At that hearing Mr. Shemer's attorney revealed what he considered to be a "unique" situation in that the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Education allowed Mr. Shemer to resign from his teaching position after they completed their internal investigation of the allegations against him.
That is, Mr. Shemer was not fired from his MCPS teaching position.
Mr. Shemer plead guilty to sex abuse of a minor and was sentenced on June 6th.
This guy got off so easy! The girl was 14 when he started this with her.
ReplyDeleteHow does this happen? This is why we have problems with teachers in the schools. This is not this guys first time anyone that knows him knows he is creepy around young girls. He has a daughter this age I would not let my teenage girl within a mile of this pervert.
ReplyDeleteIf he was at another institution, after the internal investigation, you would have been transferred to another parish.
ReplyDeleteNo, actually MCPS does the exact same thing. MCPS has been transferring suspected child abusers around for years. MCPS has also been putting "restrictions" on the ability of some teachers to touch students! How can a teacher not touch a student and do their job. See posts on Lawrence Joynes and Daniel Pica on this blog.
DeleteWith regard to this case, we know that Einstein was not the only school that Mr. Shemer worked at during his time in MCPS. He had been with MCPS for about 10-11 years.
Can you explain why they allowed him to resign rather than fire him? It seems this would be a courtesy that should not be extended to a convicted child sex offender. If you can't maybe someone from MCPS could explain this to the parents.
DeleteWe are just reporting what was stated at the sentencing hearing. We obtained the audio and are providing the public with a report of the proceeding since not one media/press person seems to have attended this sentencing. We will be posting more about the hearing, but this posting just relates to the statement by Mr. Shemer's attorney about his resignation.
DeleteThen the board should reopen this and FIRE him immediately. Since he resigned what is the status of his county retirement program? I do not want my tax dollars to go toward this child predators retirement. If he is fired it goes on his job history just like every convicted felon.
DeleteI wrote a letter and sent it to the board this morning. We need to be tougher on these predators at our children's schools.
Statistics show no one has once offense. Statistics show the average individual who commits an act of sex abuse with females has at least two victims. And so when you're looking at statistics what you're going to find is that they may have been caught for one,"
Institutions be it academic, religious or commercial, tend to play musical chairs with their problem employees.
DeleteI am shocked that this is not a bigger deal with the local media. Mr. Shemer is not the only MCPS teacher that got a slap on the wrist. There has to be a higher standard for people that work with children. If he was talking about sending photos, and sex acts with a minor, he is no stranger to this behavior. The county should investigate his history with the school system. As a parent I want to know if my children came in contact of this predator or other like him.
ReplyDeleteIt appears that the local media can only handle one such story at the time:
Deletehttp://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/06/andre-brown-high-point-high-school-teacher-indicted-for-sex-abuse-of-a-minor-due-in-court-monday-104.html
I believe, until parents make this a priority, and DEMAND the school district institute prevention policies/procedures, making ADULTS responsible for their OWN behavior (the kids are held to a behavior standard, right?), these "incidents" will continue & we will be churning out victims with no end in sight. Child sexual abuse is a public health issue, and childhood trauma can lead to a host of maladaptive behaviors, chronic health and mental health issues & even early death. Wake up, MCPS & the State of Maryland! See:
Deletehttp://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pub/preventingchildabuse.html
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/support/prevention/child_abuse/sexual_misconduct_warning_signs_shakeshaft.pdf
Unfortunately, the State of Maryland is lethargic and oblivious to this type of behavior . . .
DeleteMaryland is progressive. We forgive everyone.
DeleteYou use that word "progressive" like its a good thing. Does it not sound even the LEAST bit wrong that the county would "forgive" a behavior like this when there is apparently ample evidence that this cat should be locked up? PROGRESSIVE???
DeleteThank you, no. I will stick with my conservative, right-over-wrong principles of NO ADULT PUTS HANDS ON A CHILD. PERIOD.
Thats not progressivism, thats common sense.
*steps down off soap box*
You are in the wrong county and state. The elected officials that win over and over again do not have a problem with adults in positions of authority having sexual relationships with public school children. Did you miss when Jamie Raskin wanted to legislate that those relationships were acceptable? Pat O'Neill is happy that there are only a "few" arrests of sexual predators in MCPS.
DeleteYour children are up for grabs if you send them to MCPS.
And mind you the legislative, judicial and executive are all elected officials.
DeleteIt's the Apple Ballot! Putting your child at risk every day!
DeleteThe laws are laden with vagueness and ambiguity making them insurmountable obstacles to justice.
DeleteShemer was long known as a creep. The girls in the school talked about him being a pervert He had an affair with a married teacher!! He hit on everyone on Facebook during class.
DeleteTo anonymous 8/10: You are the reason laws exist to protect children. Adults in positions of authority are entrusted with our children. There is no excuse for an adult to abuse a child in their care. No excuses. None. Zip. Zero.
ReplyDeleteThis should not come as a surprise given the track record of the part-time legislature that is stacked with attorneys who make their living defending these predators. As long as the electorate keeps putting the same people at the helm, will have the foxes in charge of the chicken coop. So, welcome back to loophole haven.
ReplyDelete@9:13 AM As you might imagine, your comment is not going to be posted.
ReplyDeletePro-tip: a stream of obscenities will not get posted on this site.
FYI: Children are protected under Maryland law because they are children. That's the point of our laws. We hold adults to a hirer standard in the hopes that they have actually grown up and know how to act like adults. We hold TEACHERS to an even HIGHER standard because they are placed in positions of authority with children. That's how our laws work. Parents don't want to send their children to public school and have to worry about how the TEACHERS will behave.
Unfortunately, our laws do not work well because we have a part time legislature that consists of full time defense attorneys.
ReplyDelete