Former Whitman High rowing coach sentenced to three years for sex abuse

 

Kirk Shipley, a three-time All-Met coach, had pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two rowers at the Bethesda, Md., high school

ormer Walt Whitman High rowing coach Kirk Shipley was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for sexually abusing two former students — an outcome that appeared to stun the former Montgomery County teacher and his attorney.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Maribeth Raffinan imposed 36 months for first-degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student and 24 months for possession of a sexual performance by a minor. She suspended two of the five years.

Shipley pleaded guilty to the felonies in June as part of a plea deal. He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Shipley and his attorney had argued he should be given probation for his crimes. Speaking publicly for the first time since his arrest last year, the three-time All-Met Coach of the Year apologized to the victims, calling his actions “very, very wrong.” Shipley also expressed remorse about the impact on hundreds of his former students and athletes at the high-achieving school in Bethesda, Md., saying that he hoped that “those memories will be happy again” someday...

Former Whitman rowing coach Kirk Shipley gets three years for sex abuse - The Washington Post

“MCPS to this day continues to put these loopholes in and allow men like Kirk Shipley to operate with impunity, and who was paying the price? Our children,” said Gross.

Former Whitman High School teacher sentenced to 3 years in prison for sexual abuse of students

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — Former Walt Whitman High School teacher and rowing coach Kirk Shipley was sentenced to 3 years in prison for sexually abusing students.  

Shipley, 48, worked at MCPS for nearly 20 years. According to court documents he sexually abused two former students and rowers on the crew team on multiple occasions between 2013 to 2018 at his home in the district.

Jennifer Gross — a Whitman alum, parent and certified sex offender treatment provider — said she wrote a letter in 2018 detailing issues in MCPS’s response to reports of student abuse and blames the district for victim-blaming procedures...

Former Maryland high school teacher sentenced for sexual abuse of students (dcnewsnow.com)

. @NVRDC is proud to represent the survivors who have bravely come forward in the Kirkland Shipley case & are grateful for the sentence he received today. If you're a survivor & need support/services, please reach out to us at http://nvrdc.org.

.@NVRDC is proud to represent the survivors who have bravely come forward in the Kirkland Shipley case & are grateful for the sentence he received today. If you're a survivor & need support/services, please reach out to us at https://t.co/rLRKTpRwXm. pic.twitter.com/lbdrQMeUrG

— Network for Victim Recovery of DC (@NVRDC) September 9, 2022

According to D.C. Judge Maribeth Raffinan, Shipley was 44 years old and victim one was 18. They exchanged more than 4,000 texts, many of a sexual nature. He also had sexual relations with her.

...In imposing her sentence, Raffinan said that Shipley “certainly waivered with regard to his acceptance of responsibility.” He took advantage of the fact that he was a teacher and mentor, she noted.

During the emotional hearing, a woman who only identified herself as a community representative, called Shipley “a predator who has abused his position of authority as a teacher and coach.” She said Shipley “demonstrated a pattern of behavior in which he has gained the trust of these teens as a mentor.”

Throughout the hearing, Shipley was referred to by Judge Raffinan and others as a person who groomed some of the students he coached and taught, building trust and connection before making sexual advances.

The community representative stated that while Shipley only is charged in connection with two victims, he abused his position of authority and power during 20 years. “Eventually, Kirk hit on everyone,” she said, adding that many of these former students struggle with trust issues. “We’ve carried with us guilt and shame.”

She then directed her comments to Shipley. “You have contributed nothing to our success or our actions. You are a cancer and always have been.”..

Whitman Rowing Coach Sentenced to Three Years for Sexual Abuse - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Ex-rowing coach at Bethesda school sentenced for sexual abuse #WhitmanHighSchool @mcps @mocoboe

A former rowing coach at a Bethesda, Maryland, high school was sentenced Friday to serve three years in prison for sexual misconduct with two students.

Kirkland Shipley, of D.C., has been sentenced to five years, with two suspended, on charges of first-degree sexual abuse of a secondary education student and possession of a sexual performance by a minor. He pleaded guilty in June...

