School and state officials assured worried parents at John Dickinson High School Oct. 1 that steps are under way to help schools learn faster about criminal activity of students.
The Dickinson community was plunged into grief and dismay following the Sept. 23 rape of a staff member by a Central School special education student who was playing football for Dickinson.
Parents and students had plenty of questions for Red Clay Consolidated School District and state officials. They wanted to know how the suspect was allowed to be part of Dickinson’s sports despite a violent history. He allegedly bit another student in 2004, and was involved in two September incidents that included breaking into a home and attempting to assault a girl in her bedroom.
On Sept. 23, the suspect had missed the bus home and asked the victim if he could use her cell phone to call for a ride, said Cpl. Jeffrey Whitmarsh, spokesman for Delaware State Police. She let him, and went to an office adjacent to the girls locker room, using her key to unlock the door. She then when into a second office.
“While she was in that second office is when we believe he then came in behind her,” he said. “This wasn’t a case where doors were left unlocked. She had gone into an office to perform a particular duty and he snuck in.”
Taquian D. Hunt, 15, of Wilmington, was captured on surveillance cameras in the locker room area around the time of the assault. Detectives obtained a search warrant for Hunt and took him into custody at his house without incident later that night.
“The shock and grief of this incident are still here,” Dickinson Principal Byron Murphy said at the Oct. 1 meeting. “The staff continues to grieve for the victim and to pray for her, her friends and her family.
“Did we have information on this student that could have prevented on this? The answer is no, we didn’t have any disciplinary information on this student. Short and simple,” he said.
This tragedy cannot deter Dickinson from its primary mission, which is to provide a great education to the 800 students that arrive at its door every morning, Murphy said. A number of security practices will be revised and enhanced: convenience will take a back seat, he said.
Red Clay Superintendent Dr. Robert J. Andrzejewski said he has called for changes in the law that would enable schools to learn what students are doing outside of school so the district can determine whether it’s safe for them to be in school.
“There was information that was not shared with us that, had we known, this young man would not have been here,” Andrzejewski said. “He wouldn’t have been at Central. He wouldn’t have been anywhere...If we’re aware of some of these issues, these students will not set foot in our schools."
The Delaware Department of Justice, since Charles Oberle was attorney general, has had an off-campus notification policy in place, said Assistant Attorney General Patricia Dailey Lewis. However, the sheer volume of cases – which have to be searched by hand – makes sharing that information a challenge. In addition, when people are arrested they often lie to police about their name, date of birth, where they go to school, etc. she said.
“This is not an instantaneous process,” she said.
Attorney General Joseph R. Biden III has prepared a constitutional amendment to make the Delaware Constitution reflect the U.S. Constitution to create offenses for which bail is not allowed besides capital murder, Lewis said. It will take two full, legislative terms to accomplish that goal.
Parent Glenn Hefner asked why where wasn’t some kind of law in place that allows schools to be notified about students who have these problems.
There are very strict, confidentiality regulations and statutes that affect any type of mental health treatment, Lewis said. There are also confidentiality statutes regarding juveniles that are even more stringent.
“This individual was in trouble twice during the month of September and yet he’s out on bail for supposedly an attempted rape and assault and battery,” Hefner said. “There’s something the matter with the laws to let somebody out like this on the streets.”
Carolyn Nasser said her daughter Olivia, a sophomore, is afraid to come to school.
“This young man was attending an alternative school. He was also living at Camelot [Home for Boys]. Aren’t those indicators to the school that the boy is a troubled youth?” Nasser said. “After school activities are privilege. He shouldn’t have been given the privilege to begin with. Did the Central School know of his criminal record and why didn’t they notify Dickinson of his record?”
Central School did not know of his record, Andrzejewski said. He was academically eligible to participate in sports.
Dickinson seniors Lauren Huber and Genesia Mattia, both of Pike Creek, said they still didn’t understand how a student like this was able to slip through.
“You mean to tell me you had no idea of the girl’s house he broke into?” said Huber, who is captain of the field hockey team. “That goes to show how many other kids like this might be in the school.”
Mattia said she understands that it takes a while for the system to inform schools of criminal behavior by students.
“But why is it that we have to be punished if we do something wrong, and somebody who comes from Central or wherever gets to play sports?” she said.
If a student is suspended, whether Central or otherwise, they cannot play, Murphy said.
The state is working to improve communication to schools regarding off campus reporting of violent offenses by students, said Lt. Tim Hulings, of the state police’s Criminal Investigation Unit. But it will take more state funding to make that a reality.
Joe Greigg Jr., who lives off Centerville Road, choiced his daughter into Dickinson from the Alexis I. duPont feeder pattern three years ago.
“I couldn’t be happier that we did so,” Greigg said. “That said, my daughter was talking with the victim in the locker room shortly before the incident. She then road the bus to the volleyball game.
“Is this individual still incarcerated or out on bail?” he said. “My daughter came home very upset saying, ‘Dad, the rumor is the suspect is out on bail. I don’t know what he looks like.’”
“He’s presently incarcerated,” Lewis said.
Also, Greigg said his family came to Jamestown, Va. 400 years ago and the custom then was to put a criminal in stocks in the town square because the identity of the perpetrator was paramount.
“It is unacceptable to have individuals such as this roaming the community without the school administrators and other responsible officials having instant access to that information and being able to act on it,” he said.
Greigg has contacted his state representatives asking them to change laws to that effect.
Murphy said as principal of the building, it is his responsibility to make sure students and staff are safe.
“If people are looking for a finger to be pointed for this incident, then there’s absolutely no other place to point,” he said.
