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)

New York child sex abuse law let 9,000 sue

ALBANY, N.Y. — For two years, New York temporarily set aside its usual time limit on civil lawsuits in order to allow victims of childhood sexual abuse to sue churches, hospitals, schools, camps, scout groups and other institutions and people they hold responsible for enabling pedophiles or turning a blind eye to wrongdoing.

That window closes Saturday, after more than 9,000 lawsuits were filed, a deluge whose impact may be felt for many years.

Four of the state’s Roman Catholic dioceses have filed for bankruptcy partly as a result of litigation unleashed by the state’s Child Victims Act. Thousands of new allegations against priests, teachers, scout leaders and other authorities have intensified the already harsh light on institutions entrusted with caring for children.

And survivors of abuse have been given an outlet for their trauma and a chance at accountability once thought long lost.

“This has, ironically, been a very healing experience for me on a personal level,” said Carol DuPre, 74, who sued the Roman Catholic diocese in Rochester, saying she was molested by a priest as a teen in the early 1960s as she counted offerings and typed up bulletins after church services...

https://roanoke.com/ap/national/article_bb66fd24-b6ed-5d2e-ae8e-e0cd41d62fbd.html

Montgomery Co. detectives seek more possible victims of gymnastics coach accused of sexual contact

Detectives are looking for more possible victims of a gymnastics instructor in Montgomery County, Maryland, who was recently arrested and accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with a minor.

CLICK TO EXPAND: Mark Samuel Yellock was a gymnastics coach in Montgomery County, Maryland. (Courtesy Montgomery County Police SVID – Child Abuse Unit)

On July 1, detectives from the Montgomery County Police Special Victims Investigations Division – Child Abuse Unit (SVID) arrested Mark Samuel Yellock, 40, of Northeast D.C.

He had been a coach at Silver Stars Gymnastics and Dynamite Gymnastics, both in Silver Spring. Neither gym was aware of the incidents before being contacted by detectives, according to a news release...

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2021/08/montgomery-co-detectives-seek-more-possible-victims-of-gymnastics-coach-accused-of-sexual-contact/

Wilson Torpedoes Cassilly Bill on House Floor. Was This Payback?

Following aggressive verbal attacks on one of his bills at a hearing in February, Del. CT Wilson (D-Charles) struck back at Sen. Robert G. Cassilly (R-Harford), re-referring one of Cassilly’s bills back to its House committee on Monday evening, effectively killing it.

SB 610, which would have slowed the mandated phasing-in of accessible beds for disabled individuals in hotels and lodging establishments by one year, was one of just two of Cassilly’s bills to make it out of his home chamber during the 2021 legislative session.

Wilson’s motion to refer the bill back to the House Economic Matters Committee appears to be in retaliation for Cassilly’s harsh rhetoric during a Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing on the Senate version of Wilson’s bill to remove the statute of limitations for child sex abuse survivors to pursue civil suits against their abusers...

https://www.marylandmatters.org/2021/03/29/wilson-torpedoes-cassilly-bill-on-house-floor-was-this-payback/?fbclid=IwAR2wImw4wgk7ce_3maTZzIg0ANQ2q_kPkoGMfkW72kLwXZrepFtbXu02S8U

The Kids ARE alright, it’s MCPS that’s NOT alright.

By A.J. Campbell.

After a week where students who have been victimized on MCPS campuses have come forward to tell their truth on Instagram about abuse, harassment, predation, and rape, we need a moment to reflect on how we are going to approach and honor the victims.  I choose to do so by standing up, reading their stories, and hearing their pain.

Others have chosen to deride and dismiss the students' statements by standing up for predators whom one person alleges might be falsely accused.  Our students are screaming out in pain because no one is listening. Skeptics needs to sit down and listen.

There are not two sides to this.

Some students have been forced to take down their posts because of harassment, threats of legal action, and intimidation.  We have to stand with the students who are moving their stories from one Instagram account to another.  Trying to keep their stories alive.

Supporting victims is not denying accused predators of their rights, it just means they can use their First Amendment rights to speak about their experience.  An accused right to due process is the role and the duty of the state and has nothing to do with a victim speaking out.

MCPS has to take ownership of any action that they have taken or not taken that has caused these students to believe that coming forward might result in further trauma, or that they would not be taken seriously, or that the accused would just be given a few days off.  Sometimes victims are further victimized on social media for reporting. This is hard work and uncomfortable conversation.  MCPS must own their role in all of this.

