Teacher Sex Scandal Coverup At Dean Elementary
By Greg L | 16 May 2008 | Crime, Manassas City | 87 Comments
EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS…
On May 9th, a male first-year ESOL teacher at Dean Elementary School in Manassas was lead away by police in handcuffs. The rumor, which is all we have at this point given a concerted effort by school officials to cover this up, is that the teacher was arrested for sexual misconduct involving one or more of his students. This teacher’s behavior was apparently of concern for some time, and school officials apparently took no action until the problem became sufficiently troublesome as to involve a criminal complaint.
Let the sunshine come, and help clean up this mess that is being kept secret from parents and the community at large.
UPDATE: The school has sent out a letter about this to parents as a result of this posting, which reads in part:
I am currently investigating a personnel matter that was been brought to my attention. As part of the investigation all appropriate actions including meeting with affected parents and Manassas Police Department were taken. Contact with the Manassas Department of Family Services was immediately made to ensure a thorough investigation is conducted. I am not allowed to comment further due to Virginia laws protecting privacy of people accused, but not charged with crimes, but I can tell you that no criminal charges have been filed. The teacher involved is not reporting to school at this time.
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This makes me ask, what kind of hiring practices does the school system have in place? How often are background checks done on the employee’s? Once when they are hired? I realize that background checks won’t catch someone who hasn’t been convicted of a crime but it might catch them if they are committed after they are hired. I hope they are done at the very least every two years.
Wow! I work in the City public schools and I never heard a single rumor of this which is odd considering the font of gossip that can and does exist in a small school system. I’m sorry that any student had to be apart of this. Each employee is fingerprinted, and the prints are run. However, I’m not sure if the state of VA runs the prints outside VA.
Wonder if the Justice Department came across this during their recent fishing expedition? Same school system, right?
Same system way different school.
When I worked for Fairfax County Public Schools in 2002, all school employees were fingerprinted and their fingerprints submitted to State Police and FBI. No idea if Manassas and Prince William does the same.
Thumper,
Same here. I drove a school bus for a little bit and quit.
My point is that even the bus drivers and my understanding at the time was ANY employee.
However, I did sub teach in PWC and was NOT finger printed.
Now why would a school system want to cover up sexual misconduct? What do they have to gain? Nada.
What they don’t want to do is blow their own internal investigation or make any allegations that compromise the employee’s privacy. Personnel matters are very delicate and need to be treated accordingly.
The bottom line is, the City of Manassas sure doesn’t want to draw another law suit. The secrecy is actually common sense and caution. Why must everything be part of a conspiracy?
Subs in PWC ARE fingerprinted.
What about Doms? Seems like it would be unfair that only the Subs get ‘printed….
Great, just great. This guy needs to be strung up in the public square. We cannot allow this to go on. We need to make an example of this prevert and tell the world you can’t mess with our kids. Greg, I can’t find any media information on this thing, where did your informaion come from? Any reponse from the school yet?
Peter G. - Greg said ” the rumor, which is all we have at this point…”. Rumors are enough to get people stirred enough to suggest stringing someone up in the public square, don’t you know?!
It’s nice to see that the American justice system is still hard at work, Peter G. Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? So you have strung the guy up in the public square…what happen if it turns out some kid lied on him? You have a dead strung up guy and a liar kid.
If the person was led out in cuff, it sounds like an arrest was made. It should be pretty easy to obtain the information.
I am all in favor of facts rather than rumor and inuendo here.
How about that Osbourn guy? Is he still in jail? What’t the lastest on that guy and when is his trial?
Sorry folks, I don’t mean to convict the guy before trial. But IF he did it I want a very public sentence. The guy from OHS guy has been indicted by the Grand Jury for sexual battery and custodial indecent liberty and will be in court May 28 to enter a plea and have a trial date set.
The whole point here is that the man was arrested and no parents were told.
Is this more than a rumor? I have seen nothing about this other than this blog. I would think the media would love this kind of stuff.
And how should the parents be told? When should they be told? Should a letter be sent home in a kid’s backpack?
If I were the principal, I would make a personal call home to each child’s (in that class only) parent and simply say the individual in question was on administrative leave and I was not in the position to give further information at this time. Nothing more needs to be done unless there is a lot more to this.