Ex-rowing coach at Bethesda school sentenced for sexual abuse - WTOP News

Breaking - DC judge sentences former #Whitman HS rowing coach Kirkland Shipley to 5 years in prison, 2yrs suspended.@mcps @mocoboe

Breaking - DC judge sentences former #Whitman HS rowing coach Kirkland Shipley to 5 years in prison, 2yrs suspended. He took a plea deal, will be incarcerated for 3 years, and have to register as a sex offender.

— Megan Cloherty (@ClohertyWTOP) September 9, 2022

Former Whitman HS teacher Kirkland Shipley pleads guilty to sexual abuse charges

Former Whitman social studies teacher Kirkland Shipley accepted a government plea offer at a court hearing yesterday morning, pleading guilty to sexually abusing a high school student and possessing sexually explicit material of a minor.

The former crew coach faces a maximum penalty of either 10 years imprisonment or a $25,000 fine for each of the two counts and must register as a sex offender for life, according to court documents. The court may also require Shipley to pay restitution to the victims. 

 “NVRDC and our clients are glad that Defendant Shipley accepted responsibility for the abuse he inflicted,” wrote Network for Victim Recovery of D.C. attorney Matthew Ornstein, who represents the victims, in an email to The Black & White. “We will be spending the next few months preparing for the sentencing phase.”..

https://theblackandwhite.net/72441/news/former-teacher-kirkland-shipley-pleads-guilty-to-sexual-abuse-charges/

Kirkland Shipley, 48, a former teacher and girls’ rowing coach at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to sexually abusing a high school student and possessing sexually explicit material of a 17-year-old former high school student. #USADC

Kirkland Shipley, 48, a former teacher and girls’ rowing coach at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to sexually abusing a high school student and possessing sexually explicit material of a 17-year-old former high school student. #USADC https://t.co/4HKFmlptiE

— Allison Papson (@AllisonPapson) June 3, 2022

Question remains if Bethesda coach accused of sexual abuse will take a plea deal

A former Bethesda, Maryland, high school rowing coach has another month to decide if he’ll take a plea deal on charges of sexually abusing two of his students.

The abuse is said to have happened while 47-year-old Kirk Shipley was coaching the girl’s rowing team at Walt Whitman High School. He was also a social studies teacher at the school...

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2022/04/question-remains-if-bethesda-coach-accused-of-sexual-abuse-will-take-a-plea-deal/

One former Whitman High rower said coach Kirk Shipley dismissed her suicide attempt. Another says he was grooming her.

A high school coach is accused of abusing two teens. More feel victimized.

Maayan Harris was midway through her sophomore year when she injured her back rowing. But even then, she knew she couldn’t miss practice.

She’d joined Walt Whitman High’s crew team in 2017 as a freshman at the Bethesda, Md., school, and it had quickly become a huge part of her identity. She knew the sport was good for her mental health, too. After her parents’ divorce, the teenager struggled with depression, she said in an interview. Rowing helped clear her head.

What didn’t help — or rather, who — was the head coach, Kirk Shipley. A popular social studies teacher at Whitman, he had led the parent-funded club team for nearly two decades and was not a man who could be easily challenged. Despite Harris’s back injury, he pushed her to continue rowing.

“Finish the piece,” Harris recalls him saying, even as she sobbed with each stroke. She managed to get through practice, she said, aggravating her injury and ending her season early...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/02/11/whitman-rowers-kirk-shipley-abuse/

Whitman crew updates “not fully compliant” communications policy

Whitman crew’s updated communications policy has taken effect. The parent board acknowledged that the previous policy was “not fully compliant” with regulatory standards.

When the Whitman crew team restarted training this winter, the team’s parent board required that rowers and their guardians sign an updated communications policy. The board acknowledged that the previous policy was “not fully compliant” with regulatory standards eight days before the August 24 arrest of head coach Kirkland Shipley on charges of sexual abuse.

