School hid letter, suit says

Chicago Tribune ^ | 1/27/2005 | Brett McNeil

[Mike Bates]

South Berwyn Elementary School District 100 officials concealed a 1999 letter in which three 10-year-old girls said they were molested by band teacher Robert Sperlik Jr., then misled parents about the seriousness of the allegations, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday by one girl's parents.

[Mike Bates]

Yet another "for the children" moment. The alleged skunk is on paid administrative leave, natch.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

We need to tread very carefully on reports like this one. An elementary school teacher in Iowa was charged with fondling little girls a couple of years ago. He was found not guilty in two successive trials and the other cases were dropped after a closer investigation by the county attorney.

[Esther Ruth]

"The letter, given to a visiting school psychologist, included accounts of Sperlik binding the girls with DUCT TAPE before touching them inappropriately inside a room used for individual music lessons at Pershing Elementary School, the suit says"

[Mike Bates]

We need to tread very carefully on reports like this one.

I agree, which is why I referred to the guy as an "alleged" skunk. This morning's radio news says that two dozen more students are now claiming they received his special attentions.

[Nooseman]

After reading this article I came to the conclusion that all involved should be held accountable,the Principal and the school board for not firing the guy and pressing charges against him.Sad story.

[Mike Bates]

No doubt we'll be hearing from duct tape enthusiasts claiming discrimination and demanding they be given "equal rights."

[Mike Bates]

And I have to wonder that apparently not one of his fellow teachers were aware of his clingy ways.

[dmz]

And here in Maryland, a school principal was arrested and charged after 2 sisters "recovered" memories of his abuse of them in the 70's.

A month later the charges were dropped because prosecutors determined that the experts on both sides of the recovered memory issue would cancel each other out, and be left with no evidence.

[esoxmagnum]

He'll get 3 months in jail (segregated of course from the general populace), be forced to retire early (with full pension of course and his back pay for sick days till the end of his contract), then he'll write a book that will be critically acclaimed by the NYT, and be hired as a tenured professor in some North Eastern or West Coast university teaching classes on sexuality.......

[Esther Ruth]

Well I hope so, I hope we hear from all the duct tape enthusiasts so we are better able to keep are kids from them!!! Let them all come out of their music closets, please - and show us their tape! Know thy enemy!

[Nooseman]

It is sad to find out ,that when kids report abuse in schools by a teacher nothing is done about it and when a kid accuses apparent of abuse whether true or not the parent is automatically thought of being guilty.We had a family in the neighborhood a few years back,when they first introduced DARE in schools,that had a daughter accusing her DAD of abuse.Her dad was put through the ringer,later the girl who was removed from the family admitted that she made the claim because she was mad at her dad for grounding her.I guess it can go from one extreme to the next.Why didn't they investigate this guy more thoroughly?

[Pat79thST]

No Child Left Behind? The public schools continue to be a mess. Tell me there were no other warning signs on this mope.

[El Gran Salseron]

Most music rooms in schools are rather isolated from the rest of the school. At least, that is what I remember. If that is true then I suppose that music teachers could get away with stuff like this and not draw suspicion.

[El Gran Salseron]

OR.....

The anti-duct tape nuts. :-)