Peter G, I think your outrageous was normal and instant. The problem I have is this. Kids lie. Kids tell the truth. The matter is obviously under investigation. Careers can be ruined by lies, rumors and innuendo. We cannot take chances with our kids and we cannot ruin the careers of innocent people. I suppose I am seeking balance, once again.
Hopefully we will be kept apprised of this situation as it develops. Peter G, thanks for the update on that other incident. Is it just me or are most of these cases coming out of the city? How many has it been so far just this year? Is there a leak out of central office for MCSB?
Correction: outrageous = outRAGE sorry
According to the Dean web site, all the ESOL teachers are female. Hey Greg, can you site your sources? This is looking very suspicious. Sure am glad I have not strung the guy up in the public square yet!
dolph,
I can’t be sure but I think this is the second case. OPHS had the teachers selling drugs that was reported as Osbourn on this blog. But just one is too much. It must be hard for the administration to figure out who might do such a thing, but they need to make every effort to protect the kids. If there are more in the city than the county I am sure it is just an anomaly. And thanks for realizing I just over reacted a bit.
Dolph said on 16 May 2008 at 10:23 pm:
Now why would a school system want to cover up sexual misconduct? What do they have to gain? Nada.
No se!
Peter G. said on 17 May 2008 at 10:10 am:
Is this more than a rumor? I have seen nothing about this other than this blog. I would think the media would love this kind of stuff.
The local media is about 2 weeks behind situations that occur in this (Manassas) area.
They were all over the thing with the band teacher at OHS. Manassas and Washington media.
I’m sure Greg put this out there so questions will be asked. If I had a child that attended Dean I would be up there demanding answers first thing Monday morning.
me-n-u,
Based solely on what Greg reported on this blog with no confirmation of any kind? You might end up looking silly.
I am wondering if you can find this out via the “tedious” method. The police should put on their web page a list of everyone who has been arrested or charged with a crime, right? Maybe the school system has a “master list” of all teachers? Can they be compared?
Speaking of schools, two teachers at Chantilly High School in Fairfax have gotten arrested this year, one for an Internet sex crime and another for drugs, I think. The first one was also an advisor for the school Young Democrats, coincidentally.
Ron - glad you mentioned the coincidentality! Important info I say.
Manassas City Schools does fingerprint everyone including substitutes.
Regardless of how it plays out, this is so sad. Reputations and careers have been totally ruined by rumor, later proven to be untrue. No one needs that.
If a crime has been committed or if there is suspicion teacher misconduct, removal of the “suspect” from the school is quite appropriate. I don’t need to know charges at this point.
Parents of “Dean Elementary” students who are curious and want details should speak to their child-students, not the school. The school has the responsibility of providing information to the investigative authortity but also, to protect the accused. If the child student reports inappropriate conduct to Mom/Dad, that should be taken to the police. If the student knows of no inappropriate conduct, that’s all Mom and Dad need to know at this point.
Fortunately, conviction of a criminal charge requres evidence far more compelling than that required for dismissal of a teacher due to misconduct. The public would become aware of formal criminal charges, but the basis for a teacher’s termination due to misconduct would not be revealed to the general public.
The unfortunate circumstance is that of a teacher who is terminated due to misconduct, whose misconduct is secreted away in personnel files and then, this former teacher decides to run for elective office, e.g., the school board. It is certainly plausible that if this candidate were well-spoken and charismatic he/she could be elected by an unknowing electorate. Talk about “fox guarding the henhouse,” there’s definitely something wrong here.
Freedom,
Well said. I stay away from threads like this one. I am a firm believer we are all innocent until proven guilty by a court of law and/or a jury of our peers.
I am with you rumors are just that rumors. We are talking a persons professional career, not just a JOB. This is a sad situation no matter how it plays out. I am glad to see there are a more like me and not ready to jump on this bandwagon.
My daughter had an excellent Science teacher that had to give up his Science lab classroom and his full time teaching position to make room for the aboved mentioned SB candidate. This infuriated me to no end, and my daughter as well. She even addressed the PWCBOS regarding this too.
How can a child answer the parents questions if they don’t know?
Freedom, I agree with everything you have said here.
