<p>Today's local paper highlights the settlement between Williston-Northampton and a student who alleged sexual advances by her teacher. The story speaks for itself, and should be considered by those applying this year:</p>
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<p>The story speaks for itself? And should be considered by those applying this year? Huh? How?</p>
<p>Things to be learned from this story:</p>
<p>(1) People are litigious.
(2) A student alleged misconduct.
(3) The student’s allegations were never proved.
(4) The school decided to settle (without any public acknowledgment of wrongdoing).
(5) And, oh yeah, the teacher in question is no longer at the school.</p>
<p>None of these are facts that would dissuade me from enrolling a student (male or female) at this school.</p>
<p>Really, adkkid, if you’re looking for scandal, you’re going to have to do better than this.</p>
<p>Really adkkid??? I’m with Dodgersmom on this one. You’ll be hard pressed to find a BS with no bad press to its name, and this one leaves more than enough to the imagination. Your inflammatory suggestion that “The story speaks for itself, and should be considered by those applying this year” borders on slander and I would think one so young might demonstrate a modicum of humility. If I were an adcom combing these boards (which few do – lucky for you) I would be leery of an applicant who publicly demonstrates a love for stirring the pot.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t entirely shoot the messenger…my take would be that this presents an important reminder to parents to talk early to your kids about what is and is <em>not</em> appropriate behavior on the part of adults. Empower your kids to say “No!” & to advocate for themselves. We have had this conversation with all of our kids before they went away to sleep away camp. Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more cases of predatory adults coming to light in recent months, and it is clear they gravitate to where the kids are.</p>
<p>So while I have no judgment on the validity of the WNS litigation, I would strongly suggest all parents sending kids off to boarding schools talk to their kids about appropriate boundaries to maintain with teachers, coaches, etc. Think I’m overreacting in these post-Sandusky times? In my day this guy was one of the most popular faculty members at PA:</p>
<p>[‘Pumpkin</a> man’ released News Andover Townsman, Andover, MA](<a href=“http://www.andovertownsman.com/local/x645340770/Pumpkin-man-released]'Pumpkin”>http://www.andovertownsman.com/local/x645340770/Pumpkin-man-released)</p>
<p>Really, I think how a school handles accusations like this are important - and regardless this certainly sounds like blame the victim to me (I think this girl is lucky she had texts to back up her accusation which were obviously enough to reach a settlement). As a parent, I think this would make me at least want to ask questions if I had any concerns about how such things are handled now.</p>
<p>And, yes, we should all have conversations about how these things can happen anywhere - they certainly did in my public high school without any of the perpetrators every being accused or punished. So, maybe I’m more sensitive in this regard.</p>
<p>I agree with PelicanDad. I doubt the OP’s a current applicant–one post, on an account opened some time ago? And there is no need to attack the OP.</p>
<p>The teacher’s gone.
The head’s gone.
^^important.</p>
<p>Someone must have pointed out to the board that there’s no good outcome for a school in court. Would I want my daughter cast as an unbalanced nut, were she to report a teacher’s advances? No. </p>
<p>Yes, applicants must consider such events. How does a school react in emergencies? There are a long list of schools which have had unfortunate events. At a minimum, if my kids were accepted to a school with a recent public scandal, I’d want to know if they’ve instituted new policies to prevent recurrences.</p>
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<p>Well, of course it sounds that way - the only side of the store you’re getting is the family’s! Obviously, they’re not happy . . . but it’s still only one side of the story. There is simply not enough information here to assume any kind of wrongdoing on the part of the school. You have no idea if any part of her story is true.</p>
<p>“Truth” and “what people say in litigation” are rarely the same thing . . .</p>
<p>[MassLive</a> : Former Williston Northampton student’s sexual assault lawsuit settled](<a href=“http://mobile.masslive.com/advmasslive/pm_102986/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=T65brpiY]MassLive”>http://mobile.masslive.com/advmasslive/pm_102986/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=T65brpiY)
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<p><<after the="" school="" received="" a="" copy="" of="" text="" messages="" sent="" between="" ryan="" and="" student,="" officials="" arranged="" for="" to="" leave="" over="" summer,="" according="" filing.="">></after></p>
<p>Obviously something questionable in these text messages. Also why is a 16 year old girl in a male teacher’s living quarters? Sounds like the school did not handle this well.</p>
<p>In a statement, Williston spokeswoman Traci Wolfe said the school believes it has addressed the plaintiff’s concerns and plans to clarify its policies and procedures. </p>
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<li>It’s been two years and they still haven’t clarified their policies and procedures. Really? If the other article didn’t speak for itself, than this statement from Williston certainly does.</li>
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<p>Adkkid, it does sound like you have a personal axe to grind, but whatever. How do you know that they haven’t updated their policies. Actually, lots of things have been updated in the last couple of years, policies included. So what’s your beef?</p>