Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Tell your kids that the first thing they need to do when witnessing something is call you, and you call the police. Notify the school later. Even if individual staff have the best interests of the children at heart (and I personally know plenty who do!), the system is built to cover up abuse and protect the school.

This is very important. Often the staff at the school do their "own investigation" and completely destroy the police investigation.

This happened at our school. The child predator is still teaching at the school because all the witnesses and victims were pre-interviewed without parents BEFORE the police were notified. MCPS never called the police. A parent did.

Anonymous wrote:
Tell your kids that the first thing they need to do when witnessing something is call you, and you call the police. Notify the school later. Even if individual staff have the best interests of the children at heart (and I personally know plenty who do!), the system is built to cover up abuse and protect the school.

+10000 - if you call the school first, MCPS administrators first instinct is to coverup and minimize the fallout. You ALWAYS call the police first.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS needs a new spokesperson. Derek Turner threw salt on the wounds of every MCPS family that had their child abused while in the care of MCPS. Praise the Lord the Washington Post and WJLA are covering the story of the JV Football Team at Damascus High School. Without it, MCPS wouldn't be doing a damn thing about the situation at Damascus High School like they have ignored so many other cases of abuse.

What is the magic form to report RAPE to MCPS? Guess what - it doesn't exist.

Everyone's first call should be to the police BEFORE contacting a MCPS principal. The Damascus principal was told on October 31st about the broom rapes but the police didn't get involved until November 1st. Why didn't the principal immediately call the police?

It is not in the Principal’s best interest to call the police. It reflects poorly on the school and it’s easier to cover things up. Obviously not in the best interest of the victims, but MCPS proves time and time again that student safety is not a priority.

We have had multiple incidents of students being assaulted at our school or on the bus, and they amazingly don’t show up on the Student Safety reports.

A principal is a mandated report, in fact all MCPS employees are mandated reporter. However, Maryland is one of only two states that the penalty of failure to report is jail time. Annapolis really needs to add that piece of enforcement because children are not served when employees fail to report.

FYI - by the end of the year all MCPS school buses will be equipped with cameras. There are normally cameras in school hallways and stairwells. You should request that the footage be examined and archived. MCPS will only review the tape if there is a reported incident. The police can even serve the school with a warrant for a copy of the tape.

If your child is assaulted at school or on a bus, you can always go to the police before reporting to the school. One option is contacting your school resource officer who can fill out the police report or you can go to a police station. The police will even come to you if you need them to and if you don't mind them coming to your residence. You should always take pictures of any bruises or torn clothing.

Anonymous wrote:
Tell your kids that the first thing they need to do when witnessing something is call you, and you call the police. Notify the school later. Even if individual staff have the best interests of the children at heart (and I personally know plenty who do!), the system is built to cover up abuse and protect the school.

This is very important. Often the staff at the school do their "own investigation" and completely destroy the police investigation.

Someone made a threat (or maybe just a "concerning call") to Damascus HS today, and there will be a lot of police officers at the football game this evening: https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/police-fire/police-investigate-concerning-call-to-damascus-high-school-prior-to-friday-night-varsity-football-playoff-game/

Anonymous wrote:
Tell your kids that the first thing they need to do when witnessing something is call you, and you call the police. Notify the school later. Even if individual staff have the best interests of the children at heart (and I personally know plenty who do!), the system is built to cover up abuse and protect the school.

This. +100

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who leaked the police report to the Post?

Who cares, really? I'm grateful that they did. Or else, MCPS would continue to play it down as if it was NBD.

I’m not. It revictimizes the victims with too many details.

Strongly disagree! This needs to be discussed in the open, without naming the victims. Keeping the culture of silence ensures that there will be more victims.

I agree! Keeping it quiet will lead to even more victims.

Tell your kids that the first thing they need to do when witnessing something is call you, and you call the police. Notify the school later. Even if individual staff have the best interests of the children at heart (and I personally know plenty who do!), the system is built to cover up abuse and protect the school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Just read the MCPS quotes about “hazing.” Bullshit. This was rape, and once again MCPS is minimizing it as “hazing” in a feint attempt to hide the truth and to minimize potential financial damages.