As a reminder, some of the incidents have been reported to MCPS already. I don’t recall a single statement where MCPS says that all of these incidents are new. I will happily apologize if I am wrong.  But some of the student statements on social media do say that students have reported.  This student says, she reported, and MCPS did nothing.

One student talks about a freshman boy who sold nude photos to the boys on the basketball team.  At a time when porn is easily accessible, this transaction among young men was about power and predation.

We blame victims for speaking out while forgetting that the perpetrators have had access to the internet, to spread child pornography, and misogyny for some time now.  

Here is another story from a survivor who did report and a teacher did nothing but bemoan that Boys will Be Boys.  Read the room, this thinking should be left in a classroom that still had inkwells. 

MCPS has had massive problems with predator teachers preying their students.  Every time it happens MCPS says that they had no idea, but that only worked the first 20 times or so.  Will MCPS post on this page that they want to find out who this creepy AF teacher is so they can show them the door?

Some people, including candidates for the Montgomery County School Board, choose to take an All Lives Matter approach by standing with the predators and calling for due process, I refuse to do so.  The accused will always have their due process rights, MCPS assures that they do.  I don't need to advocate on their behalf.  

We need to have strong leadership at MCPS who puts the victims first.  

We can see by some of the comments directed towards Principal Renay Johnson, that she has, through her actions or inactions, fomented animosity by current and former students, who are organizing against her, forming action committees, circulating petitions.  Leadership matters on the school board or with the principals. 

Here are just some of the posts that have accused Principal Johnson at Montgomery Blair High School of not taking action.  These kids knew there was a problem:

We can't defend or decry due process and pretend these predators don't get their full measure of rights while our students who are victims don't get any protection.  Many are forced to go back to school after the predators get a stern talking to and a few days off of school.  I am sorry but this is not a two-sided argument.  I will never align myself with the teen Harvey Weinsteins of the world.  

I stand with the victims.

MCPS HAS TOO MUCH EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH ON-CAMPUS PREDATORS

From an MCPS student who wishes to remain anonymous.


After the news broke that current and former students at MCPS had been victimized by their peers, the only surprise to them should have been that it wasn’t one of their predator teachers this time. MCPS has a long history of being shocked; shocked that there are sexual predators on campus.


What has shocked me to the core is the immediate posture of MCPS towards the victims that have spoken out about their abuse and harassment. Principal Renay Johnson from Montgomery Blair High School, immediately swept into action by contacting the cops to report that there were social media posts alleging abuse had taken place and encouraged victims to come forward.


Step One:  Predator on campus discovered
Step Two:  MCPS acts shocked, horrified, “deeply concerned”
Step Three:  Encourages other victims to come forward
Step Four:  If no one comes forward to the cops, MCPS could label this as a hoax
Step Five:  Convene some kind of policy meeting or summit, rewrite a policy or two
Step Six: Lay low wait for the victim’s lawyers to show up and ask for a settlement. 


MCPS has a long history of being ‘shocked’ that there were predator teachers on our campuses, and now they’re ‘shocked’ that there are predator students too or at least so many of them.


It is highly likely that some of these students would have come forward to MCPS already.  There will be a paper trail for some lawyers to find when they file a class-action lawsuit on behalf of all the victims and MCPS settles and is forced to turn over a huge barrel of cash. 

Unfortunately, only a partial list of the predator teachers below:

Albert Einstein's varsity baseball coach and history teacher solicit BDSM sex from a 16-year-old student in exchange for drugs.  MCPS pays our $3 million.  https://wjla.com/news/local/md-family-sues-mcps-for-3-million-alleges-it-harbored-reckless-teacher-107948

Music teacher who sexually abused more than a dozen girls pleads guilty

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/music-teacher-who-sexually-abused-more-than-a-dozen-girls-pleads-guilty/2015/05/11/25439b1c-f7e3-11e4-9ef4-1bb7ce3b3fb7_story.html

Assistant Track Coach at Wheaton and special ed paraeducator at Loiederman Middle School abused 13-year-old girl  https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2015/04/former-teachers-aide-arrested-on-sex-charges-with-student/

Police believe MCPS substitute teacher facing sex abuse charges has more victims
Pineada abused young girls in the classroom worked at 4 schools including Roberto Clemente Middle School.   https://wjla.com/news/crime/montgomery-county-police-hold-press-conference-on-investigation-into-mcps-substitute-teacher-109553


