With all of the sexual assault allegations coming to light, our worry naturally turns to our own community and how we can protect it. With the recent viral #MeToo movement, we spoke to Principal Dan Long about what the school district has in place to handle reporting of sexual abuse or assault.
He explained the reporting process, starting with just finding an adult you feel comfortable with. After the first talks, it moves to administration and an official report, verbal or written. There are interviews with the accused and bystanders, and the final step is police involvement when there is a clear case. When asked about plans to separate the victim from the accused, Mr. Long explained that when the first report is filed, it comes with a plan moving forward to make the student more comfortable, whether that means separation, locker movement, or closer teacher monitoring.
When asked if social media and easier communication had caused a spike in this kind of harassment, Mr. Long said that there were not more cases, but social media certainly affected all aspects of student life.
In terms of how many cases, Mr. Long hasn’t seen many cases, but the administration takes each case very seriously. He wants students and community to feel safe coming to him, and any adult in the building, if they have a concern. He explained that administration has been addressing some comments made on a sign in a girls restroom, and he has plans to put up signs around the school explaining how to report. He also wants to send a letter out to the community because “this is obviously not isolated to the school” and he wants to get information out that there is support for anyone who needs it.
The sign in the bathroom was a piece of paper with the #MeToo written on it, where some girls had shared their experiences. Administration took it down, not to discourage conversation, but in order to address the comments and make sure students were receiving assistance.
If you or a loved one need support or assistance, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).