Today is Sarah's Birthday!
Happy Birthday Tiger! You Rock!Today's freaky fact, I was born on 9/10, my sister on 10/11 and Sarah on 11/12... weird huh? I had nothing to do with any of it...
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Cell phones are making our kids soft!
That's right, I said. it. At the risk of sounding like my grandparents, kids today have it too easy! Case in point, last week I bought a new Iphone. I LOVE it. The things this phone can do was the stuff of science fiction just a few short years ago. And it got me to thinking about how technology has changed our lives in less than a generation and the cell phone is a prime example. In our family not only do we have a home phone, but we all have our own cell phones. They don't know it, but that simple fact has saved every teenage boy uncounted hours of grief.
Back in the day calling a girl was a big deal. It took days, even weeks, to work up the nerve to make the call and hours of planning exactly what to say. But it all could be ruined when an unexpected voice answered the phone.
And back, before the invention of cell phones, there was one, maybe two phones in a home and people shared them. Crazy, I know. So you never knew who would answer once you worked up the courage to dial the phone. (And yes i literally mean DIAL the phone).
Like everyone else, there were just two phones in our house. One in the kitchen and one in my parents bedroom. That meant that in order to get any kind of privacy the call had to be made from my parents bedroom.... which added an extra sense of weirdness to whole thing.
I used to pray that the girl would answer, but it could be Mom, or worse the little brother, or worst of all Dad.
Hours of preparation could evaporate in seconds with the sound of a fathers voice. A normally confident young man could be reduced to a mumbling moron if the wrong person picked up.
And since this was occurring in the dark ages prior to the invention of caller Id. There was often a note of surprise, maybe even anger, and in the case of the little brother an unseen smirk coming through the line. There was inevitably a few minutes of extremely uncomfortable small talk. The level of distress rising depending on which family member was on the line.
Now everyone has their own phones. When a boy calls my daughters phone they know it will be my daughter that answers. Certainly not me. In fact they don't even have to call. Texting works just fine without the awkwardness.
Now that I no longer have to worry about it, I don't think there is anything wrong with there being an element of fear, or at least uncertainty, being injected in the dating process. It show a certain level of commitment and seriousness if a young man knows he may have to deal with a gate-keeper, possibly an angry one that may or may not have a shotgun. It builds character, just like when I had to walk to school in the snow, uphill. Both ways.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Why I walk
After learning about the Blue Zone project this week I decided to start walking to work again. So for the last couple of days I've made the trip down Maple Street, thoroughly enjoying the crisp air, the fall colors and sounds of the leaves dancing in the wind.
A couple years ago I walked to work almost every day during the fall and even the winter. In the summer I rode my bike. Last year, for some reason, I started driving more. I guess there were meetings to attend, places to be, and driving once or twice a week started to became easier each day.
But this mornings walk reminded me of what I had been missing. I don't do it for the exercise, my office is only a 1/3 of mile from my home and my pace is more amble than power-walk. So it's not really much of a calorie burner.
What it does is remind me of the days when life was lived outside. As a kid we would head out the door in the morning and not come home for hours. Somehow, without the benefit of video games, Ipods or smart phones, the hours still managed to slip away unnoticed in the unbridled freedom of youth. Playing games that seem old fashioned now, hide and seek, baseball at the elementary school or just riding bikes around town. Do kids still do those things or has childhood become so organized that play requires a registration form and entry fee?
Grass stained pants and the feel of the wind in your face when running full speed ahead to nowhere, that's what I remember.
The 10 or 15 minutes it takes me to make the walk down Maple street let me reconnect with that. The wind still bites my face, though my pace is slower and more deliberate. But the echos of those days remain and sometimes I hear them in the leaves that rustle in the breeze.
After learning about the Blue Zone project this week I decided to start walking to work again. So for the last couple of days I've made the trip down Maple Street, thoroughly enjoying the crisp air, the fall colors and sounds of the leaves dancing in the wind.A couple years ago I walked to work almost every day during the fall and even the winter. In the summer I rode my bike. Last year, for some reason, I started driving more. I guess there were meetings to attend, places to be, and driving once or twice a week started to became easier each day.
But this mornings walk reminded me of what I had been missing. I don't do it for the exercise, my office is only a 1/3 of mile from my home and my pace is more amble than power-walk. So it's not really much of a calorie burner.