I don’t know what can be done about smoother talkers running for office. Personnel files, regardless of where someone works, are not for public scrutiny. Creates a real conundrum.
Greg,
We are still waiting some kind of confirmation of this information. Who gave you the “rumor”? What do they know and how do they know it? It has been 2 days since you put the claim of sexual misconduct with a child and that there has been a “concerted effort by school officials to cover this up”. You threw this out there, how about throwing out some facts. What school officials? Lots of questions Greg, how about some answers.
There is no info of an arrest on the MCPD pages.
Peter G & anon,
You’ve both made excellent points. It really makes me sick to read this crap. This someone’s livelihood. Just the facts, and NOTHING LESS.
me-n-u: If your student can’t answer your specific questions about them personally, then I’d say that he/she wasn’t affected. If I were you, I’d breathe a sigh of relief and go on with life.
Peter G: Sounds me like there’s an issue “in-work” here, but unless your child claims to have been affected, I don’t really see that you need to know a lot more at this point, huh?
If for some reason, 2, 3, maybe 4 students didn’t like you and accused you of misconduct, it is conceiveable that the accusation was totally and absolutely false, right? Of course it is. Would you think it fair and proper for the community to be informed of the accusation prior to the investigation being completed? I think not.
It does seem to me though that if a person seeks political office, all candidates should be required to sign a statement authorizing release of any/all data related to discharge for cause.
Dolph: See what “pay for performance” would have done in this case? (…just kidding.)
What a shock to see Dolph defend the public school system. Every parent that has kids in the school needs to be informed, unless of course the teacher spends all of his time in the one classroom he teaches in.
Yes, bad apples do get by, but having a cover up as this appears to be should not be accepted.
Here’s a point. If there is a cover up going on and parents don’t ask questions, the cover up continues. Every parent has a right to know what happens in the school their children attend. Good or bad.
Maybe we’ll find out Monday what is going on. When those questions start being asked.
me-n-u, if you were “the man in charge” and an accusation were made against one of your employees, e.g., a teacher, would you think it proper to publicly announce the accusation to the general public? …and after your public announcement of the accusation, it were discovered that a couple malcontents who didn’t get their way in 2nd hour English class, or who were rebuked at the prom simply wanted to “nail” the person, what would you say to the employee’s husband/wife?
Where would you draw the line between “a cover up” and protecting an individual from malicious intent? …surely that’s important. I believe the employer has a responsibility and that if you were the one accused, you’d consider this to be a fairly significant issue.
Me-n-u, you said, “Every parent has a right to know what happens in the school their children attend. Good or bad.” My question is this, “How do you really, honestly know what happens in the school your children attend unless an investigation is initiated and completed”?
And what a surprise (NOT) to see COM take a swipe at yet another school. If I had chosen to not send my kids to public school I would probably just decide that it was none of my business and stay out of it, especially since it is still at rumor stage.
COM, I will always defend public schools until given a specific reason not to. I believe in public education and that it is the great equalizer. I come from a long line of people who believed as I believe. This is just the beginning:
http://www.ccs.k12.va.us/schools/burnley/about.html
Freedom,
No comment on the pay for performance there. That definitely would have handled serveral areas.
I agree with everything you have said about this latest issue. Not even going to comment here…you are doing a more than adequate job. I
Dolph said, “I believe in public education and that it is the great equalizer.”
Yes, to protect the substandard, we DO need a “great equalizer” don’t we?
How sad that our intelligent people wish to “settle,” and give in to those who wish to achieve, but just can’t quite make it on their own…
So freedom are you saying that we shouldn’t question what goes on in our schools?
Freedom,
Ok, that was a cryptic message. Be more specific. I don’t feel that our intelligent people wish to settle. Some intelligent people are just plain lazy and don’t want to do jack. I care a great deal more about the motivated than I do the intelligent. Intelligence is an accident of birth. What you do with it is all up to you. Motivation is an entirely different matter.
On the other hand, there are some people out there, through not fault of their own, who might need a helping hand. Once given that helping hand, move on to do great things. I have been fortunate enough to know some of those people.
