…thank god things will finally change.

I second what this person said. I too had him for AP Euro in 2003-04 and looking back can’t say I am too surprised. Back then he was 30 and living on P or Q street. Crew kids commented on how they would go over to his house and how he gave rides to rowers. He seemed overly comfortable with some girls even then.

I wonder which other staff members this person is referring to here? I have an idea but obviously can’t say.

Regardless three years is a joke but it is better than nothing.

I went to another W school (slightly before this timeframe) and there was a teacher just like this. He had a couple of female students always hanging around him and he gave them rides all over the area. I even remember seeing them out at the mall together. We all new it didn't look right at the time but didn't fully understand just how screwed up this was back then.

How would MCPS administrators react in 2022 if a teacher was giving students rides and socializing outside of school? They would just tell the teacher to stop when doing such grooming behaviors should be a dismissible offense. Recognizing grooming and firing offenders ultimately protect students before the sexual abuse occurs. MCPS has decades of history protecting teachers who are predators above protecting students.