What it does is remind me of the days when life was lived outside. As a kid we would head out the door in the morning and not come home for hours. Somehow, without the benefit of video games, Ipods or smart phones, the hours still managed to slip away unnoticed in the unbridled freedom of youth. Playing games that seem old fashioned now, hide and seek, baseball at the elementary school or just riding bikes around town. Do kids still do those things or has childhood become so organized that play requires a registration form and entry fee?
Grass stained pants and the feel of the wind in your face when running full speed ahead to nowhere, that's what I remember.
The 10 or 15 minutes it takes me to make the walk down Maple street let me reconnect with that. The wind still bites my face, though my pace is slower and more deliberate. But the echos of those days remain and sometimes I hear them in the leaves that rustle in the breeze.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Denise Coder visited the Rotary Club Tuesday to talk about the Atlantic Blue Zone Project. If you don't know much about this project, and I didn't, it really is a worthwhile project with the goal to create a healthier and happier community. I really liked the "Power 9" behaviors (reprinted below). Straightforward, commonsense advice. And I get to drink more wine!Below is information from the website, http://www.bluezonesproject.com/.
On Aug. 10, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad announced a plan to make Iowa the Healthiest State by the year 2016 as measured by the Gallup Healthways Well-Being Index®. The Healthiest State Initiative is a privately- led, publicly endorsed effort that will engage citizens throughout the state to improve their overall health and well-being.
According to the 2010 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index®, Iowa currently ranks as the 19th healthiest state in the nation. Although that puts Iowa in the top half, there is room for improvement. Today, Iowa scores well on emotional health, physical health and access to basics such as safe surroundings, financial resources, strong community and health care services. Progress needs to be made on healthy behaviors such as exercise and eating habits, as well as improving overall work environments.
Go to the Healthiest State Initiative website for more information. An exciting component of this initiative is the vision to transform 10 Iowa communities into Blue Zones Communities. What are Blue Zones®? They are the healthiest, happiest, longest-living cultures on earth. Additionally, all Iowans will have access to tools and information to help them take action regardless if their community is selected or not.
Power 9™
2011-08-04 by admin
There are places in the world where people live healthy, happy lives well into their 90′s and 100′s. Dubbed “Blue Zones”
by National Geographic researcher Dan Buettner, these longevity
hotspots share nine traits—Power 9—responsible for their remarkable
results.
Power 9 behaviors can be organized into four categories, Move Naturally, Eat Wisely, Right Outlook and Belong
We can get more physical activity naturally if we live in walkable communities, de-convenience our homes and grow gardens.
2. Know your Purpose
People who know why they wake up in the morning live up to seven years longer than those who don’t.
3. Down Shift
To reverse inflammation related to every major age-related disease, find time each day to meditate, nap, pray or enjoy a happy hour.
4. 80% Rule
It takes your stomach 20 minutes to tell your brain it is full causing most people to accidentally overeat; so stop when you feel 80% full.
5. Plant Slant
Eat mostly a plant-based diet that is heavy on beans, nuts, and green plants. This is consistent with the USDA’s MyPlate recommendations to make fruits, vegetables and grains the majority of your intake.
6. Wine at 5
If you have a healthy relationship to alcohol, one to two glasses of wine daily could help add years to your life, especially when consumed with a healthy diet.
7. Family First
Living in a thriving family is worth a half a dozen extra years of life expectancy. Invest time in your kids, nurture a monogamous relationship and keep your aging parents nearby.
8. Belong
Recommit, reconnect or explore a new faith-based community. No matter which faith, studies found that people who show up to their faith community four times a month live an extra 4-14 years.
9. Right Tribe
Your friends have a long-term impact on your well-being. Expanding your social circle to include healthy-minded, supportive people might be the most powerful thing you can do to add years to your life.
Print this list and refer to it daily to help you adopt behaviors that will improve your well-being and extend your longevity.
©Copyright 2009 by Blue Zones, LLC. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Turning life’s pages
How did it get so late so soon?
It’s night before it’s afternoon.
December is here before it’s June.
My goodness how the time has flewn.
How did it get so late so soon?
~Dr. Seuss
This weekend our oldest daughter, Pammy, will leave for college and I have to admit it’s been a more difficult and emotional process than I had thought.
Intellectually, for years, we’ve known this day would come, but somehow I found myself completely unprepared for the emotional havoc this simple step in life would have on me.