It was also hazing. The drum major at Florida A&M University died in 2013, someone was convicted of manslaughter, that was also hazing.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article115652918.html

There are lots of serious issues about the incident at Damascus HS. I don't think that MCPS calling it hazing is one of them. It was second-degree rape, AND it was also hazing.

Yeah, sure - hazing. The reality is that the ring leader who orchestrated this had some serious psych problems - enough for Clarksburg to tell Damascus..."here, you take him". Fail at all levels. This was never about hazing about more about the sick fantasies of a (sadly) disturbed young kid who wanted to take it out on others (who had a particular background in common).

Please stop spreading rumors. If it's true, it will come out without your anonymous rumormongering. If it's not, shame on you.

Doubt it will come out but whatever makes you feel better to post.

Stop fighting about words, you two. It was RAPE. It was assault. It was hazing. All of those things. The accused should be convicted and imprisoned if found guilty (and they likely are guilty).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who leaked the police report to the Post?

Who cares, really? I'm grateful that they did. Or else, MCPS would continue to play it down as if it was NBD.

I’m not. It revictimizes the victims with too many details.

Strongly disagree! This needs to be discussed in the open, without naming the victims. Keeping the culture of silence ensures that there will be more victims.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Just read the MCPS quotes about “hazing.” Bullshit. This was rape, and once again MCPS is minimizing it as “hazing” in a feint attempt to hide the truth and to minimize potential financial damages.

It was also hazing. The drum major at Florida A&M University died in 2013, someone was convicted of manslaughter, that was also hazing.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article115652918.html

There are lots of serious issues about the incident at Damascus HS. I don't think that MCPS calling it hazing is one of them. It was second-degree rape, AND it was also hazing.

Yeah, sure - hazing. The reality is that the ring leader who orchestrated this had some serious psych problems - enough for Clarksburg to tell Damascus..."here, you take him". Fail at all levels. This was never about hazing about more about the sick fantasies of a (sadly) disturbed young kid who wanted to take it out on others (who had a particular background in common).

Please stop spreading rumors. If it's true, it will come out without your anonymous rumormongering. If it's not, shame on you.

Doubt it will come out but whatever makes you feel better to post.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Just read the MCPS quotes about “hazing.” Bullshit. This was rape, and once again MCPS is minimizing it as “hazing” in a feint attempt to hide the truth and to minimize potential financial damages.

It was also hazing. The drum major at Florida A&M University died in 2013, someone was convicted of manslaughter, that was also hazing.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article115652918.html

There are lots of serious issues about the incident at Damascus HS. I don't think that MCPS calling it hazing is one of them. It was second-degree rape, AND it was also hazing.

Yeah, sure - hazing. The reality is that the ring leader who orchestrated this had some serious psych problems - enough for Clarksburg to tell Damascus..."here, you take him". Fail at all levels. This was never about hazing about more about the sick fantasies of a (sadly) disturbed young kid who wanted to take it out on others (who had a particular background in common).

Please stop spreading rumors. If it's true, it will come out without your anonymous rumormongering. If it's not, shame on you.

Damascus alum are pretty dead set on ... this was just one incident and not a "tradition".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Just read the MCPS quotes about “hazing.” Bullshit. This was rape, and once again MCPS is minimizing it as “hazing” in a feint attempt to hide the truth and to minimize potential financial damages.

It was also hazing. The drum major at Florida A&M University died in 2013, someone was convicted of manslaughter, that was also hazing.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article115652918.html

There are lots of serious issues about the incident at Damascus HS. I don't think that MCPS calling it hazing is one of them. It was second-degree rape, AND it was also hazing.

Yeah, sure - hazing. The reality is that the ring leader who orchestrated this had some serious psych problems - enough for Clarksburg to tell Damascus..."here, you take him". Fail at all levels. This was never about hazing about more about the sick fantasies of a (sadly) disturbed young kid who wanted to take it out on others (who had a particular background in common).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who leaked the police report to the Post?

Who cares, really? I'm grateful that they did. Or else, MCPS would continue to play it down as if it was NBD.

I’m not. It revictimizes the victims with too many details.