PA School Watch Journal

Open Season

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:58:31 -0500

Seems like its open season on children. This is not meant to be a flip statement, but have you watched the news? Everyday children are being victimized by members of the school community. The usual reaction is, how can a teacher do that?

I have the answer.

They are not teachers who molest, assault, rape their students.

They are molesters masquerading as teachers. They are molesters first and foremost. They prey on children.They found the teaching profession alluring, because they have more access to children to victimize.

Once we realize this then we can get passed the shock.

Once we are passed the shock, we can react.

We have to put a halt to the predators lurking in plain sight. We need to hold the administrators and colleagues who cover the heinous crimes against children accountable for the crimes of the predators. By dismissing or covering up the sexual abuse of children they are culpable and therefore GUILTY too.

What can you do to stop them?

#1 Be vigilant- If something appears wrong, report it to the police. Do not dismiss your instincts. After reporting it, follow up.

#2 Be loud- Do not stand idly by. Raise the awareness of those around you. Student abuse is rampant, and many school districts sweep it under the rug.

#3 Be involved- check out http://www.september12009.com/ The Global Group of Clergy Abuse Survivors. There are many other groups that speak up for children. Join one or join them all.

#4 Be an advocate- call or write your legislator, they work for you. To find your legislator use the search feature at PA School Watch

#5 Be supportive- survivors of sexual abuse need you.

Some recent news stories about the sad state of education

Teacher sentenced in NJ

Recent Teacher Certification Actions from the PDE

Husband of teacher that received ARD sentenced see previous post about the ARD here

Of course it's not just teachers who assault children (or cover it up) it's also Senate staffers

Orie aide charged with soliciting a boy

Editor note: Senator Orie was the first supporter of PA School Watch. I applaud her commitment to protecting children. The staffer's "activities" do not reflect on her leadership.

This is not the first instance of a legislative staffer trolling the internet see this previous post.

One last thing- get invloved.

It is the only way to break the cycle and keep our children from becoming prey during the never ending "open season"

back to

Guest Column By Mike Ference

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:46:26 -0500

War Tactics Should Be Applied to Abusers and to Those Who Offered Protection

By Mike Ference

Every day brings new evidence that we no longer live in a civilized and principled society. The worst part, it usually concerns another case of sexual misconduct involving a Catholic priest, young children and a church hierarchy that helped to cover up the case.

The recently unveiled 2,600-page report by the Irish Commission explaining the systematic practice of torture and molestation at the country’s labor and educational institutions run by the Catholic Church for decades clearly suggests that Catholic Church Hierarchy have certainly outlived any usefulness to society.

And they still deny the heinous crimes and expect their weekly bounty of donations. But as more and more cases of abuse — and cover-up — come to light, one begins to wonder whether the Pope and his entourage of red hats should be considered any more trustworthy than, say, Saddam Hussein.

So — what should be done now that we know it’s a pattern of terror orchestrated by the Catholic Church and repeated everywhere the dysfunctional sex freaks have established a church, school, hospital or other institution. Given the level of wreckage and anguish caused in the lives of so many people, it seems appropriate to look to the war on terror for a model strategy.

A first prong of attack at the Vatican might involve a Special Forces unit made up of highly skilled and trained military personnel capable of tracking down and obtaining confessions from any current or former priests accused of acts of sexual abuse against children. If rights are violated, if military personnel sometimes go a little too far, so be it. The Catholic Church had ample opportunity to fess up and repent. Those incapable of civilized behavior shouldn’t expect the rights and privileges of civilization.

A deck of cards can be created to help identify hard-to-find priests as well as the disgraceful church leaders who permitted, and in essence, condoned the sexual abuse of young children. Photos of the most deviant and reprehensible church officials accompanied by a list of their offenses will encourage us all to do our patriotic duty in helping the authorities track down suspected priest-terrorists or at least be able to identify the culprits as they come and go freely because their sins where covered up and the time to criminally prosecute has expired.

Another option would be to divide the world into territories. A color-code warning system would be established, alerting parents about abusive priests being transferred into their respective regions. Depending on the designated color for a particular region, parents would know whether their children should serve at Mass, go on field trips, or even attend Catholic school that day.