Where did the time go? When did this awkward kid in braces turn into such a beautiful young lady? Wasn’t it just yesterday I was teaching her to drive in the High School parking lot? It seems it was just moments ago that I watched her march and then make goofy faces after performing with the high school band at halftime. Golf and swim meets, Show Choir and Band concerts. How many hours have I spent waiting for her to get ready to go somewhere?
So now here we are ... and now I’m not ready.
In our hallway sits a pile of suitcases and bags packed and ready to go, a little too anxious in my view to hit the road.
We’re discussing going away parties and getting printers to work at the last minute. I keep busy and stay out of the way and think to myself what I wouldn’t give for just one more week.
I never imagined my parents went through this, but of course they must have. I was independent and anxious to be on my own. I left without fanfare, hardly a good-bye really, and drove off into my life. It must have been hard on them and I wish now I had been more thoughtful. But I was young and in a hurry and I couldn’t be bothered with sentimentality. Now I seem to be drowning in it. There are just so many memories that demand attention. Family vacations, first dates, Prom and “remember whens”.... could they really have all come and gone already?
On Saturday we will drive Pammy, (will it become Pamela now?), to college in Nebraska, unload the suitcases and bags, hook up the printer and wait uncomfortably for the inevitable moment when she steps from our lives into hers.
There will be tears of course but there will also be pride and excitement. We’ve raised a good kid, but she will navigate her own course from here. I know there will be great success and, yes, failure in her future. I know she will fall in love, experience great joy and unbearable sorrow. And as much as I wish we could smooth the path for her, and as painful as it might be for us to watch her pick her way around life’s pitfalls, it would be unfair to her.
You don’t get a practice run in life, you take it as it comes and learn to appreciate the highs and the lows. It’s sometimes difficult but it’s the trick to giving context and meaning to this journey we’re on.
The tears that fall Saturday are the result of the years of laughter and love. And there will be more to come at graduations, weddings, births and deaths. There are those that say life is a journey you must take alone. But that isn’t true. Because always and forever, like a shadow in the background, we will be there, reminding you, “Its ok, don’t be afraid. We love you."
Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid. ~Frederick Buechner
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Off to a good start...
We had our first Schildberg Quarry meeting Wednesday night. There are eight of us so far, not counting Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring and Mayor Dave Jones. I don't know everyone's names yet so I wont list them, but it looks like a good group.
The first meeting was spent kicking around ideas, both long term and short term. The good news is we all seem to be on the same page, especially about being more concerned with action rather than sitting on a committee.
Some ideas that were discussed:
• Installing benches around the trail
• Planting more trees
• Providing a fenced area for dogs to run
• Putting out a couple of Porta-pottys
• Developing a long-term, multi-phase plan to make sure work is ongoing
Lots of good ideas were kicked around, and there was lots of good, positive, energy. I'm hopeful that this committee might actually make a difference.
Kudos to Mayor Dave Jones for moving ahead and to Roger Herring. Herring seems to be committed to the project and has already made plans for some improvements. FINALLY!
If you have any suggestions feel free to contact me, let's make this thing happen!
We had our first Schildberg Quarry meeting Wednesday night. There are eight of us so far, not counting Parks and Rec Director Roger Herring and Mayor Dave Jones. I don't know everyone's names yet so I wont list them, but it looks like a good group.
The first meeting was spent kicking around ideas, both long term and short term. The good news is we all seem to be on the same page, especially about being more concerned with action rather than sitting on a committee.
Some ideas that were discussed:
• Installing benches around the trail
• Planting more trees
• Providing a fenced area for dogs to run
• Putting out a couple of Porta-pottys
• Developing a long-term, multi-phase plan to make sure work is ongoing
Lots of good ideas were kicked around, and there was lots of good, positive, energy. I'm hopeful that this committee might actually make a difference.
Kudos to Mayor Dave Jones for moving ahead and to Roger Herring. Herring seems to be committed to the project and has already made plans for some improvements. FINALLY!
If you have any suggestions feel free to contact me, let's make this thing happen!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Planting the seeds of discontent
So I guess it’s not enough that the city is making NO progress on the Schildberg Park development…. Now they’ve actually decided to begin going backward! Cit
y officials announced on Wednesday that the city is in the process of renting out just over 20 acres to be farmed in the park. They say the plan is to avoid costs associated with weed control and mowing while making the city around $2,000 a year.
Great.
You know what else makes money… campgrounds filled with campers. And unlike corn and soybeans, campers buy food, gas and other items sold by local merchants.
