Schools Struggle With How Best To Handle Off-Campus Crime By Students

In an article I wrote for today's edition of The Sun News, Waccamaw High School allowed a young man who committed an off-campus sex crime to play on the football and basketball teams and remain in the school where the victim is also a student. They instituted an exhaustive regimen to keep them away from one another and initially sent him to the alternative school in Georgetown but allowed him back at the beginning of the fall semester. School officials said they chose that route, instead of trying to expel the perpetrator or kick him off the teams or out of the school because they are charged with trying to mold students -- even the ones who make major mistakes -- into successful adults. The structure of the activities provided the best chance for making that happen, they said. The victim and her mother wanted him removed from school so she could heal. How would you have handled the situation?

Would you have removed him from the school and teams until the charges were resolved? Would you have waited until he pleaded guilty to the charges then kicked him out or off the teams, given that people are innocent until proven guilty? Would you have allowed him to continue to play even after the plea, as Waccamaw officials did? Or would you have in place an internal judicial panel at the school, such as that employed by Coastal Carolina University, to involve student leaders and administrators to chart the most appropriate course even while the charges are pending?

"The University would respond to the incident once reported," said Travis E. Overton, director of Judicial Affairs and Off Campus Activities At CCU. "Because we are evaluating the complaint to see if the student has violated University policy, our decision would be based on the information provided in the report and the accused student's response. Our Code of Student Conduct would give the accused student the opportunity to respond to any complaint. In most cases, we would also issue a No Contact Order to restrict the student's from having any contact. We would also ensure that the assumed victim in this case is in contact with the University's victim's advocate throughout the entire process. We would not wait on a decision through the court system to follow our conduct process."

I work with a group of students at Horry County Schools alternative school. Some are there for on-campus behavior, others for off-campus crimes. One of the young men never gets in trouble at school but is on parole for his alleged role in an armed burglary. He was re-routed to the alternative school after facing the court instead of going back to his regular high school and may or may not be returned. How should we handle students such as him? He's 16 years old.

Would you have removed him from the school and teams until the charges were resolved? Would you have waited until he pleaded guilty to the charges then kicked him out or off the teams, given that people are innocent until proven guilty? Would you have allowed him to continue to play even after the plea, as Waccamaw officials did? Or would you have in place an internal judicial panel at the school, such as that employed by Coastal Carolina University, to involve student leaders and administrators to chart the most appropriate course even while the charges are pending?

"The University would respond to the incident once reported," said Travis E. Overton, director of Judicial Affairs and Off Campus Activities At CCU. "Because we are evaluating the complaint to see if the student has violated University policy, our decision would be based on the information provided in the report and the accused student's response. Our Code of Student Conduct would give the accused student the opportunity to respond to any complaint. In most cases, we would also issue a No Contact Order to restrict the student's from having any contact. We would also ensure that the assumed victim in this case is in contact with the University's victim's advocate throughout the entire process. We would not wait on a decision through the court system to follow our conduct process."

I work with a group of students at Horry County Schools alternative school. Some are there for on-campus behavior, others for off-campus crimes. One of the young men never gets in trouble at school but is on parole for his alleged role in an armed burglary. He was re-routed to the alternative school after facing the court instead of going back to his regular high school and may or may not be returned. How should we handle students such as him? He's 16 years old.