To aid this unique war on terror, a pool of money should be collected, not involuntarily from taxpayers, but voluntarily from those decent human beings who believe crimes committed against our children are sins that God takes very seriously. Some of the funds raised could then be turned into outrageously tempting reward sums for information leading to the capture of our targeted criminals. Once the rogue clerics have been imprisoned and forced to talk, I recommend that their confessions be given to someone like Steven Spielberg or George Romero. Hollywood writers and producers could create a blockbuster movie like Roots or Schindler’s List to serve as a bitter reminder that these crimes should never again be permitted to occur. Tom Savini could be hired to recreate the horror on the faces of child actors chosen to play parts.

Proceeds from the movie could go to victims of abuse and their families. And no matter how old the crime, compensation would be available. There should be no statute of limitations when the rights of children have been violated by those who lived much of their adult lives perched on a pedestal heightened by the trust of innocent and vulnerable believers. In fact, I would extend compensation to the second and perhaps even third generation of sufferers. It would certainly include siblings denied the experience of growing up with a brother or sister untraumatized by such abuse. And since crimes of abuse tend to echo, it would extend to the victims of the victims as well.

If all else fails, is it any less rational to declare war on the Catholic Church as part of a war on child abuse than it was to declare war on Iraq (which had nothing to do with 9/11 or Al-Qaeda and apparently had no weapons of mass destruction) as part of a war on terror? How many innocent children have been verifiably lost to this menace — and how many more will be lost if we don’t make a preemptive strike?

As horrific as sexual abuse by priests may be, the perpetrators might merit a more forgiving place if only their superiors had the courage to do the right thing. For a few, counseling and close supervision might have been enough to prevent future abuses. Others clearly required something more intensive — a mental hospital or a prison.

But repeated abuse, as well as willfully hiding the crimes and the criminals — as far as I can see, this brings us much closer to the realm of mortal sin. And the sinners include not just the church hierarchy, but also attorneys who ill-advised parents not to buck the system and take on the Catholic Church, or may even have provided inside information to thwart legitimate cases against the church, law enforcement officials who may have thought it best to warn church officials of pending investigations, and janitors, housekeepers, teachers, and employees of the Catholic Church who kept silent because of concerns about a paycheck, a 401K, a pension, or a fear of standing up to church authorities. God has a place for everyone — and if you abuse children or protect the abusers of children, we can only hope that your place is called hell.

Can A Convicted Teacher Get ARD?

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:18:16 -0500

You bet!! What is ARD, you might ask? Good news for an ex-Liberty High School gym teacher convicted

for ignoring the sexual abuse of an 11-year-old girl. The abuse was committed by the teacher's husband.

According to the PA Code, Corinne Hertzog was a mandatory reporter, she was required to report the abuse.

Good thing when she is done her six months probation, her record will be expunged, totally clean. According

to the article linked above, Hertzog is hoping to teach again.

Pa. crossing guard gets 230-460 years in prison

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 07:05:56 -0500

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. (AP) — A former school crossing guard in northeastern Pennsylvania has been sentenced to 230 to 460 years in prison for sex crimes against children.

Columbia County prosecutors say 61-year-old Dale Hutchings, of Berwick, molested children hundreds of times between 1998 and 2007. Police say all the victims were under 13 when the attacks began.

Hutchings worked as a crossing guard near Orange Street Elementary School in Berwick, a little over 90 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Police began investigating him in 2007. Court papers say an 11-year-old girl accused him of putting his hand down her pants as she made breakfast at his house. Police were led to other victims who also said they were molested.

Hutchings was sentenced Thursday. A message seeking comment from defense lawyer Hugh Sumner was not immediately returned.

Story Link

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Child Molesters: A Behavioral Analysis

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:52:36 -0500

To stop child sexual abuse you must understand the offenders

Offered by the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children

from the website:

Authored by Kenneth V. Lanning and produced in cooperation with the FBI, the fourth edition of this book is an investigative tool for law-enforcement officers and child-protection professionals handling cases of children who are sexually exploited. It provides investigative strategies, the characteristics of a pedophile, and the difficulties often encountered in cases of sexual exploitation. It introduces a typology that places sex offenders on a continuum, from preferential to situational, and combines the information from the previous editions of this title with NCMEC’s former publication titled Child Sex Rings: A Behavioral Analysis.

160 pp.Download in .pdf format

Reprint Policy from NCMEC

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A Lawyer Speaks Plain English

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:35:37 -0500

Priest Abuse Cases: Why We Handle Them

a blog post written by Attorney Joe Saunders posted at injuryboard.com

Mr. Saunders clearly explains his position on the cover up of sexual abuse of children by Priests.

