Academy denies it has sexual misconduct documents

Colleges and Universities A-Z Naval Academy - Annapolis
1

<p>Published in the Annapolis Capital:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/03_15-45/NAV%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/03_15-45/NAV&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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Are men abusing women at the Naval Academy, and does a double standard apply when men and women are accused of sexual misconduct?</p>

<p>Those seemed like reasonable questions to ask an institution that recruits high school students, is paid for by the public and exists to serve the nation.</p>

<p>In trying to find the answers, The Capital in the last year has filed repeated requests under the federal Freedom of Information Act seeking any documents reporting all the complaints of sexual harassment and misconduct filed at the academy over a five-year period....

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2

<p>Published in the Annapolis Capital:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/03_20-06/OPN%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2007/03_20-06/OPN&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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[quote]
One year ago, The Capital asked a simple question of Naval Academy officials: What complaints of sexual harassment and misconduct have been filed against midshipmen?</p>

<p>At least we thought the question was simple. But a year later, we still don't have an answer - unless you count as an answer the official response from the military that documents on this don't exist.</p>

<p>Don't exist? There are no documents relating to alleged sexual misconduct by former Naval Academy quarterback Lamar Owens, acquitted of rape, or against Midshipman Kenny Ray Morrison, who is still facing trial for sexual assault?...

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<p>While serving as the Naval Academy's public affairs officer from 2003 to 2006, I invested considerable time in helping reporters get the information they needed to get their stories right. Despite my best efforts, reporters sometimes got it wrong, which necessitated additional effort to have a correction printed.</p>

<p>Even though I'm retired from the Navy, I find myself again correcting information in The Capital (March 15). </p>

<p>I and my former boss, the academy superintendent, Vice Adm. Rodney P. Rempt, never promised a Capital reporter documents that we did not deliver. Honesty, integrity and truthfulness were fundamental to our dealings with the media.</p>

<p>The reporter's assertion to the contrary is just plain false. It's offensive that Vice Adm. Rempt's and my own integrity and reputation are questioned in The Capital.</p>

<p>Another inaccuracy, in an editorial (The Capital, March 20), is that the Naval Academy shies away from bad publicity - implying that information is deliberately withheld to protect the academy from embarrassment. My personal experience says this isn't true.</p>

<p>Decisions to release information were governed by Navy policy and fundamental standards of ethical conduct. Whether the information was likely to yield good or bad publicity was never a factor in our decision-making.</p>

<p>What mattered was our obligation to release factual and accurate information, in a timely manner, while protecting the privacy of individuals and not compromising ongoing investigations.</p>

<p>When we had bad news, we always strived to ensure that we were prepared to release information to reporters with minimal delay. I would not have done this if our aim was to avoid bad publicity.</p>

<p>I trust The Capital, and this reporter in particular, will exercise a higher standard of accurate and fair reporting on stories involving the Naval Academy. You have this obligation to your readers.</p>

<p>ROD GIBBONS
Londonderry, N.H.</p>

<p>Copyright 2007 Capital Gazette Communications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
The Capital (Annapolis, MD)
April 6, 2007 Friday
*Article Edited To Include USNA News only</p>