The California School for the Deaf in Riverside ordinarily is shrouded in silence, shut off from the hearing world at large. What happens at CSDR usually stays within the confines of the school – even when the most egregious acts of misconduct, rape and assault occur.
No longer.
Thanks to the courage of whistle-blowers, and following my recent column exposing CSDR’s chronic underperformance, rendering massive numbers of students lacking life skills and academic abilities, I received shocking evidence of a tragically dismal CSDR student safety record. These include reports of crimes involving sexual misconduct, rape, attempted rape, forceful sexual abuse, sodomy and other illegal sexual conduct allowed to continue since at least 2011. Statements, written by students – all minors who live on campus – shock the conscience as to the nature and extent of the alleged abuse.
The California Highway Patrol – the law enforcement agency assigned to CSDR – confirmed to me it has nine CSDR cases spanning the past three years, involving various forms of abuse. A minimum of 8-14 middle school boys have been interviewed by CHP by in an ongoing investigation.
Yet, internal records I obtained reveal a seeming dereliction of duty in terms of adequate and mandatory sex abuse reporting to authorities or staff training on abuse prevention. Policies designed to stop repeated victimization of students at the residential campus have not been implemented.
Records indicate that, as far back as 2011, “sex clubs” were initiated at CSDR involving nonconsensual sex acts performed on minor students by other minor students while staff appeared oblivious – or even allegedly ignored pleas for help. Examination of at least one report filed in February reveals that some of the same minors filing reports in 2014 were involved in similar abusive and nonconsensual activities three years prior. Yet, seemingly little has been done to protect these children.
One informant stated, “Please act to protect CSDR kids from ongoing internal failures. … victims have not been identified. … Kids are at risk while adults in the system fail to do their jobs.” Voluminous pages documenting internal complaints from students accompanied the plea.
The school’s “Intervention Strategy” documents suggest that, while a few students were suspended, most appeared to have been internally “reprimanded.” Staff actions appear to be limited to little more than seeking to “discuss and teach dorm expectations.”
Informants assure me that CSDR officials of the highest rank and in the Sacramento office of the California Department of Education are aware of the abuse, yet have failed to intervene or hold accountable any adults supposed to protect children at CSDR.
CSDR Interim Superintendent Scott Kerby failed to respond to my repeated inquiries for comment. Numerous questions demand answers, including: were CSDR parents and child-welfare services notified? Have any policy changes or staff training to prevent re-victimization been implemented – and when?
The school’s director of residence reportedly has been forced into retirement. However, no adults have been prosecuted for child endangerment or negligent supervision.
The sordid silence at CSDR needs shattering. A full public accounting of what has occurred inside CSDR is urgently needed. Adults, having failed a basic responsibility to protect children in their charge, must be held accountable, including prosecution to the fullest extent. An intense light needs to illuminate the truth and provide justice for all – commencing with CSDR and moving up the chain of command of state education officials. How could they have not known?
Staff opinion columnist Gloria Romero is an education reformer and former Democratic state senator from Los Angeles. Email: Gloria@parentempower.org. Twitter: @gloriajromero
