Opinion: Proud to be CCSD?

“Proud to be CCSD” has been the promotional slogan held by the Clarke County School District in recent years, but it’s hard to be proud of a system that failed to inform the people it serves of a violent and serious alleged crime that happened right under the noses of school officials.

On Feb. 4, the news that a Cedar Shoals High School female student had been allegedly raped in one of the school’s stairwells was released to the general public by the Athens Banner Herald, information that much of the public, including students, teachers and parents, did not have until almost a month after the incident occurred.

And more shockingly, the three students accused–one who raped the victim, two who held her down–were arrested Jan. 30 and Feb. 1, only days before the ABH report surfaced. They were allowed to freely attend school, despite evidence held by law enforcement and school administration.

Among the evidence was surveillance footage of the actual act, yet it took almost a month to do anything about it. Suspicion should have been enough to remove the students from school grounds, if not arrest them.

Since this came to light, the CSHS administration is reportedly bolstering security measures with an increased police presence and better cameras.

But is it too late? Shouldn’t these things have already been in place just to ensure a safe learning environment for students?

Many parents have asked these question and rightfully so, some of which attended the CCSD Board Meeting on Feb. 11 to voice their opinions to the community and to the board.

There is no doubt that the main person disserviced was the young girl who was abused by her peers. But there is still something to be said about the lack of communication that left many in the dark.

That’s nothing to be proud of.