The team’s communications policy now includes a requirement that a team-affiliated adult or legal guardian be copied on all communications between adult authority figures and minor athletes. The criminal complaint filed by DC’s Metropolitan Police Department characterizes texting as Shipley’s primary method of grooming female rowers. 

The new policy also specifies that communications from coaches to athletes be “professional in nature, open and transparent,” and “free of hidden meanings, innuendo and expectations.”..

https://theblackandwhite.net/71595/news/whitman-crew-updates-not-fully-compliant-communications-policy/

Missed warning signs and bad judgment abound in case of Maryland coach accused of sex abuse

 By Editorial Board

December 10, 2021 at 3:07 p.m. EST

The sordid history of scholastic and college team coaches or doctors who ignore boundaries with student-athletes, and sometimes commit crimes in crossing them, is often a story of warning signs missed. In the case of Kirk Shipley, a longtime teacher and rowing coach at Walt Whitman High School in Bethesda, Md., who was charged this summer with sexually abusing two former student-rowers, the warning signs were abundant...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/12/10/kirk-shipley-bethesda-maryland-bad-judgment/

@lizziejohnsonnn · Kirk Shipley, the rowing coach at Walt Whitman High in Bethesda, Md., held onto his job through two investigations into his behavior. Then he was arrested for sexual abuse.

Kirk Shipley, the rowing coach at Walt Whitman High in Bethesda, Md., held onto his job through two investigations into his behavior. Then he was arrested for sexual abuse.

My latest for the @washingtonpost:

https://t.co/IvUPk73vV8

— Lizzie Johnson (@lizziejohnsonnn) November 30, 2021

Whitman Crew used SafeSport to Investigate MCPS Teacher/Coach Shipley. TODAY: @Aly_Raisman said, "I don't like SafeSport" -- it's like the officials there play hot potato with cases and get nothing done.

MCPS Teacher/Crew Coach Kirkland Shipley arrest on sexual abuse charges:   https://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2021/08/breaking-whitman-crew-letter-july-2018.html

Gymnast @Aly_Raisman calls “SafeSport” a “complete mess." Likens its response to athletes’ reports of abuse “like playing hot potato” in which one person punts to another. Adds that bc it’s funded by USOPC, it's “likely not going to do the right thing”-rather “keep the PR good.”

— Liz Clarke (@lizclarketweet) September 15, 2021

When asked what the gymnasts thought about the U.S. Center for SafeSport, some of them laughed and shook their heads. Choosing her words carefully, Aly Raisman said, "I don't like SafeSport" -- it's like the officials there play hot potato with cases and get nothing done.

— Juliet Macur (@JulietMacur) September 15, 2021

"A really big issue is that SafeSport is funded by USAG & USOPC... It needs to be completely separate. SafeSport needs a lot of work." -- @Aly_Raisman

— Alanna Vagianos (@AlannaVagianos) September 15, 2021

 

MCPS, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES TOLD OF SEXUAL ALLEGATIONS AGAINST WALT WHITMAN TEACHER, CREW COACH

In a detailed letter, to the Whitman Crew Community, the Whitman Crew Boosters Board of Directors acknowledged it knew its coach may have had a sexual relationship in 2018 with a former crew member. They were also aware the relationship allegedly began following her graduation, and that the parent involved had reported it to both Montgomery County Public Schools and Child Protective Services.

Kirkland Shipley, a former social studies teacher and rowing coach at Walt Whitman High School, was arrested this week and charged with first and second-degree child sexual abuse of a secondary school student, according to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

He currently is on paid administrative leave from Montgomery County Public Schools, according to an MCPS spokesperson.

In light of the allegations, the fall crew program, including Learn-to-Row, has been suspended, according to the letter, which My MCM received from the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County, MD...

https://www.mymcmedia.org/mcps-child-protective-services-told-of-sexual-allegations-against-walt-whitman-teacher-crew-coach/

@NVRDC has been hearing about other disturbing experiences shared by other community members after the arrest of Kirk Shipley, a teacher/rowing coach from Walt Whitman High School.