If that is what public education does, great. Then it is part of the American dream. Those who don’t need it can have their rich parents send them to private school. Is it perfect? Far from it. Many systems are better than others. On the other hand, a self motivated student can walk away with the sun, moon and stars if that is his or her desire.
freedom,
I agree with you that we must protect all of the people involved. Greg, however, has passed on accusations about a possible teacher and the school officials, calling it a “Cover Up’. I want to know who told him what and why he put it on this blog if he has no evidence. Come on Greg, cut loose with some information. I guess it may be a large assumption that you even have any and you are just giving fuel to folks like COM.
Peter G.,
It looks like we might never find out. I am glad I am not this unknown person.
Dolph,
Since I am a tax payer in the City of Manassas, unlike many of the illegals that you have an indifference to, I think I have a say in the public school system, and therefore, should have the right to question people or to receive answers from those who work for me and who I help pay their salaries.
Cryptic? My point was and remains simple…each person should be able to achieve to the limit of their capabilities. I definitely agree that people need a helping hand and I’m more than willing to help when need (different than “want”) exists…for me, that helping hand came from my family…others may not be so lucky.
I will achieve what I can, and you should too, based upon a combination of whatever intelligence, motivation, hard work, and help from my family that I /you can muster. However, our society does not need any institution (even the public schools) to serve as the “great equalizer” of anything beyond opportunity.
There are those who can afford fancy clothes and there are those who can not. There are those who can afford fancy cars and there are those who can not. Likewise, if my achievements allow me to give what I believe to be more opportunity to my children through private education, I will do that. Obviously, I take risk in that I am exercising my judgment as to what is greatest opportunity…but where would our country be if no one ever took risk?
Is that sufficiently decrypted?
CoM…I agree with you in large part. You do, or at least SHOULD “have a say in the public school system, and therefore, should have the right to question people or to receive answers from those who work for me and who I help pay their salaries.”
We have heard that there is one teacher at Dean Elementary who apparently did not perform well. That teacher has apparently been removed from the classroom based upon something — presumably an accusation, and we are led to believe it had something to do with sexual misconduct. True or not, I don’t know….and until it is proven to be true, the details need to be guarded from the general public for that person’s protection against untrue accusations. At this point, having been removed from the scene is enough for us, the on-lookers. Mind you, guarded from the general public, NOT investigative authority.
You have the right to ask and receive answers from those who work for you…but those answers may not contain the detail you would like. Yes, they work for you and for me, but those employees of ours also have the responsibility to protect those who may be unjustly accused from public condemnation and ridicule.
I happen to believe that teachers need to be justly compensated and/or removed from the classroom due to simply “poor performance.”
Freedom,
Actually, I don’t take much issue with anything you said, although you appear to mock my words ‘great equalizer.’ (or at least tastefully raised an eyebrow)
I have known of kids who absolutely came from nothing. Kids who most would say never had a chance. I have seen some of those kids brought into a sports program, or had some adult take an interest in them and have seen them blossom into productive, useful adults who spent a life time of ‘giving back.’ Education eradicates poverty and hopelessness. Education levels the playing field and erases social boundaries.
I also believe the military achieves the same thing, although it does it later in life. It educates, teaches skills and for those who do right, it provides a long career with half decent retirement benefits. It too is a great equalizer and has been for eons….going back to even Roman times.
Freedom,
Under seperate cover here, I believe that ineffective teachers should be removed also using due process. I also believe people who do inappropriate things with children should be removed.
However, life being not simple, there is a process. If it is criminal, you will know about it. If it isn’t criminal, then there is a good chance you will never know the details and that is just how it goes. Even though I might want to know, I probably won’t.
The only way I found out anything at all about the individual you and I were alluding to yesterday was by tapping the gossip mill. And that is risky at best as far as accuracy goes.
At what point do we decide it isn’t any of our business? I don’t live in the City and therefore I don’t feel I have much say in what goes on there. I suppose I could make a case for paying taxes to the state and the City has a good chunk of change paid into its school system by the state. Feds also pay impact aid. I pay federal taxes.
I do live in the county. My kids have all graduated from county schools. I do have grandkids who attend county schools. I pay county taxes. However, I do not feel the teachers work for me. They work for the school system. I am not their boss. We all collectively pay into that system without any voting privileges other than our board of supervisors. If I paid the gkids’ tuition in private school perhaps I might feel I had more of a say. I am sure hoping I don’t have to do that though. Beats home schooling them though. Then again, I think it is really their parents’ problem.
