Stonewalling and Circling the Wagons


The Superintendent and School Board members have proven, to a person, that they will do nothing more relative to holding any of the 30 faculty/staff sexual abuse perpetrators accountable. Approached by many survivors and allies in numerous ways, respectfully asked for answers to critical questions, respectfully asked for information that legally is supposed to be publicly accessible, they have stonewalled, evaded, dismissed or simply denied the requests. Among the questions that could be answered extremely easily, with a simple "Yes or No," is this question:
"Are any of the 30 sexual abusers named on the Encompass Resolution investigation report currently employed in the Kirkwood Schools?" This question requires nothing nuanced, no evasion. It can be answered affirmatively or negatively. The fact is, the question has been dodged, ignored and responded to with various evasions all of which underscore the reason the Superintendent and the entire Board do not simply say, "NO!"
That reason is, as they all know, that two of the sexual abusers named in this report are, in fact, working for the schools, one as a faculty member in North Kirkwood Middle School, and the other as a faculty member and Principal at KHS.
II am not afraid to state this fact as they will not refute it, let alone try to drag me to trial in a defamation lawsuit. The Superintendent and Board is tolerating known sexual abusers teaching Kirkwood children and even running the high school! This is despicable, shameful and the parents, if not the community, must rise up to change this intolerable state of affairs and also hold those responsible for sheltering these abusers responsible.
Do not imagine the school will do anything about ridding the district of these abusers. This is a school that has tolerated systemic sexual abuse for fifty years and that culture and mindset has been passed on through many administrations. The fact that a serial sexual abuser is on the current payroll pulling down 186K or so a year and is sheltered by his superior and the entire Board should be enough to convince anyone that no help nor positive change will be forthcoming from the District or any leader there.
It would be a good idea, IMO, if at the next board meeting fifty or more parents at least stood outside of that meeting in silent protest with signs demanding the eradication of sexual abuse in the schools. There will be public comments read and public statements made but, to go by other recent board meetings, these are simply tolerated, the Board looks disinterested or annoyed, IMO, and the meeting goes on as planned. I think we must begin exercising the right of assembly, in non-violent mass gatherings, to dissent the actions and inactions of the Superintendent, the School Board and of course the principal of KHS. We must use all manners of legal protest to bring pressure upon those in positions to make decisions.
Believe me, several people are working on this and letters and statements and requests are being sent to persons in all related capacities in government, to journalists, to national leaders, etc. But locally we need to see parents raising an outcry, taking a stand and gaining media attention in doing so.
In brief, it is clear now that the school will not do what is vital to eradicate sexual abuse of children from the system. It is up to you and I.
Anyone interested might consider joining the KHSActivistsCarryingTruth page as a start. Your assistance, thoughts, suggestions are welcome and needed.