Montgomery Co. teacher charged with sexual abuse of student
A teacher at Magruder High School has been arrested and charged with sexual abuse of a minor and fourth-degree sex offense by a person in a position of authority.
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/education/montgomery-county-public-school-teacher-arrested-sexual-abuse-of-minor/65-a45ba31b-4a34-4e0b-b556-f958f52d1b77
 
https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/montgomery-county-teacher-under-investigation-for-inappropriate-conduct


Deplorable Math Teacher at Montgomery Blair High School  50+ Alumni accuse him
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/blair-alumni-accuse-renowned-math-teacher-of-years-of-harassing-behavior/


Walter Johnson Lacrosse Coach in attempted murder-kidnap was also terrified of students.
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/police-fire/former-walter-johnson-lacrosse-coach-faces-attempted-murder-kidnapping-charges-in-virginia/


The lawsuit alleges that Damascus High Staff Knew about the rapes
https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2020/02/lawsuit-accuses-damascus-high-school-of-ignoring-sexual-hazing/

The former MCPS bus driver that admits to abusing 4 students, plead insanity.

https://legalherald.com/montgomery-county-maryland-montgomery-county-schools-bus-driver-etienne-kabongo-admits-to-sexually-abusing-4-students-claims-insanity/
Bus Driver Sentenced to 11 Months for Touching Girls
A Montgomery County school bus driver has been sentenced to 11 months in prison for inappropriately touching 11-year-old girls on his bus
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/bus-driver-sentenced-to-11-months-for-touching-girls_washington-dc/50423/


Police: Montgomery County school teacher arrested on child pornography charges

Physical Education teacher, Ashburton Elementary School in Bethesda.

https://wjla.com/news/local/montgomery-county-school-teacher-arrested-on-child-pornography-charges


Montgomery County teacher jailed for assault, endangerment, weapons charges
Pulls loaded gun on his wife
https://www.localdvm.com/news/i-270/montgomery-county-teacher-jailed-for-assault-endangerment-weapons-charges/
 

Just say NO to posting your child's picture on the Internet! #MCPS1stDay

Baltimore Co. Police 

Pedophiles (including the former @MCPS teacher shown, now in prison for 40 years) take pictures of children posted on the Internet, 
photoshop them, 
name them, 
rate them and 
trade them. 

Keep your child's picture out of the hands of pedophiles, don't make your child's face or body public.

Keep your child's pictures out of the hands of people like former MCPS elementary school teacher Lawrence Joynes.  

http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2014/02/mcps-music-teacher-lawrence-joynes-plea.html


http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2015/11/judge-if-ever-there-was-case-that-calls.html


Other Montgomery County, MD school staff and parent volunteers who have been convicted on child pornography charges in last 5 years:

Jonathan Oldale, Todd Scriber, Peter Flynn, Daemon Alan Dartouzos

#BREAKING: Lawyer for accused Damascus High School rapist says school itself failed. “Why was the locker room left unattended day after day after day?” Alleges school knew history of “brooming.” @wusa9

#BREAKING: Lawyer for accused Damascus High School rapist says school itself failed. “Why was the locker room left unattended day after day after day?” Alleges school knew history of “brooming.” @wusa9 pic.twitter.com/PSoN2f1XeE

— Bruce Leshan (@BruceLeshan) March 21, 2019

AUDIO: Del. C.T. Wilson, "We have a habit in Maryland of protecting these institutions...This is an emergency...Up to us to do something about it...Don't reward sneaky behavior." @votectwilson .@KathleenDumais1

Delegate C.T. Wilson, "Maryland has become a dumping ground for pedophile priests."

The video below is the audio feed from the Maryland House of Delegates on March 16, 2019, when Delegate Kathleen Dumais attempted to amend part of Delegate C.T. Wilson's bill to eliminate and extend the Statute of Limitations in civil suits concerning the sexual abuse of children.

Listen to Delegate CT Wilson as he responds to Delegate Kathleen Dumais' attempt to amend his bill.

Listen to the Delegate that says, "In a good faith manner in a very clear, honest and direct way we have tried to establish our legislative intent that we want to open up our courts for an examination, for an attempt to bring justice to children who were sexually abused.  We should speak with that widely and clearly in a bipartisan fashion with one voice.  We want to give those victims every opportunity possible to present their claims."