Dolph, our disagreement is in your use of the term “equalizer.” If you had used the term “opportunity giver,” I would have had no objection at all…and no, it was not my intent to “mock your words,” not at all.
“Affirmative action” is a good example of an equalizer, as it gives advantage to one group at the expense of another. “Affirmative action” was designed to “level the playing field” for those “historically disadvantaged.” In a nutshell, I don’t want you or anyone else to take from others and give to me so as to “make us equal.” I should have equal opportunity to achieve, and with opportunity, the rest is up to me. Right? I think so.
As a 20 year AF veteran, I know a little about the military and the opportunities that it provides. The military is not an “equalizer” … it does not make people equal, but it DOES give people opportunity. The military gives individuals the opportunity to learn and achieve what their intelligence, character, motivation and hard work will permit.
Dolph, I was particularly sensitive to your use of the term “equalizer” as it pertains to the public schools because of my granddaughter. At age 5, she entered public kindergarten in Fairfax county…Vienna, to be more specific. Upon entry to kindergarten, she was being taught colors and shapes. Well, my granddaughter learned that much earlier, from her Mom, a stay-at-home Mom. Apparently, a good number of the children did not know shapes and colors, and so, in that case, the public school kindergarten WAS an equalizer. My granddaughter’s education was stymied while the other children caught up with what she had learned earlier.
No, my granddaughter is not precocious, she’s intelligent, but normally so. I realize that there is need for a common starting point in school and I don’t know why some children needed kindergarten for shapes and colors, perhaps it was because their Mom’s work outside the home and couldn’t/didn’t teach them…but in that case, the public school WAS unfortunately an equalizer.
My granddaughter is merely a case in point…I am confident that her experience is not always true, but my daughter found the “public school as an equalizer” and it wasn’t what she wanted for her daughter. So, my daughter financially supports the public school (equalizer) and the private school where she believes…true or not and whether you agree or not…she believes her daughter has greater opportunity. That is parental responsibility.
Enough for me on this subject, but unfortunately the term “equalizer,” kinda falls hand-in-hand with what is more often called “wealth redistribution.” Sad.
Just saw a letter that Mrs. Pope sent home to Dean parents. Looks like Greg has given false information. “Teacher Sex Scandal Coverup At Dean Elementary”, wrong. “a concerted effort by school officials to cover this up”, wrong again. We have to take everything that Greg says with a large grain of salt. Greg do you realize that people read your stuff and believe it as fact and will swear to it? Come on man, you hurt people when you do that kind of stuff. All of this uproar because you printed a rumor and called it “EXCLUSIVE BREAKING NEWS…”
Wow !!! As a MCPS employee - I am totally shocked at many of the things I’m reading - especially by the ManCity residents themselves.
I think it was best noted that the original person who posted this rumor has NEVER responded to any of you. Take it for what it is - a rumor - someone trying to stir the pot and possibly spread lies just to put down MCPS and teachers in general.
I also looked at the Dean webpage and there is a male teacher - for the person who stated there wasn’t.
As part of this strand, I think parents need to get off their high horse and their butts and actually work more with their children instead of dumping everything on the schools. I would LOVE AND PAY to see an average civilian try to run a classroom let alone a school on limited funds, overcrowding, working with students who don’t speak English, finding funds to feed those who have no lunch money, unruly students, negligent parents, testing standards, students who bring weapons to school, students who assault teachers and stduents, students wearing what they want to school - which is very little most of the time, and boy I could go on and on and on and on.
I praise those parents who are doing their duty and going above and beyond - thank you - thank you. These are all my opinions - take them for what they are.
As for this rumor, I have heard nothing and none of my colleagues have heard anything about it. As I stated before I too work for Manassas City. Usualy the media is quick to report - and seeing as how the sighting was last week, we would have heard confirmation by now.
