Big HS hazing/sexual abuse scandal at the HS just down the street from me.

[kestrel91316]

Taft HS, Woodland Hills. The principal, volleyball coach, and several other staff are suspended pending a police and school investigation into the gang rape (of a male athlete by a foreign object) that some describe as hazing gone wild. Apparently the adults on staff knew about it for WEEKS and never reported it to authorities.

I saw the news trucks down there in the Ralph's parking lot across the street last night at 6 but didn't know what it was about. BIG brouhaha.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-taft25-2009feb25,0,6025693.column

Most the time I like my neighborhood well enough. Some days, not so much.

[SpiralHawk]

1. This is the Republicon torture & sex shaming Thingy, High-school style

Just a step down in intensity for Republicon Homelander Family Values.

The HS kids are just following the freaking Republicon 'Family Values' lead of xCommander AWOL Bush, xVP Dickie 'Five Military Deferments' Cheney, Condi 'B & D Boots' Rice, and the gaggle of republicon homelander Chickenhawks who led America to its lowest moral action of All Time.

[ColbertWatcher]

4. How long will it be before Limpballs dismisses it as simple fraternity highjinks? n/t

[Archae]

2. Don't suspend them.

FIRE that whole sadistic bunch.
All of the. :grr:

[tangent90]

3. The story in your link doesn't mention gang rape or foreign objects

...??

[kestrel91316]

5. I think the video clip goes into detail. It's been on the radio.

A group of (seniors? volleyball team?) boys took down and forcibly held down a freshman team member while at least one of them anally raped him with a soda bottle or something. Faculty and administration knew that it had happened and did nothing in the way of MANDATORY CHILD ABUSE REPORTING for weeks.

[tangent90]

9. Oh okay sorry I clicked that picture but nothing happened. I think this new computer

isn't quite filled up with th right programs to see videos.

[SoCalNative]

7. The video at the link

accompanying the story does

[ismnotwasm]

6. Disgusting

This is so horrible.


"A child abuse report that may not have been filed is of great concern to us," said David Holmquist, the district's chief operating officer"

Refusing to use the "R" word? Rape? If it's true that that boy had an object forced into his rectum, I'd call that rape and sexual assault first and child abuse after. "Hazing incident"? Jesus could they soft peddle it any more?

And no one reported this? The kids in the video seemed pretty clear, I hope time will sort it all out and I hope who ever was harmed gets the help and support they need

[SoCalNative]

8. technically

Rape in California is defined as the non-consensual intercourse with a woman accomplished by threats or force.

so they can't file rape charges.

[ismnotwasm]

13. Males can't be raped in California?

Or it can't be called rape? That is messed up

Edit; The penal code I found doesn't specify gender, but the first sentence is scary. Makes me wonder how updated this is.

261. (a) Rape is an act of sexual intercourse accomplished with a
person not the spouse of the perpetrator, under any of the following
circumstances------

edit again; spousal rape law way down the page

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=pen&group=00001-01000&file=261-269

[kestrel91316]

10. I'm just getting angrier the more I think abou this case.

I want the perps arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, but given that their parents are probably very well off, it may never happen. And I want the administrators and teachers who knew and didn't report it thrown out of the school system.

[eilen]

11. This kind of thing happened in a town north of me, Fulton, NY

a number of years ago. The kids were still allowed to attend school there and their parents were fighting to get them on the athletic teams the following year. It really sucked. I don't think the victim was able to attend there after that. I think the school district should have paid private school tuition and transportation for him for the rest of H.S. (in addition to counseling and, of course, punitive damages).

[eilen]

12. Not too uncommon

http://hazing.hanknuwer.com/chronology.html">hazing