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06 Feb 2012 20:03

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U.S.: Amid molestation scandals, parents keep Miramonte Elementary students home

  • 73% of Miramonte students showed up Monday source
  • » And parents were protesting outside: Roughly three dozen parents and supporters protested outside the L.A.-area school Monday, which has been rocked by two shocking but unrelated allegations of sexual molestation. The first case, involving a former teacher accused of doing unspeakable things to his students (note: trigger warning), was shocking enough; the second case, involving a teacher active until last week, only worsened things, as the allegations against him came out only as a result of the first case. The initial allegations did not lead to parents keeping their children home en masse (as the school had over 90 percent attendance throughout last week), but the second case, however, did. Low attendance hurts the school’s funding, so this hurt financially, but the school will also close Tuesday and Wednesday for emergency staff meetings, so the pain could go even deeper for the school. And things might go deeper: A third allegation at a different school in the region led to the arrest of a janitor.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 Feb 2012 16:31

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U.S.: Second teacher accused of molestation at Los Angeles-area school

  • Monday Los Angeles’ Miramonte Elementary School was cast under a pall after unspeakable allegations against one of its third-grade teachers, Mark Berndt, surfaced. We covered the allegations over here. (Note: Trigger warning.) Let’s just say it’s not pretty, and was so bad that his $2.3 million bail was increased tenfold later in the week.
  • Thursday Another student, inspired by the arrest of Berndt, came forward in regards to another teacher at the school. The teacher has been removed from their duties while the investigation continues. Also, word that Berdnt was investigated for molestation in 1994 has surfaced, leading to much anger at the school district. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Dec 2011 13:42

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U.S.: Penn State witness Mike McQueary describes his handling of incident

  • There’s no question in my mind that I conveyed to (university officials) that I saw Jerry with a boy in the shower and that it was severe sexual acts going on and that it was wrong and over the line.
  • Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary • Describing his handling of the alleged sexual abuse incident involving Jerry Sandusky back in 2002. McQueary made the statements while speaking at the pre-trial hearing for Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, two former Penn State officials charged with covering up Sandusky’s crimes by not acting upon McQueary’s evidence. The assistant coach, currently on leave, emphasized that when he went to the officials, he expected something to be done: “In my mind, that is the police. I want to make that clear.” In regards to the controversy around his handling of the incident, McQueary, who was “shocked” and “horrified” by what happened, said he wasn’t thinking straight in the direct aftermath of seeing Sandusky, but he was sure that the incident was over at the point he left. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Dec 2011 10:24

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U.S.: Bernie Fine accuser admits to sexually abusing boy himself

  • The only thing that transpired was the same stuff that happened to me. This kid has been through a lot because of the way I controlled him and abused him.
  • Bernie Fine accuser Zach Tomaselli • Admitting to the Associated Press that, years after he says former Syracuse assistant coach Bernie Fine sexually abused him, he did the same thing to another young boy. Fortunately, Tomaselli says that he’s getting help and realizes the error of his way. The revelations came out as a result of the case that Tomaselli is involved in — which will likely lead to a plea bargain for as much as three years in jail and a spot on the sex offenders’ registry — and his lawyer’s attempt to suppress the confession from the press. However, Tomaselli came clean, because he said he was “sick of hiding behind my attorney.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

30 Nov 2011 14:52

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U.S.: One of Bernie Fine’s accusers interviewed by Pittsburgh PD

  • Zach Tomaselli goes on record: The Pittsburgh police department’s Sgt. Joseph Gannon has interviewed the young man, now 23, who alleges former Syracuse basketball associate head coach Bernie Fine molested him in 2002. Tomaselli, one of four people now accusing Fine of child sexual abuse (the two of whom are former SU ballboys), claims Fine arranged for him to ride on a bus to Pittsburgh with the SU athletic department staff, and that upon reaching their destination Fine molested him in a hotel room. Fine was fired from his job at Syracuse on Sunday. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Nov 2011 17:14

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U.S.: Some quick numbers from Saturday’s Penn State football game

  • 107,903 the number of people that paid to see the game, the largest crowd at Beaver Stadium this year
  • $22,000 the amount raised during the game by charity groups that support the prevention of child abuse source
  • » “Therapy” for a battered school: Why did the game, the team’s first in 46 years without Joe Paterno, draw such huge crowds? Simply put, it was a bit of a release after a trying week, despite the discomfort around the game. “It’s therapy,” said one fan, Dave Young. “I love Penn State football, always will love Penn State football. Tough week, cried in my office a couple times when I had moments to myself. But now it’s time to release and watch the football game and enjoy it.” Penn State lost to Nebraska, 17-14, which, despite a late rally, was not to be.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Nov 2011 23:14

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U.S.: Pennsylvania governor “disappointed” in Penn State officials

  • We need to protect children. We need to act. I’ve seen many instances where people have power and assume they are above the law.
  • Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett • Discussing the Penn State situation, which led to the forced exits of legendary football coach Joe Paterno and school president Graham Spanier. He said he was “disappointed” by the school officials. “Their actions caused me not to have confidence in their ability to lead,” said Corbett, who (as the state’s Attorney General) launched the investigation into suspected child molester Jerry Sandusky and the Penn State program back in 2009. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

09 Nov 2011 10:44

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U.S.: Joe Paterno to retire from Penn State at the end of the season

  • what Joe Paterno, the 86-year-old football coach at Penn State, will retire at the end of the season, after a long career with many successes and a scandal which threatened to overshadow his many victories.
  • why Eroding support after a major sex-abuse scandal involving one of his former coaches. While Paterno’s people said the decision was his alone, his support from the board was fading fast. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Nov 2011 20:18

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U.S.: Penn State sex abuse case: Joe Paterno responds to allegations

  • I understand that people are upset and angry, but let’s be fair and let the legal process unfold.
  • Penn State coach Joe Paterno • Making a statement on the situation with Jerry Sandusky, his former defensive coordinator who is facing charges over some pretty awful sexual abuse allegations. How much did Paterno know? Here’s what he claims: “I was informed in 2002 by an assistant coach that he had witnessed an incident in the shower of our locker room facility,” Paterno noted. “It was obvious that the witness was distraught over what he saw, but he at no time related to me the very specific actions contained in the Grand Jury report.” But ultimately, the extent of the allegations was far beyond what Paterno even imagined: “If this is true we were all fooled,” he claimed, “along with scores of professionals trained in such things.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Nov 2011 09:45

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Culture: Penn State sex abuse allegations could damage Joe Paterno’s legacy

  • Sandusky, Curley and Schultz are innocent until proven guilty. Regardless, the last two days are the worst in the history of what was once a proud Penn State football program.
  • (Harrisburg, Pa.) Patriot-News columnist Bob Flounders • Discussing the major scandal revolving around Penn State’s football team this weekend — the arrest of Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State defensive coordinator charged with allegedly sexually abusing numerous young boys over the years, and the reported cover-up by the Penn State athletic program. “Perception can be a program killer, whatever the truth turns out to be,” Flounders notes. “And now Penn State football might have a horrific perception problem. It might affect recruiting classes. It might affect [head coach Joe] Paterno’s legacy. We tend to focus on what happens last with legends.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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