http://www.dcexaminer.com/articles/2005/12/20/news/maryland_news/01newsmd20homeschool.txt


A mother seeking an apology from Montgomery County officials was taken back when she received a phone call from her daughter's former school shortly after she went public about the girl's claim that an older boy forced her to commit a sex act on a school bus.

There was no apology. Instead, a Cabin John Middle School official told her that her homes chooling of her 11-year-old daughter was being audited to ensure the girl was properly being taught.

The call came on Dec. 6, the same day her story was published in The Examiner's School of Hard Knocks series. Rita, whose last name is being withheld to protect her daughter's identity, said she pulled the girl out of school and began teaching her at home shortly after the incident in late September 2004.

"I would just like an apology from Montgomery County Public Schools," said Rita, whose last name is being withheld to protect the identity of her daughter. She said it was "very coincidental" that the school decided to audit her daughter's home schooling at the same time the report about the assault was published. Her story was also featured on WTOP a few days later.

Schools spokesman Brian Edwards did not return calls seeking comment.

According to school policy, reviews are done "at the conclusion of each scheduled semester" and are not to happen more than three times annually. But Rita said that this is the first time in 14 months the school got in touch with her for a review.

According to records obtained by The Examiner, Rita's daughter told police and a therapist she was forced to commit a sex act on a boy while both were riding a school bus home. Montgomery County police said that because both the victim and the alleged assailant both had Down's syndrome, no charges could be filed.

Montgomery County's State's Attorney Douglas Gansler's office also pledged to review the 2004 case. But Rita has not been contacted by investigators. "Nothing's changed," she said, "You brought all this out into the light, and they still did nothing."

When asked if any progress had been made in the investigation of the alleged sexual assault, Gansler spokesman John McLane said, "not that I know of."

BY THE NUMBERS

- Rita's child was one of more than 50 alleged victims of sexual assault or harassment at Montgomery County public schools.
- The majority of sex assaults and harassments took place at middle schools.
- Just three incidents resulted in arrests, according to MCPS records.

>>>Montgomery County police said that because both the victim and the alleged assailant both had Down's syndrome, no charges could be filed.<<<<

This is a sticky wicket. Is there a possibility the male student's family can be held liable for his behavior? The district held accountable for not protecting the girl? Is this boy simply free to go around forcing disabled females into sex acts? Something is wrong here. Obviously the district feels no burden to protect, in spite of claiming authority over many other aspects of the students life and medical care, and this is something they could have some control over. At least this mom got her dtr out of there, I get so tired of reading about abuse cases in the govschools where the parent sends the kid right back in.