The fact is the city has shown little real interest in developing that area and this is just another sad episode in that saga.
Plans for the development of the park have been on the books for years, and little has gotten done. So little in fact, that the city was forced to return over half a million dollars to the state’s Vision Iowa fund.
Some dirt work was done, a trail built and a dock donated. Not bad for six or seven or eight years work … It’s hard to remember exactly.
So now the city is returning a part of the land to agriculture. Only for a year they say…. Uh-huh. Sure. I’m sure it’s all part of the master plan!
(Oh and by-the-way I’m not even sure the city is getting such a great deal since according to the ISU Extension Service, cash rent in Cass County is about twice the $100 an acre the city is charging. Did they go out for bids on this? )
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Atlantic Trojann Golfers ROCK!
Congratulations to the Atlantic girls golf team, (Sierra Worth, Kristen Schuler, Pammy Fixmer, (my daughter!) Kaitlyn Walter, Bailey Walter, Brooke Flecher) which will be competing in the state golf meet Tuesday and Wednesday in Adel!
The girls finished undefeated in conference play, (the only Atlantic team to do so this year!) and placed second in districts and regionals to advance to the two-day championship. Atlantic's Sierra Worth also qualified as an individual by shooting an 87 at the regional meet!
No matter how you slice it, that's an awesome season!
The meet kicks off around 9:30 a.m. ( I think) at the River Valley Golf Course in Adel.
Below are the state's class 3A teams that will be competing with their scores from regionals:
Spirit Lake – 372 – State Qualifier
MOC-Floyd Valley – 398 – State Qualifier
ADM – 364 – State Qualifier
Atlantic – 383 – State Qualifier
Clear Lake – 343 – State Qualifier
Charles City – 351 – State Qualifier
Dubuque Wahlert – 343 – State Qualifier
Grinnell – 356 – State Qualifier
Take a virtual tour of the course here:
http://www.rivervalleygolf.com/hole_by_hole.php
Map to Golf Course
View Larger Map
Just wondering... So why did the school district pop for hotel rooms for the boys and girls track teams last week, but refused to do so for the girls golf team....... curious.
Running Update
The Dam to Dam race is next Saturday and tomorrow I plan on running my first double digits run of the year (maybe longer?). Despite the setbacks I think I will be ready to at least complete the race ... though I doubt a PR is in the picture.
Initially I was concerned about doing 12 miles in the Vibrams, which I've gone to now exclusively, but I think they will be fine. Tomorrow will be the real test.
Plantar fasciitis sucks! But the minimalist shoe thing seem to be working. Wearing regular shoes usually results in foot pain by the end of the day. Occasionally I wear the Vibrams to work, but they are not really work appropriate.
My runs are definitely slower in them, but at least I can run. And I think if I could lose some weight that will help boost the speed. All in good time.
BTW - If you happened to see the 5/26, a deckhand on one of the boats was driven to tears by Plantar Fasciitis and had to leave the deck. OUCH!
T
he plantar fascia is a very thick band of tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes. This band of tissue is what creates the arch of the foot. When the fascia is overstretched or overused, it can become inflamed. When the fascia is inflamed, it can be painful and make walking more difficult.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
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Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Just Sayin...
"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. "
Charles R. Swindoll
"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children. "
Charles R. Swindoll
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Posts Too Hot For KCCI!
"Log in Failed. Please check your login credentials and try again."
That's the message I received after posting three comments on the KCCI website concerning their story ""Students Pulled From School After Pencil Bully Incident."
After receiving nearly 100 comments on their latest story, apparently there were three that crossed the line. And they were all from me! It's true....I have been banned from KCCI!
I guess they're kind of touchy over there. All I did was point out that KCCI had not yet bothered to contact police or review the police report concerning the incident. (If they have, they haven't included that information in any of their stories.) Either way, it's been over two weeks now, don't you think it's about time? It's journalism 101 guys...
Here are the offending posts:
Post 1-
tmyers - the problem is KCCI has never bothered to speak with the police or look at the police report. Of if they have, they haven't reported on what is a really a very different picture.
Channel 3 in Omaha finally got around to talking to police on Monday. Here is a link to their story:
http://www.kmtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13986009
Channel 3 in Omaha finally got around to talking to police on Monday. Here is a link to their story:
http://www.kmtv
Post 2 (the comment section limits you to 500 characters so I posted in three parts)
From that story:
" Some parents call it "sexual assault". It's an act Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green says isn't true. "There's been allegations back and forth about actual entering into a body cavity. We don't have evidence of that at all," says Chief Green.