On a similar note - please remember that the media LOVES to report rumors and allegations, but they do not report when a staff member was found not guilty - case in point - a staff member 2 years ago was put on administrative leave for supposedly being inappropriate with a male student. The man lost his career of almost 30 years with the school system - paid close to $50,000 in lawyer fees himself - only to be found not guilty because the student fessed up and admitted he lied. Did the media print that story? Was the student forced to pay the lawyer fees? No no no. How unfair
Please people - blogging is dangerous - it infuriates people, strengthens ignorance and does no good most of the time. How about blogging about the wonderful things your school system is doing? Remember you attract more bees with honey.
Look at this link to Dean. There is a MALE ESOL teacher there.
http://manassas.k12.va.us/dean/OLDSITE/esol%20teachers%20new.htm
The current version of the website doesn’t list Mr. Ney. The version posted by me-n-u is an old version of the website. Now I wonder when this change was made…
Current listing of the staff is at http://manassas.k12.va.us/dean/staff_list.htm by the way.
Freedom,
Agree, if it is performance based, it should be between the teacher and the school.
I’ve heard that this guy was a first year teacher at Dean.
Greg L. please issue a retraction of your sensational blog about the “Teacher Sex Scandal Coverup At Dean Elementary”. Who in their right mind would report something of this nature without the facts???? Greg not only do you need to publicly retract this story you need to publicly apologize to the administration, teachers and students in the Manassas City School system.
Greg,
You can wonder all you want… I wonder where you get your wrong information.
“Peter G. said on 19 May 2008 at 4:06 pm:
Just saw a letter that Mrs. Pope sent home to Dean parents. Looks like Greg has given false information.”
Could you please post some excerpts from that letter?
As it stands now, this is just a he said-he said argument - and there is not one single fact. From either of you.
As a parent of a child that attends Dean, We were given a handout this afternoon about the whole situation. No Teacher was led out in handcuffs. Although there is an investigation about some teacher that NO CRIMINAL CHARGES have been filed. We were informed about the situation and I have to wonder where this person got his/her information??????????????
“I’ve heard”; “the rumor, which is all we have…”, etc.
For shame!
Freedom,
I have an answer for you but I will wait until this rumor crisis is over.
I pretty much agree with you, and I believe our differences are over semantics rather than content and principle.
This is the first I have heard of this. Nice job of the school super to write “Teacher Sex Scandal Cover-up at Dean Elementary” in the note she sent home. I put in the exact term and this site popped up at the top of the page. Now everyone can find this thing easily. Guess she isn’t that familiar with “the Internets.”
” We were given a handout this afternoon about the whole situation.”
The way to dispel these rumors is to post what was in the handout.
All these comments do by people who have supposedly seen “the letter” is fuel further speculation and rumor.
“Just another opinion …” thank you for the reality check and for what you do every day. I am not a teacher, but do volunteer in the schools on a regular basis and see a glimpse of what teachers are up against. I have seen children who are neglected (unwashed and wearing tshirts and shorts in the middle of winter), who are subject to intolerable living conditions (bugbites), and who get no educational support at home from their parents. In many instances, the schools are the only refuge for these children. It is where their basic needs are met, it is where they are with adults who try to give them a chance to succeed in life. Teachers and school faculty members have become the “first responders” of our society for children who are victims of parental irresponsibility, neglect, or abuse. God bless them all for what they do.
And, for those who are concerned about the schools and are vocal about their criticisms, if you really want to help, try volunteering in a public school. Your time would be much better served reading to a child instead of complaining that a child can’t read.
K said on 19 May 2008 at 6:05 pm:
As a parent of a child that attends Dean, We were given a handout this afternoon about the whole situation.
Okay K what did the letter say?
May 19, 2008
Dear Dean Parents:
I am very concerned about information in the form of a rumor that was recently
posted on a local blog site concerning the reputation of Dean Elementary School. It
contains very damaging and incorrect information. Given the inaccuracies, I felt it
necessary to clarify and bring the matter to your attention. The story alleges that there is
a “Teacher Sex Scandal Cover-up at Dean Elementary.” It states that a teacher at Dean
“was arrested and lead away by police in handcuffs” on May 9th. This is not correct. No
arrests have been made, no teacher was taken away in handcuffs and there is no cover up.
To date no central office representative or Dean Administrator has spoken to anyone
from the web site regarding this “rumor” prior to posting the story.