Montgomery County Delegate Kathleen Dumais presents an amendment to HB 687 that would eliminate the "look back" window in the bill. Delegate CT Wilson and others defend the bill and the provision. Delegate Kathleen Dumais' amendment was rejected 3 - 131.

Listen to the end.  There is a break and the audio is silent while votes are being cast.

'Teachable moments': How to talk to kids about sexual abuse

Jennifer Alvaro has never met anyone who's had to escape a burning school building.

But as a parent, she's grateful students are taught about fire safety and how to react in the event of a fire.

She does, however, know thousands of people who have either been sexually abused or have friends or family members who've been victims. There's not a doubt in her mind it's "the largest public health problem facing our children."

"The fact that sexual abuse is such a more prevalent problem than any of the other things we educate kids on, that needs to be corrected and there's a safe way to do it," she said.

Based in Montgomery County, Alvaro is a licensed clinical social worker in Maryland and Virginia as well as a certified sex offender treatment provider in Virginia. She began her career in 1994 and specializes in the field of child sexual abuse.

Most recently, Alvaro has been a facilitator for Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children program which teaches adults about preventing, recognizing and reacting to child sexual abuse.

A 2004 report prepared for the U.S. Department of Education states that the most accurate data available indicates "nearly 9.6 percent of students are targets of educator sexual misconduct sometime during their school career."..

https://www.delmarvanow.com/story/news/local/maryland/2019/01/23/teachable-moments-how-talk-kids-sexual-abuse/2578920002/

Listen to @Media_Doug's full interview with @jennifermalvaro, a child sex abuse expert, on #MontgomeryTalkPodcast.

"I think that Montgomery County Public Schools have created an atmosphere, where they are reactive instead of proactive to larger issues in society, and to current issues in the schools," said Alvaro. "I think when you have [an] intense culture of achievement and success in sports or academics, [when it comes to these issues], it's not a matter of 'if' they're going to happen, it's 'when.'"  ~ child sex abuse expert Jennifer Alvaro

BOE wants @pcmc1 Tweet "taken down" - .@mocoboe Superintendent Jack Smith told the County Council's Ed Committee in open session that he has a zero tolerance policy on incidents of staff and sexual assault; that he can be overridden by Board of Education. True/False?

A Montgomery County Board of Education member has e-mailed to the Parents' Coalition requesting that we take down the following Tweet.

"police" should be policy

The Board member had BOE Chief of Staff Roland Ikheloa watch the video of the Montgomery County Council's Education Committee meeting referenced in the Tweet.  Mr. Ikheloa concluded,

 "...I watched the entire video and cannot come up with any statement by the superintendent remotely justifying the quoted tweet below by the Parents Coalition..."

Below are video clips from the April 25, 2018, Montgomery County Council Briefing- MCPS Child Abuse & Neglect Policy.

Councilmember George Leventhal, "I understand the Superintendent to be saying that these charges, if found to be true lead to immediate dismissal..."



Superintendent Smith says, "... I feel so strongly about this and I believe so much that we can not even allow people to resign when it is found they have done these sorts of things, they must be terminated..."

Superintendent Smith says. "... I, of course, make the recommendation to the school board, the school board acts..."

Now is the @pcmc1 Tweet of the statement by the superintendent remotely justified?

"People who knew and did nothing must be held fully accountable for turning their backs on children to aid and abet predators." (As in MCPS Superintendents, Administrators and Board of Education members)

Did the school report to CPS or Police? "...in 1999, Alison Thresher wrote to Asturizaga’s employer, Friends Community School in College Park, to tell the school of her concerns about his close relationship with her daughter."

For years, Hannah Thresher has struggled to overcome both an awful truth and an awful possibility.

The proven truth: Her teacher and babysitter, Fernando Asturizaga, molested, raped and sexually abused her for three years, starting in 1999 when she was 10.

The possibility: He may also have killed her mother.

“For my mother,” Thresher, now 30, said Thursday, standing in front of a bank of news cameras in suburban Maryland, “I need the whole truth to come out.”

At the news conference, police officials labeled Asturizaga a “person of interest” in the case of Alison Thresher, 45, who disappeared May 24, 2000. She was last known to be alive at her Bethesda apartment...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/police-man-who-raped-girl-18-years-ago-may-have-killed-her-mother/2018/04/12/967a188e-3e7a-11e8-a7d1-e4efec6389f0_story.html?utm_term=.67eeac663bf3