... only one case involves the sharp end of the pencil and says it punctured clothing. "
http://www.kmtv
Post 3 -
An editorial I wrote after reviewing the police reports and talking to officers:
http://swiowanewssource.com/articles/2011/02/07/atlantic_news_telegraph/opinion/columns/doc4d500f35adf0d183094240.txt
I'm not saying the boy shouldn't be punished, I'm saying the media in Omaha and Des Moines have failed in presenting a complete picture of what happened.
http://swiowane
I'm not saying the boy shouldn't be punished, I'm saying the media in Omaha and Des Moines have failed in presenting a complete picture of what happened.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Channel 3 talks to police - finally
Looks like channel 3 in omaha has finally checked the police reports. Maybe it was the email I sent Monday am?
http://www.kmtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13986009&clienttype=mobile&config=H264
"Some parents call it "sexual assault". It's an act Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green says isn't true. "There's been allegations back and forth about actual entering into a body cavity. We don't have evidence of that at all," says Chief Green.
Chief Green says only one case involves the sharp end of the pencil and says it punctured clothing. The attack did not leave a mark on the child's skin. One report shows a red mark, about the size of a quarter. After reviewing the case Chief Green does not believe the teen intended to hurt anyone. The accused boy does write a statement saying "I hit the boys in the butt and I just did it cause I want to..."
Here we go again
Whether an exaggeration or outright lie, school accusations and lack of district response combine to drag the community through the mud - again
Shame on you Mr. Whitt. Shame. You claim to be a man of God and yet, your actions over the past couple of days belie a much darker, and less forgiving nature than one would expect from a true Christian.
You are perpetuating a lie, or at best an exaggeration, and you are doing it on the back of a teenage boy. A boy who may not be an angel, but has certainly not done the things you, and other parents are now accusing him of. You and your group have falsely accused this young man of sexual assault, and your exaggerations have led to news organizations across the state to misrepresent what happened using the most heinous terms. In your heart you must know that what has been said is not an accurate representation of what happened.
Nearly everyone who has looked at this incident with an objective eye disagrees with your assessment, including the police who investigated the incident along with the chief of police. The statements of the victims also bear that out. You could have told the truth, like the boy accused of the crime did when asked about it by the police, but you chose not to. Shame on you Mr. Whitt and shame on the parents who are following your lead.
You have given this community another black eye, but you’re not alone in this; you’ve had help from the school board members and administrators whose silence, though required by state law, has helped perpetuate the lie.
Below are the facts of the case, according to Atlantic Police officers Spencer Walton’s and Brent Behnken’s incident report, along with statements given to police by the victims:
Officer Walton describes the incident:
“(victim) stated he was in the boys’ restroom when (the accused) approached him. (The accused) came up behind (the victim) and said ‘have you ever seen a movie like this,’ and jabbed the pencil in (the victims) anal region of the pants/buttocks as well.”
No mention of penetration. Jabbed is the word used, not stabbed and it noted that the victims pants were on, making it difficult, I would think, for insertion to occur.
Here are the statements from the victims themselves; three of the five make no mention at all of penetration.
Victim #2 statement:
“I was leaving Mrs. Sandage’s room going to the health room and then (the accused) came and said there was a movie about something and he grabbed my behind with an open hand and just grabbed my behind. Then I left.”
Victim #4 statement:
Under the description of the incident he wrote, “poking me w/pencil in rear end.”
Victim #5 statement:
“He was poking me in the butt with a colored pencil (non-stop) at least 10 times in the butt each time. It was on the side of the butt.”
Two victims do describe penetration, but the circumstance under which they describe the incident make that claim seem dubious at best.
Victim 1:
“I was in the boys restroom and (the accused) came in and said, asked me if I ever saw a movie like this. Then he shoved a pencil on his fingers up my butt really hard. Then he left (the) restroom.”
Victim 3 stated: (incident occurred in the hallway outside of a classroom)
“He stab(bed) his pencil up my butt.”
He said my name to get my attention, I turned and then the above incident happened.”
So the first victim describes an attack in the bathroom where he was fully clothed. It sounds as if the incident happened quickly and seems unlikely that under those circumstances any anal penetration occurred.
