Disciplined Administrator Speaks Out On Alleged Assault (Mifflin H.S., Columbus)

WCMH-TV Columbus, Ohio ^ | April 25, 2005

[Columbus Dawg]

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- One of the Mifflin High School administrators involved in the controversy surrounding the alleged sexual assault of a special needs student is ignoring orders to keep quiet about the incident, NBC 4's David Wayne reported.

Suzie Retterer-Helfrich is one of three assistant principals who were suspended for 10 days without pay after the March 9 incident. The principal was fired.

A ninth-grade special education student claims she was forced to perform oral sex on at least two boys at the high school auditorium while others reportedly watched the acts and another student allegedly videotaped it.

The investigation of the alleged sexual assault has attracted national attention because of the way it was handled. Retterer-Helfrich and the other staff members were criticized for not calling police immediately after the alleged incident. Administrators failed to call the girl's father, police, or any child protective services, NBC 4 reported.

"It's not at all about the child, not about the truth, because of the reaction taken by the top administration to remove all of us from our positions," Retterer-Helfrich said. "There was no indication that there was an injury, no indication there was an assault. The word wasn't being used at all."

In fact, Retterer-Helfrich said she believes what took place was consensual sex -- an all too common occurrence, she said.

"So we have these things happen on a regular basis," she said. "We know when we have to report injury, abuse, neglect. There was no sign of injury. There was no reported abuse and neglect."

She disputes the victim's father, who says he was told not to call police, Wayne reported.

NBC 4 recently searched through personnel files from each administrator involved. Retterer-Helfrich's was the only one with some questionable evaluations. She said it was an isolated case that doesn't reflect her entire 10-year career with the district.

"The year prior to that evaluation, with a different evaluator, I was recommended to a principal," she said.

Retterer-Helfrich said she received orders from the district not to speak.

"Silence isn't golden, and silence has gotten us to the point where we are today, and the superintendent in the position she's in with all of this," she said.

The district is not commenting on Retterer-Helfrich's comments. A representative said the district is moving forward with the investigation and is taking steps to address the situation.

[Dante3]

An idiot like Retter-Helfrich needs to be removed for the safety of the children.

[swilhelm73]

Ignore for a moment the fact this was a "special needs" student. Ignore that she was assaulted in front of an audience. Ignore that it was my multiple boys. Ignore that she was supposedly punched too.

Wouldn't the school still be under obligation to inform her parents that their daughter was having sex in school?

Then when you add all the other factors, how the h*ll can this moron defend what they did?!?

[Columbus Dawg]

WCMH-TV (NBC 4) in Columbus has been the only TV station really pushing this story. It is the station I watch for local news.
Channel 10 is owned by the Wolfe's, who also own the Columbus Dispatch. Ever since Glenn Beck started blasting the administration in Columbus (Coleman, Harris, Hightower, etc.), the Dispatch and Channel 10 have barely touched this story. Seeing how people in Columbus are absolutely furious (just listen to WTVN-AM or see online polls on WCMH with 96% angry with the way the school district has handled this), it is no surprise that Channel 10, the long time ratings leader, has lost ratings in the ratings to Channel 4 in recent years. Add to that, the Columbus Dispatch I believe has seen a drop in circulation.

[joesbucks]

To a point, I understand what they tried to do. The attempt was to keep this incident from becoming a media circus. Let's face it, handicapped child complains of being forced to give oral sex. Meida runs with it and look what happens. School is out of control, yada, yada, yada.

The school tried to keep a lid on it. And maybe even cover it up. In the circus that has ensued, it's hard to tell. But I'm sympathetic that the school doesn't need anymore black eyes, but then again it does need to have public scrutiny. It's just that TVN through Beck is creating a circus rather than taking this incident and using it as a stepping stone to really get to the bottom of what the real issues are at the Columbus Public Schools (and to an extent Southwestern City Schools) and where do we start in an effort to resolve the problems while keeping the most students in some sort of educational environment. Simply tossing the animals to the street isn't the answer.

