Dad Claims School Told Daughter She Wasn't Sexually Assaulted Because It Was 'Over The Clothes'
The school board needs to do more to take care of their kids.
Instagram During a Prince William County School Board meeting on Wednesday night, a father from Dale City went up to the podium to address the school board about a situation he was trying to bring to their attention through various phone calls that he made to the school.
Jeffrey Darr claimed that his daughter was sexually assaulted in school, and asked the school board what their procedures were for following up on those incidents that happen in school.
The school allegedly told Darr’s daughter that if she was touched over the clothes, it wasn’t sexual assault.
In a heartfelt and emotional confrontation between Darr and the school board, which included Superintendent LaTanya McDade, the father expresses his frustrations with the school’s lack of respect for him and his daughter.
“I was calling about an incident that happened to my daughter in school — she was sexually assaulted,” he explains to the board.
“I was wondering if y’all could explain to me how the policies and procedures are for the administrators that handle the situation.”
Darr had to sit through 22 seconds of silence and multiple repeated attempts from him to garner any kind of response from the board.
“Does anybody have any answers? About how the process works?” He continued, before finally being given an answer from a man on the board.
“Mr. Darr, we typically don’t go and have a back and forth here, but we’re happy to take your comments by email or appointment and work with you on that,” said the male member on the board.
They continue in discourse, with the board repeating that they will not answer him, and with Darr saying that he wants the public to know how his daughter was treated.
Darr emotionally discusses his daughter's traumatic experience.
“I want to know the school’s definition of sexual assault, because my daughter was told … that if it’s above the clothes, it’s not sexual assault. That’s the way the county does the kids here? That’s messed up,” Darr told the school board as he pointed toward his daughter.
“That’s my daughter, and no one wants to do nothing about it. Suspend the boy for one day for improper touching, and I don’t think that’s right. … Somebody needs to look into the matter and do something.”
Darr also stressed the importance of something being done in this instance because their lack action could have an effect on the rest of the kids in the community.
A school spokesperson told InsideNoVa, a news outlet from North Virginia, said the administration learned of the incident on the day it was alleged to have occurred and notified law enforcement.
The division, she said, takes any act of sexual assault seriously and does not tolerate such acts.
“The PWCS Title IX office has taken action to investigate the allegations and to offer supportive measures consistent with legal requirements," Diana Gulotta, the division’s director of communications, said in a statement to InsideNoVa.
"That process is still ongoing. For student privacy reasons, we cannot share information about the alleged incident, the investigation, or any findings, discipline or other actions that may result. PWCS administrators are working with the family of the complainant to respond to their concerns.”
Hopefully, the situation doesn’t just get “swept under” the rug and justice is served on behalf of Darr’s daughter.
Isaac Serna-Diez is a writer who focuses on entertainment and news, social justice, and politics. Follow him on Twitter here.