 

.@NVRDC has been hearing about other disturbing experiences shared by other community members after the arrest of Kirk Shipley, a teacher/rowing coach from Walt Whitman High School. If this case has triggered any questions/worry, pls reach out to us for services/support. pic.twitter.com/yM3uYrFUnF

— Network for Victim Recovery of DC (@NVRDC) August 31, 2021

Breaking: Whitman Crew Letter: July 2018 - "parent informed the Board of a rumor of a sexual relationship between Shipley and a former crew member that began following her graduation" "MCPS was aware of the allegation"

To the Whitman Crew Community: 

We are heartbroken and disgusted by the information which came to light last week regarding Kirk Shipley’s alleged sexual abuse and sexual misconduct. When we were informed, we immediately severed all ties with him and instructed him not to have any contact with current or former athletes, parents, or other members of our community. We are incredibly sorry for the pain and anguish that all of our athletes and parents are experiencing. We regret offering Shipley a position for this fall season and, in retrospect with what we now know, that was clearly the wrong decision. We, as Board members, are also parents of athletes and we would never knowingly put our children at risk. We know many parents, current athletes, and former athletes are disturbed and angry. You have every right to be. We are as well.
 
We want to be transparent with you regarding what the Board knew, when the Board knew it, and why the Board took the actions that it did.
 
In July 2018, a parent informed the Board of a rumor of a sexual relationship between Shipley and a former crew member that began following her graduation. This rumor came to light one month after the Board had initiated an investigation in response to an unrelated individual boating complaint regarding Coach Shipley. When the Board learned of the rumor, it was told the parent had already reported it to Montgomery County Public Schools and child protective services. The Board confirmed that MCPS was aware of the allegation and the Board immediately reported the allegation to SafeSport. As a member of U.S. Rowing, Walt Whitman Crew must follow the policies of SafeSport, which gives SafeSport exclusive jurisdiction over allegations of sexual abuse and the process by which those allegations are investigated. To be clear, SafeSport policy does not allow an organization to investigate such matters itself. The Board relied on the respective expertise and experience of MCPS, SafeSport, and Montgomery County child protective services to investigate and report any findings of sexual abuse or misconduct by Shipley. Neither MCPS, SafeSport, nor Montgomery County child protective services reported any findings of sexual or physical misconduct to us..

In June 2021, the Board received disconcerting feedback regarding Shipley during our annual survey. None of the issues raised allegations of sexual or physical misconduct. However, given the nature of the concerns, we immediately suspended Shipley, and we hired an independent investigator to perform a review of the program. Our decision to hire an independent investigator was based on several factors. We wanted to:

• have a neutral third party lead the process;
• engage someone with expertise in conducting investigations; 
• encourage community members to come forward; and 
• protect the privacy of the athletes and parents who were willing to share information confidentially.

We relied on the investigator’s findings, including the categorical statement, "There have been no allegations (or findings) of any physical or sexual misconduct on the part of Coach Shipley or anyone else involved with the program." Had this fact not been reported to us, our decision for the fall would have been different. For the concerns about Shipley that were noted in the report, we believed that we could establish protocols to address them effectively. Again, it was made clear that there were no allegations or findings of sexual misconduct contained in the report that was provided to us. We want you to know that we made what we believed to be the best decision for our children and our club, based on the information we had at the time.

On August 18, 2021, we were notified by US Rowing that SafeSport had an open investigation of Kirk Shipley that we did not know about when we made the decision to continue his employment. We immediately contacted SafeSport and they told us the following: 

1. They received a complaint in October 2020, which they closed in early July 2021 because there was "not enough to report"; 
2. On July 19, 2021, they received new information, which they did not disclose to us, so they reopened the investigation and they assigned an investigator at the end of July; 
3. Kirk Shipley was still eligible to coach; and 
4. We were prohibited from taking action as a result of learning about their investigation.

We had no knowledge of the SafeSport investigations when we made the decision to employ Shipley this fall.

When, on August 24, 2021, we learned that a criminal complaint had been filed against Shipley, we immediately severed all ties with him.