[TNdandelion]

This was a special education student. Depending on her level of disability (I know she had a severe speech problem), it's possible that she would be considered too incompetent to give consent.

[miele man]

"In fact, Retterer-Helfrich said she believes what took place was consensual sex -- an all too common occurrence, she said."

I cannot believe the unmitigated gall and utter stupidity of this woman. How is the name of Sam Hill can she say it was "consensual sex". If the "victim" is a 14 year old special education student and depending upon whether she is "trainable" or "educable", then her IQ may only be as high as 65 or 70, possibly lower. I may be off by a few points but I seem to recall this is the approximate range for these special ed folks. My brother teaches special ed but is not available to clarify this for me. Still, this child obviously does not have the ability to make these kinds of rational decisions apart from it might "feel good".

I am appalled the three so-called administrators were given a ten day "time out". All of them should have been fired.

[stands2reason]

"We have gangbangs filmed at school all the time" isn't what I'd call a good excuse.

[torchthemummy]

"To a point, I understand what they tried to do. The attempt was to keep this incident from becoming a media circus. Let's face it, handicapped child complains of being forced to give oral sex. Meida runs with it and look what happens. School is out of control, yada, yada, yada."

To a point I don't understand a dang thing you are trying to say. This is not a yada, yada, yada situation. I want a media circus. I want this miscreants to be punished, not get off because they have had a tough upbringing. I want a school where this woman claims it was all consensual to be severly admonished, cleaning house if necessary.

I have not heard any major dispute about the general facts. The pinpointing of who, what, when, how, where, why always takes time; the firing was appropriate but the suspensions were way to lenient. There better be criminal charges against both the perpetrators and the administrators/teachers directly involved.

To end: I, to no point, understand what they tried to do!

[torchthemummy]

"To a point, I understand what they tried to do. The attempt was to keep this incident from becoming a media circus. Let's face it, handicapped child complains of being forced to give oral sex. Meida runs with it and look what happens. School is out of control, yada, yada, yada."

To a point I don't understand a dang thing you are trying to say. This is not a yada, yada, yada situation. I want a media circus. I want this miscreants to be punished, not get off because they have had a tough upbringing. I want a school where this woman claims it was all consensual to be severly admonished, cleaning house if necessary.

I have not heard any major dispute about the general facts. The pinpointing of who, what, when, how, where, why always takes time; the firing was appropriate but the suspensions were way to lenient. There better be criminal charges against both the perpetrators and the administrators/teachers directly involved.

To end: I, to no point, understand what they tried to do!

[torchthemummy]

"To a point, I understand what they tried to do. The attempt was to keep this incident from becoming a media circus. Let's face it, handicapped child complains of being forced to give oral sex. Meida runs with it and look what happens. School is out of control, yada, yada, yada."

To a point I don't understand a dang thing you are trying to say. This is not a yada, yada, yada situation. I want a media circus. I want these miscreants to be punished, not get off because they have had a tough upbringing. I want a school where this woman claims it was all consensual to be severly admonished, cleaning house if necessary.

I have not heard any major dispute about the general facts. The pinpointing of who, what, when, how, where, why always takes time; the firing was appropriate but the suspensions were way to lenient. There better be criminal charges against both the perpetrators and the administrators/teachers directly involved.

To end: I, to no point, understand what they tried to do!

[mlc9852]

Even IF she could give consent, this was during school hours in a public school. THERE IS NO CONSENT to that by anybody. What is wrong with people?

[flutters]

In fact, Retterer-Helfrich said she believes what took place was consensual sex -- an all too common occurrence, she said.

This snippet about Retterer-Helfrich is from an earlier news story on channel 4:

http://www.nbc4i.com/news/4404238/detail.html

Investigation Continues

The Mifflin High School principal lost her job as part of the investigation. But now there are new questions about whether one of the assistant principals should have been in the school in the first place.

