Courier News

Clinton Township parents demand action from school board after alleging that boy harassed their daughters

May 24, 2009
BY WALTER O'BRIEN

The parents of three girls say the Board of Education is not taking seriously their allegations that a sixth-grade boy on a school bus harassed their daughters with lewd and sexual language, simulated sex acts and threats to hurt and kill them in their sleep.

An Annandale section resident attended last week's Board of Education meeting at Clinton Township Middle School and read a seven-page list of allegations against the sixth-grade boy and a timeline of communications with school officials. The man complained that the board has taken no action to protect his or other children — a concern expressed by other parents at the same board meeting.

Interim Superintendent Dennis Fyffe disagreed, insisting that the board takes the situation seriously, but could not discuss it publicly because of confidentiality issues.

Some board members fidgeted and audience members occasionally gasped as the man recited in graphic detail his allegations of the boy's language, gestures and threats of violence toward his daughters, as well as the man's claims that Fyffe and school Principal Judi Hammond had been unwilling to meet with his family concerning alleged incidents on the school bus from March 12 until at least April 6.

The girls' father said the boy remained in school and on the bus until April 6. Authorities suspended the boy (from the bus) for one week after which he returned to the bus, according to Fyffe. It is unclear whether — due to school confidentiality rules — if or why the boy targeted the girls, but school officials confirmed with the family that other children had similar experiences with the same boy.

At the meeting, the man said he and his wife filed a report with township police because the school had not informed the police department's school resource officer about the incident. A copy of the report, dated April 21 and obtained by the Courier News through an Open Public Records Act request confirms the report, which lists the alleged incident as "harassment."

SERIOUS CONCERNS: The girls' parents told the board they have no intention of pressing charges or filing a lawsuit — they are only interested in having their allegations taken seriously and preventing other children from being harmed.

"His parents have been very anxious to address this issue and took the child to your home to apologize," Fyffe told the man. "This child is not a predator, kids make mistakes and there is remorse here and parental support."

"They have apologized but they have no idea how this affected our child and how it continues," the mother said.

The father said that what the couple want is a change in school policies in handling these types of incidents going forward. He passed out sample school policies from the state education department and other school districts as examples of possible solutions.

Fyffe said he is committed to making sure the incidents are not repeated, but said he is bound by confidentiality rules and cannot discuss publicly how the school is dealing with the boy.

"I promise you and the board that we will meet with Mrs. Hammond and develop a response to this," Fyffe said.

Other parents at the meeting spoke in support of the couple and told their own children's stories.

"I put myself in their shoes as a member of the public," said Kerry Maslanka, mother of a child in the district. "If this were to happen again, what's going to happen?"

"I'm not going to discuss this in a public forum," Fyffe said.

"This is not the first incident I've heard about sexual harassment," Paula Graham said. "I want to know what policies are going to be written so our kids aren't put through what this family has (been put through)."

"Because you have not heard what steps were taken doesn't mean no steps were taken," Fyffe said in response to the request for solutions from Graham and Maslanka.

Another woman said her boy confirmed that there has been bad behavior on the bus.

"My son was punched in the genitals," the mother said. "How many chances are we going to give these bullies?"

TEMPERS FLARE: As tempers in the room began to flare, many people raised their voices at once. Soon after, board President Jim Dincuff adjourned the meeting.

Interim Board Administrator/Board Secretary James Strimple Jr. said Tuesday that he had no comment about Monday's meeting and that only the interim superintendent would comment. Dincuff did not return two calls Tuesday for comment.

Fyffe said Tuesday that while he does not necessarily agree with the characterizations made by the girls' parents about how the incidents were handled, he understands that the family and other parents at the meeting have legitimate concerns about the safety of their children.

He said he wants to allow incoming superintendent Kevin Carroll to set his own policies once he arrives July 1, but Fyffe did suggest, as he did at Monday night's meeting, that teachers start each year with a lesson based on any new policies the board develops to handle harassment, sexual harassment or bullying issues that may occur in the future, so students could learn the rules they're expected to follow and the consequences of not following them.

"It's not part of standard practice now, but you can anticipate it will be in the fall," Fyffe said.