I am currently investigating a personnel matter that was been brought to my
attention. As part of the investigation all appropriate actions including meeting with
affected parents and Manassas Police Department were taken. Contact with the
Manassas Department of Family Services was immediately made to ensure a thorough
investigation is conducted. I am not allowed to comment further due to Virginia laws
protecting privacy of people accused, but not charged with crimes, but I can tell you that
no criminal charges have been filed. The teacher involved is not reporting to school at
this time.
If you have any questions or concerns please contact me. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Gail E. Pope, Ed.D.
Superintendent
THE SCHOOL BOARD OF
THE CITY OF MANASSAS
Arthur P. Bushnell, Chairman
Scott M. Albrecht, Vice-Chairman
Mary E. Andersen
Sheryl L. Bass
Dora L. Brooks
Tim Demeria
Curtis W. Wunderly
The letter said that most of the accusations on this site were untrue. Granted, do you really think the cops would put a teacher in handcuffs at the school? They aren’t stupid.
I don’t know if this guy is guilty or not. I will say, though, that we live in a country where you are innocent until proven guilty. From what I have gathered, this person hasn’t even been arrested or charged, so to claim otherwise is not helping the situation. At the same time, I don’t know if the school system fingerprints teachers or not. I’m not sure what the process is. But I will say that fingerprints don’t do you any good if there is no criminal background to identify because the person has never been caught doing this kind of thing before. The school system may have done its due diligence.
From the letter, it is apparent that this is being looked into by the authorities and nothing is being swept under the rug. The school system has a legal obligation to protect both students and faculty when no charges have been filed. I suggest we give the authorities and school system the time they need to look into this and quit passing along unfounded rumors.
Peter,
Thank you for setting the record straight. It sickens me that someone would be so eager to spread gossip that a person’s reputation might be unjustly ruined or an investigation might be compromised because of a leak.
I would hope to see a retraction.
When will our administrators at Dean and MCPS “get it” that parents and tachers TALK about the daily goings-on? and THAT is how it should be… including the administrators. Understanding that these kinds of events DO and will happen from time to time in ANY school, no matter how well-managed, its best to be upfront about them to shut the rumor-mill down and take a pro-active approach (i.e. an immediate notice to parents that “something” happened and is being investigated)
Is it not better to provide ALL the facts of the matter (except, of course, the legally or morally confidential details) than to let speculation run rampant?
Many parents feel that the one major break-down of our schools is that the administration “forgets” what it’s like to be a parent in “today’s world”. One wonders if any of the the “admin cohorts” at GMU or elsewhere even address this issue.
Take a step “back” and ask “IF I WERE A PARENT, WOULD I WANT TO KNOW AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE?”
And— enough trying to suppress communication! PUHLEEZE– where are we? Russia? Independent Hill and the massive “just-trying-to-keep-my-6-figure-job” bureaucracy of PWCS?
Managing a school or school system, despite being kid-oriented. isn’t kids-play. Kudos to today’s brave teachers and administrators who dare to risk their sanity and reputations in the name of helping our kids prepare for the real world.
Jennie Dean Elementary School does NOT deserve to be singled-out in GL’s comments (however much we support his intentions to “inform”). It’s just unfortunate that, once again, the lack of open communication and not suppression of same has allowed rumor to replace fact and opinion to trump reality.
Today’s letter from Mrs. Pope was APPRECIATED and could have only been more so had it come from the school. Nonetheless, once Dean is past that mindset of suppression, the sky is the limit– Our team of adminstrators, teachers and staff know their stuff!
Is this what it takes for the school system to tell parents what is going on? Thank god at least someone is going to force the school system to be honest with parents.
How long would they have tried to cover this up?
There was nothing to cover up! You really are Confused
Confused- And there in lies the problem, nothing would have been said if not for this blog! That letter could have been sent home to parents last week!
Dolph said, “Freedom…I have an answer for you but I will wait until this rumor crisis is over.”
That’s fine, Dolph, but I don’t remember having a question.
:)
There was no “cover up.” Look, I have my issues with Jennie Dean Elementary. There are a lot of things that I would like to change. But when there has been an accusation of wrong-doing against a teacher and the police are looking into the matter, the school administration has its hands tied from a legal standpoint until charges are pressed. The Principal can’t go around telling everyone what’s happening based on an accusation that hasn’t been thoroughly investigated. It wouldn’t be fair and it wouldn’t be proper. What would be proper is putting the accused teacher on administrative leave until this situation is sorted out and dealt with, which is what I believe has occurred.
