Lawsuit filed against MCPS for the Damascus Incident

[Anonymous]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/locker-room-sex-assault-victims-sue-md-school-system-asserting-officials-ignored-brooming-ritual-to-protect-football-program/2020/02/06/7713a854-479a-11ea-ab15-b5df3261b710_story.html?itid=hp_local-news_damasacus-1115am%3Ahomepage%2Fstory-ans

Hopefully, there will finally be some responsibility on MCPS and the coaches, principal and administrators that handled this situation so poorly.

[Anonymous]

I hope so. That was handled so horribly and none of the adults (mandates reporters!) faced any negative consequences for their actions.

What’s the point of making parents and teachers go through ‘trainings’ when it is clear that MCPS does not value the safety of its students.

[Anonymous]

Good.

[Anonymous]

Finally!!! No slap on the wrist, please. Not even jail. I want to see ineligibility to have a job with kids ever again. That's what's most important.

[Anonymous]

Here are the last paragraphs of the lengthy WaPo article:

"In the hours after the Oct. 31, 2018 attacks, Colbert, Wallich, Doody and Crouse (OP edit: JV coach, varsity coach, athletics director, and principal, respectively) learned at least one player at been assaulted in the locker-room by his teammates, according to court records filed earlier in the case. Smith has said they didn't learn details of how bad the assaults were until the following day, which is when they notified police.

The lawsuits paint a picture of a far less diligent response. Officials delayed telling the parents of the victims and, in delaying calling the police, upended the chance for detectives to preserve crime scene evidence in the locker room and interview both victims and suspects prior to them speaking with school officials.

“They went completely outside the protocols. They did so to control the investigation and protect the brand,” said Edward Cardona, an attorney representing two of the victims and their families.

The litigation alleges that on Nov. 1, 2018, Crouse the principal, used the school intercom system to call approximately 25 players to a meeting.

“None of the attackers attended this meeting with Principal Crouse,” the lawsuit charges. “During this meeting, Principal Crouse proceeded to condemn and chastise all attending football players, including the victims, as well as witnesses alike. She also accused the team of ‘ruining Coach Colbert's win streak.’” "

[Anonymous]

I don't understand why the administrators that didn't call the police, disturbed the crime scene, questioned and encouraged witnesses to think of the football program etc are not being arrested for obstruction of justice. I thought it was illegal to try to cover up a crime or mess up the investigation of one even if you were not the direct person who committed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why the administrators that didn't call the police, disturbed the crime scene, questioned and encouraged witnesses to think of the football program etc are not being arrested for obstruction of justice. I thought it was illegal to try to cover up a crime or mess up the investigation of one even if you were not the direct person who committed it.

Every single time there’s a sexual assault allegations in Montgomery County Public schools the principal does their own investigation which is against the rules and compromises the case. Every single time. It’s a huge problem that Montgomery County police have discussed with Montgomery county schools but the principles are never held accountable for compromising the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I don't understand why the administrators that didn't call the police, disturbed the crime scene, questioned and encouraged witnesses to think of the football program etc are not being arrested for obstruction of justice. I thought it was illegal to try to cover up a crime or mess up the investigation of one even if you were not the direct person who committed it.



Every single time there’s a sexual assault allegations in Montgomery County Public schools the principal does their own investigation which is against the rules and compromises the case. Every single time. It’s a huge problem that Montgomery County police have discussed with Montgomery county schools but the principles are never held accountable for compromising the case.

So MCPS has been warned not to obstruct investigations in the past yet they continue to do it. Why is the Montgomery County DA not doing anything about this?

[Anonymous]

Please demand an Inspector General for MCPS. The same stuff happens because there is no accountability.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please demand an Inspector General for MCPS. The same stuff happens because there is no accountability.

My God. Why the heck would the mcps board allow the rapist from Clarksburg High who has a history of sexually assaulting and assaulting other students transfer to Damascus HS to play football?? What's worse is when he beat up a teacher at Damascus he was still allowed to stay on the team!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please demand an Inspector General for MCPS. The same stuff happens because there is no accountability.

My God. Why the heck would the mcps board allow the rapist from Clarksburg High who has a history of sexually assaulting and assaulting other students transfer to Damascus HS to play football?? What's worse is when he beat up a teacher at Damascus he was still allowed to stay on the team!

If you follow MCPS at all, you would understand that this is standard for MCPS. This is not the first incident where MCPS has failed to protect its students. Dig a little deeper and read some other breads on this board. MCPS is horrible.

[Anonymous]

This lawsuit will hopefully uncover a lot of dirty little secrets In MCPS. I hope heads will roll, but sadly, I doubt it. Pay close attention to how the school board members respond, and please, take that information to the ballot box.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don't understand why the administrators that didn't call the police, disturbed the crime scene, questioned and encouraged witnesses to think of the football program etc are not being arrested for obstruction of justice. I thought it was illegal to try to cover up a crime or mess up the investigation of one even if you were not the direct person who committed it.

Every single time there’s a sexual assault allegations in Montgomery County Public schools the principal does their own investigation which is against the rules and compromises the case. Every single time. It’s a huge problem that Montgomery County police have discussed with Montgomery county schools but the principles are never held accountable for compromising the case.

So MCPS has been warned not to obstruct investigations in the past yet they continue to do it. Why is the Montgomery County DA not doing anything about this?

This. At this point it is beyond a school issue. Parents need to be protesting en masse to the State’s Attorney, the Governor, the state law board etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This lawsuit will hopefully uncover a lot of dirty little secrets In MCPS. I hope heads will roll, but sadly, I doubt it. Pay close attention to how the school board members respond, and please, take that information to the ballot box.

I feel the same. MCPS leadership is rarely held accountable. We see this over and over.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don't understand why the administrators that didn't call the police, disturbed the crime scene, questioned and encouraged witnesses to think of the football program etc are not being arrested for obstruction of justice. I thought it was illegal to try to cover up a crime or mess up the investigation of one even if you were not the direct person who committed it.

Every single time there’s a sexual assault allegations in Montgomery County Public schools the principal does their own investigation which is against the rules and compromises the case. Every single time. It’s a huge problem that Montgomery County police have discussed with Montgomery county schools but the principles are never held accountable for compromising the case.

So MCPS has been warned not to obstruct investigations in the past yet they continue to do it. Why is the Montgomery County DA not doing anything about this?

This. At this point it is beyond a school issue. Parents need to be protesting en masse to the State’s Attorney, the Governor, the state law board etc.

I don’t understand why parents aren’t more outraged? I think MCPS does such a good job of shutting down any dissent and parents are just worn out and discouraged maybe. We saw how parents were treated during the Town Hall ‘meetings’ for the Rockville rape incident, during the Richard Montgomery incident, this Damascus rape case. Parent concerns are dismissed and ignored consistently and parents feel helpless.