Another set of parents are suing the Brunswick County School Board.
This suit marks the third filed by parents. Once again, having to do with sexual misconduct between a school employee and a student. This most recent suit involves former South Brunswick high school janitor, Collis Hewett.
Investigators arrested Hewett at his home in Supply this time last year. He was charged with seven counts of sexual offense with a student and six counts of indecent liberties with a child.
Authorities say Hewett's relationship with the student began in August of 2005 and continued through the school year. A school resource officer at South Brunswick High School was the one who alerted officials about the relationship.
Now the parents of the male student are suing the school board. The suit was filed today in Brunswick County Court by attorney Robert Tatum, who is also representing two other sets of parents in similar suits.
One of those suits is the case of Dennis and Betty Hager who's daughter married her track coach. The other set of parents suing the school board claiming a West Brunswick High School teacher acted inappropriately with their daughter.
The school board's lawyer recently filed a motion to dismiss at least one of those lawsuits.
Fault
If a background check is done and nothing comes up then how are they to know that these employee's will do this stuff. The fault lies with the employee's that are stupid enough to mess with these students. Do you honestly think these teachers know what was going on when the students are excused from class??? I know my teachers didn't know and I've only been out of school for 6 years. I graduated from South Brunswick High and they didn't have any problems with the staff while I was there. I also blame the parents that don't make it a habit of talking to thier kids and staying involved in thier lives. They should be responsible for knowing what thier children are doing in and out of school. I make it a point of talking to my son everyday when he comes home from school. That is what all parents need to do.
How Bad is It?
Many of you have strong opinions on how bad the Brunswick County school system is. Want to see something done right? Go read this article and leave a comment: "Local student wins medal in Special Olympics Golf National Invitational."
Same school system, different story.
I dare you to take the time and effort.
Brunswick County
I think it is time for a change in Brunswick County and it should start with getting a new superintendent and school board. Maybe then we will see a change for the better in our schools. It is time for the county to unite and start voting out the board while we still have a chance at saving our kids. It is time for a change.
What we have here is
What we have here is collective group of parents who are looking to benefit financially from their own negligience as parents. Perhaps if they took responsibility for the actions of their children, they wouldn't be in this situation.
I agree
I completely agree with this comment. The parents are responsible for what thier children are doing in and out of school. All they have to do is take the time to talk to thier children.
Actually, I should clarify
Actually, I should clarify that the Collis Hewett case is the exception here - this child was a victim of sexual molestation and if that happened to my child, I'd probably sue, too. That is, if they lived long enough to BE sued.
Bcs Lawsuits
I think the one with the girl and the track coach should be dimissed cause the parents allowed her to marry him so that is like giving her permission to date him and the one with the hewett guy should win cause i know the boy and well what that guy done was wrong. brunswick county schools need help i use to go to south high and thats i hear is about sexual conduct.
Brunswick Co. School Board Comment
I found myself appalled tonight after hearing the comments of our elected school board member, Shirley Bapson. Mrs. Bapson in her attempt to dismiss the seriousness of the problems in Brunswick County, clearly stated an erroneous statement. Mrs. Bapson stated that Brunswick County parents are aware that these type of problems occur in all school systems. Not only is that not a true statement, Mrs. Bapson is telling the parents of Brunswick County that the morals of teachers and adult employees are so low that we have to accept the unlawful behavior, as a fact of life. The actual problem is that Mrs. Bapson and her fellow school board members have not placed enough importance on background checks. Instead of admitting the depth of the problem and taking responsibilty for the failure of the current method of checking criminal histories of potential employees, Bapson has tried to make the electorate believe that she is doing everything possible, and we have to accept the fact that some problem employees are going to slip through. As a parent, and as a concerned citizen of Brunswick County, I refuse to accept the dangerous picture Mrs. Bapson has painted of the school system that thousands of our children attend daily. It makes no difference if it is the marriage of a student to her teacher at South, or a teacher and a student having sex in the classroom at West. All of these horrible acts must be stopped. Our children are naturally enfatuated with their instructors. We bring them up with the hope that they will emulate adults that have careers involving higher education. If we accept Mrs. Bapson's statement as the truth, every parent that has a child in the Brunswick County School System should not be surprised when something sexual happens to their child. According to her, we all know, and sccept, the fact that we have pediphiles in our school system, and we're ok with it. Mrs. Bapson needs to rethink her statement. This parent does not accept her statement. Furthermore, if she can't do any better than to make excuses for a failing policy, I expect her to resign and give someone a chance to change the nasty little secret that has been swept under the carpet to long. Bad employees and future problems can be weeded out if we place an emphasis on it, and refuse to accept her excuses!
No - I think you're waaaay
No - I think you're waaaay off !
Background checks? Sure!
""The actual problem is that Mrs. Bapson (sic) and her fellow school board members have not placed enough importance on background checks.""
Not that I've ever defended anything Shirley Babson has ever said, but the problem is NOT with background checks. As far as I know, the adults in ALL THREE of these three high-profile cases had no previous criminal record.
What we have here is not rampant devious behavior. We have 2 cases of illegal activity that were REPORTED by school employees, and one case in which the track coach was suspended at the start of the criminal investigation (which found no illegal activity, but the teacher was given the option of quitting or being fired because of unethical behavior). In my opinion, he may have been found guilty if only her parents hadn't SIGNED her away, losing their legal right to do anything about the situation.
These cases were never 'swept under the rug' by anyone. They were taken care of swiftly and these men will not set foot in any school ever again.
.... and then an overzealous lawyer decides that since he took the Hager case and it went nowhere, he might as well slap lawsuits on every case he can find, with the hopes that someone will cave, stop fighting the suits, and pay off a settlement so he can go back to Raleigh, or wherever the hell he came from.
Has any media outlet reported that South Brunswick high school was the only high school in the county to meet both the No Child Left Behind and the state ABC requirements last year? Of course not, because apparently the 99.9% of staff and students that are acting appropriately don't count in the eyes of the media.
seems like there may be a
seems like there may be a pattern here....
i guess the brunswick county school system has a lot of sickos who have a sexual appetite for children. they might want to try and "fix" this.
Brunswick Schools
There are sicko's in all counties not just Brunswick.
REFUND OF MONEY
I FEEL THAT ATA ACADEMY (OWNER ) SHOULD HAVE CALLED HIS BILLING CO AND DISCUSSED THE SITUATION ON A PERSONNAL LEVEL. AS TO THE VADILITY OF THE DISABILTY...(NOTE FROM THE DR.)
HE DID NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP THIS LADY WHO HAD A LEGITIMATE EXCUSE.NOW THEY SHOULD ALSO PAY FOR LEGAL FEES INCURRED AND HER REFUND. I
WOULD BE HESITANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH ATA!
think you're on the wrong
think you're on the wrong string...