In reaction to concern about a swarm of media attention on last week's hazing incident, Rye City Schools Superintendent Dr. Edward Shine sent a message to the Rye High School Parents' Organization today assuring parents the District would maintain the privacy of all the children involved.
"Parents and the news media are seeking more information about the victims and the RHS juniors involved in these allegations," said Dr. Shine's message. "While this is uncomfortable, I need everyone to know that Federal law prevents the District and its officials from sharing any information about the victims and the students who have been charged. Federal law also prohibits District officials from sharing any information about disciplinary procedures and/or consequences such as suspension."
"While this is, first and foremost, a serious legal matter for the young men who have been arrested, these students will also face severe disciplinary consequences as students of the Rye Public Schools." Now less than 24 hours later Shine goes into turtle mode. Turtle soup anyone? Maybe Shine got a call from French and Jovanovich who said they would refer this to the Ethics Board for him. Wink, wink. It works every time! Maybe the Jovanovich twins called Shine and said the Rye property values will go down if anything is really done about the hazing incident. Anyway, for the "Record", I'm going for a swim.
http://www.lausdeo10580.com/lausdeo10580/2012/06/rye-2010-present-property-owners-variance-applications.html
Since there are allegations of crimes being committed and prior knowledge by school administrators maybe French and Jovanovich can refer this entire matter over to the City of Rye Board of Ethics.
Cynicism (No laws left in Rye) won't help and the City can only do so much. Obviously everyone should do everything they can to educate our children about the damage done by any kind of bullying and hazing. As is evident by this case both the victims and perpetrators are, and will pay costs for some time to come as a result. Parents, please talk to your children - at length - about what has happened here. I have been dismayed at the outcry over a possible Hampton Inn being allowed into our 'wonderful' community when this incident should be THE most important topic on all of our agendas. We can hardly label transient populations as possible spoilers of our community when we have crimes being perpetrated on our children by our own children. Children model what they see and hear from their family, neighbors and community. We all need to step up as role models so that every child in our community will know that this type of behavior is unacceptable, criminal and will not be tolerated in Rye.