Bingo, Down Sprial…curiosity and need to know are different things…
Peter thanks. It is clear something did happen otherwise the Po Po would not have been called in. I love how the defenders of the liberal public school system want to act as if nothing happened.
CitizenofManassas,
“It is clear something did happen otherwise the Po Po would not have been called in.”
Just because it is something they are checking into does not make it true, ALL accusations must be investigated.
Sometimes claims are true and sometimes the are not. Everyone should keep in mind that a disgruntled student can ruin a teachers life with such an accusation.
4kidsnadog, You are correct in your statement, but I feel the parents of that school have a right to know that someone is being investigated.
At the risk of seeming naive, if a teacher had been “lead away in handcuffs” as you indicate, why is there no record of it in the police blotter?
At the very least the Journal would have run a small blurb…on the FRONT PAGE.
Facts, facts would be good here. Until you have facts, you have nothing but baseless innuendo, with the value of something less than rat poop.
Rather than sliming an educational institution, some evidence to support your rumor mongering would be good. A picture? Booking number? Warrant?
Got any of that? I did not think so.
Downward Spiral has got it “almost” right! When an accusation is made, a full investigation needs to be done and the teacher should be placed on administrative leave. This is done so all students are kept safe in the event the accusations become founded. If Manassas City Police find that wrong doing has occurred that rises to the level of a criminal act, they will then proceed with charges and work jointly with Family Services. If the wrong doing is conduct unbecoming but does not rise to the level of a criminal act it will be dealt with by Family Services and the School Board. The Police would not have taken the teacher away in handcuffs unless they had secured a warrant or the teacher was being disorderly and refused to leave when requested.
As to Just Another Opinion- your comments about the other Manassas City School Official from 2 years ago are incorrect. The student did not “fess up that he lied”. The School Official’s case was Nolle Prosecued, which is different than being found Not Guilty. This means the case can be brought back at anytime.
Yeah, right- The police do not put all arrests and crimes on the blotter, so it wouldn’t necessarily be there. We all know the MJM puts EVERYTHING in the paper so now we know nothing really happened at Dean since they didn’t write about it.. (Sarcasm)
Let’s take a moment to reflect on what is really important. Did anyone pay attention to this line from Dr. Pope’s letter?
“As part of the investigation all appropriate actions including meeting with affected parents and Manassas Police Department were taken. Contact with the Manassas Department of Family Services was immediately made to ensure a thorough
investigation is conducted.”
The administrators have done their part by meeting with the “affected parents” this should be sufficient. The administrators job is protect the students and the staff and in this case I believe they have done their due diligence. The affected parents were notified and the teacher involved is no longer reporting to the school.
From an HR and legal Perspective, the administrators were most likely coached on what actions to take and communications to send out. This is a very sensitive matter and usually incidents of this nature require a thorough investigation and bringing attention to this could sometimes hurt or ruin an investigation.
I know there a quite a few parents at Dean who do not like the administrators and will never be pleased and love to complain. They complained about the administrators removing unsafe equipment from the playground and want to know why parents were not notifed. Does it really matter? You would really be complaining if something happened to your child because of faulty equipment.
Let’s keep in mind what is really important!!!!
KidsFirst….
“The Police would not have taken the teacher away in handcuffs unless they had secured a warrant or the teacher was being disorderly and refused to leave when requested.”
The teacher wasn’t taken away in handcuffs because no charges were filed. The arrest is an unfounded rumor. The superintendent says this didn’t happen. Nobody has produced a record of it happening. It wasn’t reported in the newspaper, which it surely would have been because it would have been public record, and logically speaking, the cops would not arrest a teacher at a school with kids there. That isn’t how these things are done. It would have been a huge security issue. Do you really think cops would surprise a suspect by showing up with cuffs and guns at a school in the middle of the day???
4Kids,
Well of course that can be the case, or it may not…. we will just have to wait.
Downward Spiral…. I already agreed with you that the arrest was a rumor. I also agree that police avoid making arrests at the schools, unless it is absolutely necessary.