This is not only a Catholic Church problem, replace "Catholic Church" with the phrase "school district" and "Priest" with "teacher", you'll get the idea about the scope of the problem.

Slap on the Wrist

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:42:16 -0500

He gets 10 years probabtion for molesting numerous students during school. Interesting-how during the

press conference announcing the arrest of Michael A. Calnon, a math teacher from Upper Dauphin Area School District, the prosecutor states that the teacher's conduct was "extremely inappropriate and highly offensive" and that there are multiple victims.

Now the prosecutor, Sean McCormack, states that Calnon doesn't even have to register as a sex offender because "his offenses don't meet those guidelines"

There's no mention that Calnon also worked with kids as a youth group leader. Did the prosecutor look into the possibility that there may be more victims?

Exit question why was the judge, Dauphin County Judge Todd Hoover so lenient on this predator masquerading as a teacher?

Guest Columnist -Mike Ference

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:19:46 -0600

This editorial is from January 2008. Note: PA State Rep Lisa Bennington decided to serve only one term and is no longer in Harrisburg. Act 107 passed and has expanded the statute of limitations for bringing criminal charges, increases the likelihood of victims coming forward. The very first case was dismissed (last March) due to the District Attorney not "understanding" the law. The question stands, what exactly is going on in Pennsylvania? Or as Mike Ference has asked:

Is Pennsylvania a Pro-Pedophile State?

You be the judge

By Mike Ference

PA State Rep. Lisa Bennington, D-Allegheny County, held a press on May 12 in Harrisburg, PA to discuss House Bill 1137, legislation known as the Child Victim’s Act of Pennsylvania, which addresses statute of limitations and identifying sex abusers.

If the bill passes, it would change the age at which a civil suit could be filed from until the accuser is 30 to 50, bringing the civil statute of limitations in line with the criminal statute. The bill would also suspend the civil statute of limitations for two years in child sex abuse cases in which the statute has expired so that people over the age limit could file a suit. And it would allow the filing of such actions against child sex abusers and their enablers in both public and private institutions.

According to Bennington, it’s the private institutions where offenders have been allowed to move on and continue with their lives. “Their victims have been left behind to pick up the pieces, never getting their day in court and or a chance to see justice carried out. They live with this horrific crime for the rest of their lives,” she points o ut.

A 2005 Philadelphia Grand Jury Report uncovered 63 priests in the Philadelphia archdiocese who had abused hundreds of children over several decades. In some cases, archdiocese leaders intentionally concealed the abuse to protect the church.

And Bennington stresses, her bill does not target the Catholic Church. Rather, “it pertains to all religious institutions, public schools, youth groups and any organization where child sex abuse has occurred. This bill would give all Pennsylvania victims their fundamental right to hold those accountable that afflicted or allowed the abuse to occur.”

Sounds reasonable and seems like a good thing. Similar legislation has passed in California and Delaware in recent years. In California, about 1,000 victims came forward and 300 predators were identified. Yet, there’s one PA lawmaker who strongly opposes the legislation and doesn’t even intend to give the bill a hearing.

State Rep. Thomas R.Caltagirone D., (Berks County), the House Judiciary Committee chairman, says the proposed bill is driven by victims’ desire to win large legal payouts. Caltagirone goes on to say the bill is all about money, not about justice.

Ironically, Caltagirone was quick to vote with fellow legislators for a 50 percent increase in their pensions in 2001 and the infamous middle of the night pay raise in 2005. The state rep along with other lawmakers chose to take the self-induced pay grab immediately in unvouchered expenses. M any PA residents felt this made the elected officials look like money-hungry crooks, as it was eventually declared unconstitutional.

As expected, the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference deplores the bill. Choosing to continue to protect perverted priests, rather than seek justice. Likewise, the Insurance Federation of Pennsylvania is also against the bill. And while Caltagirone has officially declared HB1137 dead, his puppy-protection bill seems to be racing for the finish line.

Could the PA state rep be more concerned about protecting puppies than innocent children abused as sex toys by grown men and women? His recently unveiled, HB 2532 which would forbid dog owners from performing surgery on their pups went before the Judiciary Committee on May 14 and could be voted on as early as June 10.

As someone who has been investigating clergy abuse in Pennsylvania for almost 20 years, this writer can’t help but thing that something is amiss.