In fact that is exactly what Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green told the News Telegraph last Thursday.
“…there was no true penetration of any body cavity,” he said.
A point Mr. Whitt himself seems to support in the police report where he is quoted as saying:
“I looked at (his son’s) behind in the bathroom and there was a red mark the size of a quarter.”
No mention of penetration, and he describes what sounds like an injury more consistent with being “jabbed” in buttock.
The third victim describes an attack that occurred in a busy hallway outside a classroom; again the circumstances seem unlikely to lead to penetration.
The idea that, as some have claimed, five students were “sexually assaulted,” at the Atlantic Middle School simply does not ring true. The description of some of the injuries, as described by parents, seem improbable at best, and in fact police have refused to file sexual abuse charges, having stated the evidence did not meet the requirements for that crime. The only charges that have been filed are for simple assault.
But as despicable as the distortions seem to be, the real problem is that we, the public, simply don’t know what happened because the administration refuses to tell us. That leaves the allegations on the table and unrefuted.
School officials pointed out on Friday that state law requires that information “about the investigation and any disciplinary action taken as a result of the incident,” remain confidential. Ok, fair enough. But state law doesn’t say you can’t call out a lie.Officials could have stood up and said something along the lines of “What you have just heard is not true. State law forbids me from providing details, but what you have just heard is false.” After reading the police reports I don’t see how you could draw any other conclusion. By not challenging the lie, it’s left to fester, in effect becoming a lie of omission.
The district allowed the message to be controlled by a vocal minority leaving the silent majority with no where to turn for the truth.
If the allegations are true, then the district has the responsibility to explain fully to the public how such a thing could occur, what punishment was handed out and what is being done to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Parents and the public have a right to know what the district is doing to protect the children under its care.
If the allegations are untrue, or exaggerated, then the district has the responsibility to protect the student falsely accused and its own reputation by, again, explaining exactly what happened to the extent it can.
If the district has learned anything from the infamous strip-search incident, it should have been that being open and honest with the public is the best course of action. Unfortunately their actions seem to indicate that lesson remains unlearned.
It is unconscionable that the school board would refuse to discuss the issue with the 40 or so parents who attended a special meeting Wednesday night. The public has right to know the facts, and the school board should be the facilitator, the go-between between the public and the administration, not a stonewall.
As for the parents who are threatening to pull students from the school and making all sorts of unseemly allegations, if these allegations are true, then you have every right to be outraged and demand action. But so far your demands of the school district have been unclear, other than to say you want a tougher punishment handed down. But the basis for making that claim seems to be based on the false claims you are putting forth.
If you are exaggerating the claims, which I believe is the case, and if you are attempting to make a political or social point on the back of a false claim against a teenager, then you should truly be ashamed of yourself.
I believe that this is less about the safety of their children, as some parents have claimed, and more about dollar signs as some are threatening to sue the district. I suspect they will have no trouble finding a lawyer who will take up their dubious cause and the community will be once again dragged through the mud.
Whether an exaggeration or outright lie, school accusations and lack of district response combine to drag the community through the mud - again
Shame on you Mr. Whitt. Shame. You claim to be a man of God and yet, your actions over the past couple of days belie a much darker, and less forgiving nature than one would expect from a true Christian.
You are perpetuating a lie, or at best an exaggeration, and you are doing it on the back of a teenage boy. A boy who may not be an angel, but has certainly not done the things you, and other parents are now accusing him of. You and your group have falsely accused this young man of sexual assault, and your exaggerations have led to news organizations across the state to misrepresent what happened using the most heinous terms. In your heart you must know that what has been said is not an accurate representation of what happened.
Nearly everyone who has looked at this incident with an objective eye disagrees with your assessment, including the police who investigated the incident along with the chief of police. The statements of the victims also bear that out. You could have told the truth, like the boy accused of the crime did when asked about it by the police, but you chose not to. Shame on you Mr. Whitt and shame on the parents who are following your lead.
You have given this community another black eye, but you’re not alone in this; you’ve had help from the school board members and administrators whose silence, though required by state law, has helped perpetuate the lie.
Below are the facts of the case, according to Atlantic Police officers Spencer Walton’s and Brent Behnken’s incident report, along with statements given to police by the victims:
Officer Walton describes the incident:
“(victim) stated he was in the boys’ restroom when (the accused) approached him. (The accused) came up behind (the victim) and said ‘have you ever seen a movie like this,’ and jabbed the pencil in (the victims) anal region of the pants/buttocks as well.”
