So basically people only know about this if they happened to read the news in early August or if they went to the swim school but all the other institutions that hosted and welcomed him have been silent |
It has been spread through parent networks at Eaton. There was even a parent organized and lead meeting for classmates of their oldest child. The school admin has not mentioned it publicly. The publicly available information indicates that the abuse happened at his home and not at school, so maybe that’s why they aren’t talking about it. |
So parents are publicly sharing that MPD is asking for the publics help to identify other potential victims or the wfh moms have gossiped about it amongst themselves and consider it handled? What channels have been used to spread the information? |
Not sure why people feel the need to attack each other instead providing ways to get the word out. The Eaton parent was sharing information to be helpful. Has anyone clarified if parent org volunteers at DCPS need to be screened and if so - why he wasnt’t? If he did have a restraining order against him from another family at school - how was he allowed to continue to be on HSA and other committees? What about someone else’s suggestion that sports team photographers and school photographers should be checked and approved. If MPD is actively looking for more information - maybe meet with 2D Captain (the station is a short walk from Thomas’s apartment and Eaton) and as how to best support. Idk - just seems like everyone agrees that he should be locked away for as long as possible and that it’s important to have real safety measures in place within swim clubs and at school…taking shots at others on an anonymous message board doesn’t really help much |
All of the above but I’m not sure why you are angry at me. I have been in conversations in person and via text, email, WhatsApp groups, phone calls and the organized parents meeting was on zoom. There were moms, dads and other guardians of various work status involved. Discussions have varied from spreading information and processing the shock to how to discuss body safety with kids to how to help kids process without gossiping to how to create a safe place for any and all victims. I know some parents have contacted police with whatever information they feel they have. Other parents are tired of the conversations and are ready to let the legal process proceed without debriefing every docket entry. I wish the school and HSA/LSAT would speak out to unify the information and make sure everybody knows but for whatever reason, they aren’t. But parents who knew the family have discussed it and shared information. |
Untrue, Eaton is the opposite of toxic. Whoever posted this is clearly not or ever has been part of Eaton. Mahoney was always "Thomas" never "Tom". You don't know what you're talking about. |
Its very cliquey at Eaton just like every other ps in the entitled areas of DC. A Handful of privileged parents dominate the communication channels and volunteer for everything so within their bubble they think things are great, I'm sure, as they are popular in their social group and in on the gossip. I found out about this thread from another parent and I didn't know about any of this. I'm on every WhatsApp and email group that's been shared to me, there's like 20 of them, and I never saw any of the chats that someone said were happening. It's actually a little suspicious how defensive some of these comments are, like an admin is pretending to be a parent or maybe no one wants to talk about how they were friends with a pedo |
You bring up an important point: “a handful of privileged parents volunteer for everything”. Why is that? It is because the majority of the community thinks their time is too valuable for voluteer work. This is particularly true among Dads. An inordinate number of volunteers are always moms rather than dads and when dads do volunteer, they want important jobs like LSAT chair or HSA president. |
You are correct that nothing has been said on any “official” communication, which is why I’m frustrated that the admin hasn’t said anything. Everything has been through informal parent groups. I’m certainly not privileged or popular (although I do volunteer - they don’t turn anybody away!) but my kids have been in classes with the Mahony kids so those are the group that I heard through. If your kids haven’t been in the same classes, I can see how you might have missed. |
The HSA/LSAT are led by parent volunteers - they don’t turn anyone away from volunteering - regardless of privilege, WFH status, or whatever else. If you want more communication about this to happen and a change in policies on parent photographers - attend meetings and get involved! Stop complaining that some else should do these things!
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OR because according to DCUM, men should not be in any role that involves being around children. |
How do you think it should change? My kids swim with MVP and there’s so many parents and kids everywhere that no adult has an opportunity to be alone with a kid anywhere near the pool. The bathrooms are higher risk but even then there are usually people from both teams streaming in and out during meets. I generally keep an eye on my youngest when they are going to the bathroom at meets for this reason. But there are so many people around at practice and meets that I’m not sure what rules should be enacted. That no adult can talk to a child who isn’t their own kid? I guess I’m not seeing this as an ideal hunting ground like you say other than the fact it allowed him and his kids to befriend other families so that he could groom them—but that could happen at any kid activity. Based on what I’ve observed at practice and meets over the years, I felt pretty confident this guy never interacted with my kids. But I asked my kids point blank if they ever interacted with him or were ever around him or any other adult one on one. I told my kids all about what he did. They were shocked and really unsettled about it. It was a good opportunity to revisit this topic and remind them what to do if they ever find themselves in that situation or see something happening between a kid and adult that doesn’t seem right. And to emphasize that these people don’t always look or act how you’d expect, and that it’s often someone you know or are acquainted with. |
The first HSA meeting of the year is on Sept 16. |
The restraining order included the school is my understanding, so he could go to soccer games. |
The other HSA board members knew about it (the restraining order), but didn’t know why. I’m actually amazed that there wasn’t more gossip/chatter. |