On the eastern side of the commonwealth of PA the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office issued a scathing report on the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for the high level of sexual abuse among Catholic priests and the cover ups and the reassigning of credibly accused Catholic priests by Cardinals Bevilacqua and Krol and their aides. It should be noted that Bevilacqua first served as Bishop of the Pittsburgh Diocese before his transfer to Philadelphia. Insiders claim Bevilacqua left his successor, Donald Wuerl, quite a mess.

For example, while Bevilacqua was still assigned to the Pittsburgh Diocese he agreed to place Fr. John P. Connor, an admitted child molester first within the Pittsburgh Diocese and later, after Bevilacqua took over in Philadelphia Fr. Connor was assigned there. According to testimony in the Philadelphia Grand Jury the arrangement was based on a “tradition of bishops helping bishops.” Sadly, Fr. Connor went on to abuse others and Bevilacqua was found to be a liar according to the grand jury report.

One has to wonder why the Pittsburgh Diocese voluntarily settled with 32 alleged survivors of clergy abuse. $1.25 million for crimes the Pittsburgh Diocese will never have to admit ever occurred. The settlement would not tarnish the stellar reputation of Archbishop Donald Wuerl who never had to pay a dime to any clergy abuse victims during his tenure as bishop in the Pittsburgh Diocese.

Oddly enough, an underling – so to speak – Auxiliary Bishop Bradley reconciled the situation, only weeks before Bishop David Zubik was to be installed as the new leader of the diocese. So it seems everything fell into place.

32 survivors received a few bucks, the diocese is off the hook for any future civil or maybe even criminal suits based on the settlement. Wuerl continues to do in Washington D.C. whatever it is that Archbishops do and Zubik was allowed to get a fresh start in the Pittsburgh Diocese without the interference of those civil suits that were resting in20limbo for several years.

The settling of the civil suits certainly allowed for an impressive and dignified installation of Bishop Zubik, no hecklers or demonstrators from any groups with compassion for children sexually abused by Catholic priests.

And, although I have no proof, nor anyway to calculate, I would be willing to bet the farm that more money was spent on Zubik’s festivities than was awarded to 32 survivors of alleged abuse by Catholic priests from the Pittsburgh Diocese. No big deal, the worst is over.

Unless of course, somewhere down the road – maybe a year, a few months, a couple of weeks, or perhaps in the next few days – information turns up that the cases of sexual abuse actually occurred and that cover ups were the norm in the Pittsburgh Diocese just like cover ups and shifting priests from parish to parish was the norm in the archdiocese of Philadelphia.

Anyone with a little common sense would be concerned that a man of the cloth might be tempted to hide crimes of clergy sexual abuse of young children only on the eastern side of the commonwealth of PA and not the western side as well.

That’s a lot of ifs ands or buts – only time will tell if Pennsylvania is indeed a pro-pedophile state. For now it’s three cheers for Rep Bennington and HB 1137 as for Rep. Caltagirone – one politician who obviously cares more about dogs than children – maybe it9s time for the law maker to rollover and play dead.

Mike Ference is an entrepreneur, writer, speaker and amateur investigative reporter who has been probing clergy abuse in Pennsylvania for almost 20 years. He’s currently sharing details about his investigation with Pennsylvania State Trooper John Woodruff. Is a formal investigation forthcoming? Only time will tell. Mike Ference may be reached at 412-233-5491 or email him at Ference@icubed.

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The Dark Side Of The Foreign Exchange Student Program

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 06:16:44 -0600

The Foreign Exchange Program has been under the microscope because of the countless sexual assaults that have been committed on students in the program. It's a well documented problem of pedophiles infiltrating the program and "ordering up" the child of their choice to prey upon. Read the accounts linked below. Hat Tip DB

Wichita-area former teacher sentenced to 13 years in prison for sex crimes

Is WV Part Of A National Pedophile Network Exploiting Exchange Students?

WV State Police Investigate Former Principal

Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students

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Lawsuit accuses Pa. university of covering up administrator's sexual assaults on students

nospam@example.com (Tina) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 07:39:48 -0600

Lawsuit alleges coverup at East Stroudsburg University

From the AP story:The lawsuit said Sanders, who is black, targeted emotionally fragile young black men from broken homes who looked to Sanders as a father figure or mentor. He dangled scholarships and campus jobs, then either pressured students for sex or physically attacked them to commit sexual assaults, said the suit, which also alleged Sanders misappropriated university funds.