ACLU Nebraska Tells Crete High: Assure Community You Are Providing a Safe Environment for Students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

LINCOLN – Following news reports that Crete High School permitted an accused sex offender to chaperone a field trip—a trip that included his alleged victim—ACLU Nebraska calls for remedial steps.

According to news reports, a 52 year old man awaits trial for first degree sexual assault of a Crete High School student. Despite this fact, he was permitted to volunteer at Crete High School, where his alleged victim saw him. She immediately reported the problem to Principal Tim Conway. She asserts the Principal told her she would just have to deal with it.

“ACLU Nebraska is extremely concerned that a school administrator would be so insensitive to the concerns of a young woman reporting a crime,” said ACLU Nebraska Legal Director Amy Miller. “Crete failed to help this young woman. When she reported to the Principal, the law says the school should have immediately taken her report seriously and helped her.”

Miller added, “Statistically, the majority of sexual assault victims are too intimidated to report what happened to them. What message is this school district sending to every student when they refuse to help a young girl facing her accused attacker in the very hallways of the school? This is amplified in light of the girl’s age and the school setting.”

ACLU has written to the school superintendent, the Crete school board and the Nebraska Department of Education asking for immediate remedial steps. Miller said, “The school needs to ensure this will never happen again. Whether it’s training for staff, education for the students, or new policies to require taking all reports of assault seriously, Crete needs to step up to the plate. Right now.”

A copy of the letter is available online at www.aclunebraska.org