No mention of penetration. Jabbed is the word used, not stabbed and it noted that the victims pants were on, making it difficult, I would think, for insertion to occur.
Here are the statements from the victims themselves; three of the five make no mention at all of penetration.
Victim #2 statement:
“I was leaving Mrs. Sandage’s room going to the health room and then (the accused) came and said there was a movie about something and he grabbed my behind with an open hand and just grabbed my behind. Then I left.”
Victim #4 statement:
Under the description of the incident he wrote, “poking me w/pencil in rear end.”
Victim #5 statement:
“He was poking me in the butt with a colored pencil (non-stop) at least 10 times in the butt each time. It was on the side of the butt.”
Two victims do describe penetration, but the circumstance under which they describe the incident make that claim seem dubious at best.
Victim 1:
“I was in the boys restroom and (the accused) came in and said, asked me if I ever saw a movie like this. Then he shoved a pencil on his fingers up my butt really hard. Then he left (the) restroom.”
Victim 3 stated: (incident occurred in the hallway outside of a classroom)
“He stab(bed) his pencil up my butt.”
He said my name to get my attention, I turned and then the above incident happened.”
So the first victim describes an attack in the bathroom where he was fully clothed. It sounds as if the incident happened quickly and seems unlikely that under those circumstances any anal penetration occurred.
In fact that is exactly what Atlantic Police Chief Steve Green told the News Telegraph last Thursday.
“…there was no true penetration of any body cavity,” he said.
A point Mr. Whitt himself seems to support in the police report where he is quoted as saying:
“I looked at (his son’s) behind in the bathroom and there was a red mark the size of a quarter.”
No mention of penetration, and he describes what sounds like an injury more consistent with being “jabbed” in buttock.
The third victim describes an attack that occurred in a busy hallway outside a classroom; again the circumstances seem unlikely to lead to penetration.
The idea that, as some have claimed, five students were “sexually assaulted,” at the Atlantic Middle School simply does not ring true. The description of some of the injuries, as described by parents, seem improbable at best, and in fact police have refused to file sexual abuse charges, having stated the evidence did not meet the requirements for that crime. The only charges that have been filed are for simple assault.
But as despicable as the distortions seem to be, the real problem is that we, the public, simply don’t know what happened because the administration refuses to tell us. That leaves the allegations on the table and unrefuted.
School officials pointed out on Friday that state law requires that information “about the investigation and any disciplinary action taken as a result of the incident,” remain confidential. Ok, fair enough. But state law doesn’t say you can’t call out a lie.Officials could have stood up and said something along the lines of “What you have just heard is not true. State law forbids me from providing details, but what you have just heard is false.” After reading the police reports I don’t see how you could draw any other conclusion. By not challenging the lie, it’s left to fester, in effect becoming a lie of omission.
The district allowed the message to be controlled by a vocal minority leaving the silent majority with no where to turn for the truth.
If the allegations are true, then the district has the responsibility to explain fully to the public how such a thing could occur, what punishment was handed out and what is being done to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Parents and the public have a right to know what the district is doing to protect the children under its care.
If the allegations are untrue, or exaggerated, then the district has the responsibility to protect the student falsely accused and its own reputation by, again, explaining exactly what happened to the extent it can.
If the district has learned anything from the infamous strip-search incident, it should have been that being open and honest with the public is the best course of action. Unfortunately their actions seem to indicate that lesson remains unlearned.
It is unconscionable that the school board would refuse to discuss the issue with the 40 or so parents who attended a special meeting Wednesday night. The public has right to know the facts, and the school board should be the facilitator, the go-between between the public and the administration, not a stonewall.
As for the parents who are threatening to pull students from the school and making all sorts of unseemly allegations, if these allegations are true, then you have every right to be outraged and demand action. But so far your demands of the school district have been unclear, other than to say you want a tougher punishment handed down. But the basis for making that claim seems to be based on the false claims you are putting forth.
If you are exaggerating the claims, which I believe is the case, and if you are attempting to make a political or social point on the back of a false claim against a teenager, then you should truly be ashamed of yourself.
I believe that this is less about the safety of their children, as some parents have claimed, and more about dollar signs as some are threatening to sue the district. I suspect they will have no trouble finding a lawyer who will take up their dubious cause and the community will be once again dragged through the mud.
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