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May 16th 2008

by Dan Sapir and Dennis Randall
As titillating as the headlines have been in covering the unfortunate Silver Lake student sex scandal, most of the reports have missed the mark. Just like rape is not about sex, neither is this story. Kids behaving badly is nothing new, although in this case a new level of outrageousness was established. The behavior of adults is what troubles us now.

One must remember that the incident in the back of the school bus occurred on the morning of Thursday, December 12, 2002, when the vehicle was on its way to the schools. The participants, a 14 year old junior high girl, and a 16 year old high school boy, attended classes that day, the next, and all the following week before the holiday break. The story raced throughout grapevines of both schools. Kids must have surely waited for an adult reaction, instead... silence.

The administration's response to this incident was locked down in damage control. The consequence of the revolting behavior was kept secret, from students, the school committee and ultimately, the public. The student body from both schools were watching and waiting for signs of adult disapproval. When none was forthcoming, a message was being sent, whether intended or not. By law and tradition, the administration serves as surrogate parents during the school day, which begins when a student steps aboard the bus in the morning. That parental role continues until students step off the bus in the afternoon. As far as the kids were concerned, their "parents" said nothing, showed no visible reaction until the story exploded across the country and world. By contrast, if a student is caught smoking on school grounds, the penalty is a swift, sure, automatic suspension.

We believe the administration's initial reaction to the incident on the bus was panic, confusion, vulnerability and uncertainty. Like a drunk driver leaving the scene of an accident, the administration, in its own way, left behind a string of victims. First on the list were the perpetrators themselves. They received a disturbing message: If you embarrass school authorities enough with outrageous behavior and officials will become coconspirators in keeping the deed a secret. The student body from both campuses saw no sign that adults were in charge. No visible retribution or consequence was forthcoming. The public was victimized when their representatives, the school committee, were not apprised of the situation. Notwithstanding Education Reform, school committees still maintain a policy role in the education system. They are the elected voice of the parents. By being kept in the dark, they were unable to respond to the situation or assist in the administrative reaction.

Secrecy, instead of diffusing the situation, created an incredible time bomb, which detonated with devastating consequences when the story broke. The administration and the school committee chair are hiding behind the fig leaf of "the right of privacy." Let's examine that little fib. The incident occurred on a public school bus, in full view of the passengers. Additionally, the press began making phone calls to administrators and the school committee chair, Geralde Buckley. Where is the privacy? Once broken, the story spread like a virus. Privacy is keeping the names of minors out of the paper and not dwelling on the disgusting details. Nobody on the school committee sought that kind of information. What was requested, after the fact, was that they be given some advance notice, even a few hours, that an incident had occurred, the administration's response, and that it was about to go public.

As parents, taxpayers and voters, how can we have any confidence that this matter was handled appropriately when we have no idea as to its disposition? After abandoning their responsibility, the administration washed their hands of it and handed over the mess to the Kingston Police Department.

We are now hearing chest pounding that criminal charges are being considered. This is ludicrous. The deed and the resulting publicity carry with it a life-long penalty. The kids in question have inflicted an irreparable harm upon themselves. What they now need is guidance, counseling and discipline, something the administration is incapable of providing. For all appearances, this has all the earmarks of a cover-up, a conspiracy of silence. No good can ever come of it now.

Silver Lake students are reeling. They have become the brunt of every dirty joke, the target of late night comedians, and the fodder for sensational news coverage throughout the world. We must keep in mind that overwhelmingly the kids in those schools are decent. Hell, they are our own children! It's about time the community stands behind the kids by providing them with the kind of leadership they deserve and didn't get.

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