Three of the administrators disciplined in the Mifflin investigation have excellent records, but former assistant principal Suzie Retterer-Helfrich had a series of evaluations where she did not meet expectations, Andrews reported. Pages of documents dating back to 1999 show that Retterer-Helfrich "failed to exercise good judgment," adding that she "did not take responsibility for her actions or communicate properly with parents."

A later review said she would overcome all of the claims, but similar allegations have come again, Andrews reported.

[joesbucks]

You want a pound of flesh. Well you may get one and still not even make a dent in cleaning up the problem the schools have. What you want is like getting pleasure out of peeing your pants. Oh, you'll feel nice and warm for a few moments, then all you're left with is a soggy, cold and wet feeling. Well, that's not what I want. I'm not in any way suggesting a white wash. And I do think that we need those who were involved held accountable where they had short comings. What I do want is action that will result in moving toward making what is a deplorable situation one of the better large city schools. Columbus is too nice of a city to have this school stigma over our heads. Again, the biggest problem is not the school board which is inept or the school administration or even the teachers. Oh, they are not innocents. But the biggest problem is the students and the parents. It's the 80-20 rule. 80% students and their parents and/or guardians and 20% the school heirarchy. Clean up that societal mess and the schools will come along in nice fashion.

Otherwise all you'll end up doing is firing half a dozen people only to have blow jobs and other sexual inappropriateness going on.

[flutters]

Glenn Beck is all over this story on his national radio show. He's taking it personal...his teenage daughter is handicapped, too.

He's reporting from Columbus on Friday. Unfortunately, I wasn't lucky enough to get a ticket. The show sold out even before the formal announcement.

[joesbucks]

And what's Beck going to do? I mean really going to do? If he was serious, then he would be back on a regular basis, getting involved, I mean deeply involved, instead of just doing back bench flame throwing. Beck may have a concern due to his daughter. But this is more of a promotional opportunity than an opportunity to get real change in place. Scalping these school folks really isn't getting to the root of the problem. So you fire a half dozen folks. Bottom line, what does that get ya?

[lawdude]

A mildly retarded girl under 15 years old CANNOT give consent! It is RAPE, pure and simple. The boys should be incarcerated for 5 years min.

[stinkerpot65]

But now there are new questions about whether one of the assistant principals should have been in the school in the first place. Three of the administrators disciplined in the Mifflin investigation have excellent records, but former assistant principal Suzie Retterer-Helfrich had a series of evaluations where she did not meet expectations, Andrews reported. Pages of documents dating back to 1999 show that Retterer-Helfrich "failed to exercise good judgment," adding that she "did not take responsibility for her actions or communicate properly with parents."

A later review said she would overcome all of the claims, but similar allegations have come again, Andrews reported.

She has a "mannish" look about her.

[Politicalmom]

"This incident" is a person, a young girl, who deserves to be protected and to have her attackers punished severely.

They broke the law, period. This should have been reported immediately.

And why do these "students" have unsupervised time hanging out in gangs in the cafeteria/gym?

[Columbus Dawg]

It is easy to say Beck is doing this for ratings. It is radio, and ratings are part of the game. Yet, as someone who has lived in Columbus my whole life, I am happy that Glenn Beck did this. I am afraid that if Glenn Beck did not expose this incident the way he did, it would have been ignored by the local media (e.g. Wolfe Enterprises). That would have given the elite in this town who need their butts held to the fire the opportunity to avoid this situation.

I am not a big fan of the media, but sometimes there are media actions that are worthy of being done. This was one of them. It is very probable there were more incidents like this in CPS that were probably swept under the rug. It has got people's attention and people are not happy with what is going on. As a resident and taxpayer of this city, I am deeply disturbed about what happened and the actions of the leadership at City Hall, at CPS, and at Mifflin H.S.

People in Columbus are livid and they want action now. Sometimes the embarrassing spotlight can cause worthwhile action, which is needed.

[af_vet_1981]

An idiot like Retter-Helfrich needs to be removed for the safety of the children.

No

For the safety of the children she needs to be prosecuted, convicted, and receive a penalty so harsh it shocks the nation back into moral sanity (and the same for all perps involved, students and admin staff).