Posted on 08/10/2010 8:05:24 PM PDT by geraldmcg
All our young lives we’re taught to seek out the authorities when we’re in trouble. For young women who are victims of rape, this includes reporting the crime in the face of one’s own personal shame and agony to seek justice where it is due and prevent the perpetrator from raping again.
In a suburb of Pittsburgh, a startling lawsuit turns this conventional wisdom upside down. And, according to high-profile criminal attorney, Rene Sandler, no matter how the suit plays out, it reveals a disturbing lack of judgment on the part of those authorities we’re taught to trust.
The suit alleges that when a female student at Upper St. Clair High School (pictured) approached a teacher about a boy who had forcibly had sex with her after school, on school grounds, USC’s principal concocted an unusual idea.
Instead of connecting the girl with police, or even taking the teacher’s offer to walk the girl to her bus every day, the suit says the principal wanted the girl to continue roaming the grounds after school in a sting operation that would draw the boy out under security-officer surveillance.
The result? The boy took the ‘bait.’ But, because security lost track of him and the girl, he succeeded in raping her again.
A court filing on behalf of the school district revealed doubt on the part of the principal that the sex wasn’t consensual, and that he didn’t believe anyone was in danger. Instead, his objective was to put a stop to students having sex on school grounds.
Either way, Sandler says this case is “wrong on so many levels.” With any doubt at all, the strategy of the principal and security officers was beyond irresponsible. “Using a rape victim, even a self-proclaimed rape victim, as ‘bait’ to catch the alleged rapist violates all social and moral standards.”
Having established that, Sandler goes on to be a harsh critic of the tactics as well. “I think it speaks to the ineptitude of the authorities,” she says. “the lengths they will go to for cases beyond their competence. What happened to school officials and police officers walking the beat, per se, and staying connected to the public they serve in order to keep their finger on the pulse of the bad guys?”
a second time....
and these people will not be fired. right?
another thread. a report on the first assault.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2568322/posts?page=19
Where were the parents? If my daughter were raped, the police would be notified, and I would be tempted to set up my own ‘sting’.
Sorry about the double post. Looked so nice I loaded it twice—by accident.
They’ll probably be giving a promotion. Public socialist schools.
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