Blameless?

First, let me set this up.



In one of Pittsburgh's wealthiest suburbs, a young girl WAS RAPED AT SCHOOL, and the incident has been bouncing around now since February.


Since the time when the original story broke, other students have come forward with the same charge against the same student, who happened to be a freshman at the high school- and now there is a law suit against the school district. Yesterday, this story appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.


Here's some background on the school itself: Upper St. Clair High School sits atop a well -manicured rise in a suburban township whose MEDIAN INCOME is $87,500.00



"Upper St. Clair High School was substantially remodeled in 2000 under former superintendent Dr. William Pope. This renovation replaced much of the school's aging building, replaced most of its mechanical systems, improved the school's aesthetic appeal and allowed for many technological advancements such as widespread Internet access. The renovations improved the facilities, allowing for a professional sized theater, 2 full sized gymnasiums, weight room, and even a racquetball court......" and on and on, ad nauseam.


What is NOT mentioned, is that 'apparently'- knowledge of troubled students in this picture-perfect setting is pushed under the emerald sod of its rolling lawns; that it just wouldn't due to have such a scandal dropped at its door, now would it? Such bad publicity might just hurt its reputation, which does boast "that 98% of the students who graduate from Upper St. Clair High School go on to further their education at a college."



Isn't that nice?



Let's see now....... in this model 'dream school', a school which sub-contracts its behavioral intervention personnel, students suffer sexual assault by a known student-assailant. The intervention mediary, who is also a teacher, now claims 'blamelessness' because 'technically'-- she was not an actual employee of the school district. (That sound about right to you?)

And if the school district, which is now busy explaining why nothing was done after the attack by stating they'd informed the mediary, and said 'intervention specialist' submits she cannot be held accountable, then who is? The architect who designed the stairwells? The raped students- for not knowing better than to roam around in such a rambling building with so many adults around them shirking off whatever they can of supervision?-- are we to take for granted that stairwells in and of themselves are dangerous, is that it?-- and if the school farms out its mental health watchdog to a subcontracted agency, where does that leave accountability when a rogue predator is operating during school hours? Does everybody who normally would be held responsible simply get a pass?


Who' GETS' the blame when everyone looks the other way? Why didn't anyone pick up a phone and call the police? Did they truly think because the rapist was a 'minor', that no criminal act had been committed? That in-school suspension might fix things? Are they that stupid?

Or were they that frightened of exposure?


And honestly, knowing this particular socio-economic neighborhood, this wouldn't be surprising. My instincts tell me that there are more lawyers per capita in Upper St. Clair than most other suburbs surrounding Pittsburgh proper, and those fellas are very slippery: after all, if the rape victim sues the school district and WINS, who foots the bill?


That's right. The Upper St. Clair taxpayers...out of their earned income taxes, which then translate into school taxes.


The parents of other students (who doubtless are doing very well... very well indeed) and who are anxious to get on with things and get into good universities on the basis of "where they come from" (and for heaven's sake, who wants to say they've graduated from Upper St. Clair High School if.......well, you know....it's a safe harbor for rapists)- if it's a place where it's really tough to say 'what's anybody's fault' or even who's minding the store, and if the brag factor- and ultimately, the money and the prospects factor, sinks down to inner-city level-

or 'Chalkboard Jungle'? Upper St. Clair.
Yah..... that one. Creepy, isn't it?

I don't know what collection of parties or chain-of-command was responsible for allowing the rape of these young students to go unpunished, and doubtless the powers-that-be would simply like to see the bad apple carted off to a place for youthful offenders to pay for his crimes...... but I think not. In any situation where minors are being cared-for and watched over and (supposedly) supervised by adults, it's those over-21-year-olds who must be left holding the bag.

And for God's sake, try appearing a little contrite, you lawyering-up, measuring-every-word, despicable bunch of face-savers.