We want to apologize to those who bravely came forward to raise concerns and who feel like those concerns were not heard. The health and safety of our kids is and always has been our primary concern. As fellow parents, we acknowledge the anguish, turmoil, and pain that this brings to our student athletes.

Our focus now is on providing resources to our athletes, healing our community, and cooperating with the investigation. With that in mind, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the fall program, including Learn-to-Row. We are working on identifying alternative fall rowing programs and will have more information to share in the coming days. 

To assist with the healing, we have also lined up several therapists who deal specifically with trauma to work with any parent and/or athlete who wants counseling. They are: 

Gavin W. Behrens & Associates - Bethesda
https://www.gbehrensandassociates.com/

Rathbone & Associates - Bethesda/Rockville 
https://rathboneandassociates.com/
Britt Rathbone or John Dunn, specifically

Julie Baron & Associates - Rockville
https://www.juliebaronandassociates.com/

Also, Georgette Saad from the Sibley Group in DC (https://thesibleygroupdc.com/) is available for psychoeducational group sessions for parents, followed by separate group sessions for female and male rowers. Tentative days/times are Friday, September 3 at 7pm, Saturday, September 4 at 1pm, and Wednesday, September 8 at 5:30, 6, or 7. If you or your child is interested in attending a group session, either in person or virtually, please contact Marianne Sullivan, mariannesullivanmd@icloud.com, who is coordinating the schedule. We are paying for these group sessions out of dedicated funds – and welcome anyone who wants to contribute to this fund to support the athletes.

 Please let us know if you have questions. You can email Dave Charlton (crewdad@davecharlton.net).


Sincerely, 
Whitman Crew Boosters Board of Directors 

During his [Kirkland Shipley] arraignment, prosecutors warned there could be more victims or witnesses who have yet to come forward. Teacher and Coach at Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda

...On Tuesday afternoon in D.C. Superior Court, Shipley pleaded not guilty to charges that include first-degree child sexual abuse of a secondary education student. Charging documents indicate the alleged offenses occurred some time between May and June of 2018, when the Whitman High School student was 18 and Shipley was 44.

During his arraignment, prosecutors warned there could be more victims or witnesses who have yet to come forward — stating they believe Shipley also coached at a private club in D.C. and at Woodrow Wilson High School in the District. WTOP has reached out to D.C. Public Schools and awaits a response...

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2021/08/walt-whitman-high-school-teacher-faces-sex-charges-related-to-a-student/

DC Prosecutor: the [Walt Whitman HS - Kirkland Shipley] investigation is continuing and she wanted a restrictive stay-away order so other current or former students could “feel safe coming forward.”

Walt Whitman High School teacher, community rowing coach charged with sexual abuse

...Shipley’s attorney, Amy Phillips of the D.C. Public Defender Service, argued in court that an initial version of the stay-away order proposed by the prosecution was overly broad, encompassing all former Whitman students.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell narrowed her request to students Shipley had currently or previously coached or taught, noting that the criminal complaint identifies a second student who told police she had a sexual relationship with Shipley starting in 2013, after she had graduated but while she was 17.

Burrell said Shipley had been employed by Montgomery schools since 2001 and coaching crew since 2002. Before that, she said, he taught at a school in the District.

The prosecutor noted that both students told police they exchanged sexually explicit text messages with Shipley. Burrell said the investigation is continuing and she wanted a restrictive stay-away order so other current or former students could “feel safe coming forward.”..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/rowing-coach-shipley-abuse-charges/2021/08/24/1ac67bca-0504-11ec-8c3f-3526f81b233b_story.html

Maryland high school teacher arrested on charges related to sexual abuse of a minor

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - A teacher at Walt Whitman High School in Montgomery County has been arrested on multiple charges related to sexual abuse of a student and sexual abuse of a minor, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. MPD says 47-year-old Kirkland Shipley was arrested Tuesday after an investigation revealed that between May 2018 and June 2018, Shipley allegedly sexually abused a female victim on multiple occasions in D.C...

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/maryland-high-school-teacher-arrested-on-charges-related-to-sexual-abuse-of-a-minor