It's ironic -- you can not accompany your own child on a Field Trip unless you have passed a CORI check. But, for the cost of a pool entry fee, anybody can walk off the street and wander around naked with high school kids in the locker room they share with the Community Pool. (And -- it's even the same price for non-residents -- we wouldn't want to exclude our friends and neighbors from Barnstable and Mashpee from this local service -- just because they don't pay taxes here!)
This is nothing new -- it's been an ongoing problem (see My Swim with The Alligators). But, it is also indicative of the strength of the Community School Pool contingency. I would predict there will be a lot of little wet footprints leading from the pool area to tonight's School Committee Meeting to protest any attempt to block adults from the kids' locker rooms during school hours.
As one caller said this morning, "The pool people probably think the real problem is letting kids into THEIR Locker Rooms!"
At the risk of inappropriately mixing financial issues with public safety concerns, this issue will also no doubt exacerbate the financial issues that have been plaguing the pool -- particularly claims that revenue from other Community School programs have been used to subsidize the pool, and concerns that the School District is not properly allocating all of the operating costs to the pool programs.
Given the strong pool representation on the current committee (Crossman is a paid pool employee and Marshall was on the Community School Board for years), it will be interesting to see how the Board balances common sense public safety concerns with what will likely be the very vocal concerns of their chlorine-coated constituency.
38 comments:
This is not the first time that this issue has been raised and I certainly hope that it can be addressed in a way that will work for both the high school and the community school. If I recall, some measures were taken in the past to address this very issue. Perhaps there is a way to manage the scheduling and access to the locker rooms so that students would not be in them at the same time as pool patrons. Or, perhaps they can be monitored by someone who has a valid CORI on file. Surely, there is a workable solution to this problem other than the knee-jerk reaction to shut down the pool during the school day.
Insanity continues, the school committee will minimize the severity of this situation tonight and vote against closing off the showers to the public and their friends.
Their rational will be to wait because no assault has happened yet. It's just a matter of time and when an assault happens the s.c. will react SHOCKED that this could have occurred. Then you have a traumatised child and another lawsuit.
People in the law enforcement field would tell you ya just never know who you can trust, including close family members.
This is a sad but true reality in our society, Diligent parents keep children away from vulnerable situations this is a perfect setup for a sexual assault.
Truly amazing that a strange adult is allowed to enter our high school pool locker room and is able to walk around naked amongst our naked kids.
I know a 6'2 200 lb plus police officer who was at his local gym and was in the open shower situation and a complete stranger grabbed his privates. The man ended up with criminal charges of indecent assault and battery and had to register with the sex offender board.
The other situation that is insane is that our exchange students fly overseas sleep in strange families houses and those families are not coried either.
We cori everyone who are in close contact with our children for sports, bus trips etc. But fail when they are naked in a shower room with strange males and overseas with an unknown families.
Insane thinking and actions continue.
It does not matter that the pool uses education dollars to subsidize its operations.
It does not matter that an independent, external audit, stated that pool operations, oversight and booking keeping were less than best practice (meaning: not done according to MA law).
And, it wont matter that the High School pool locker room could be a daily Perv Parade of unsupervised, unknown, naked adults.
None of this matters because no one cares and no one is going to do anything to fix it.
And, as Edith Ann liked to say: That’s the Truth.
I would suggest that there is a lawsuit waiting to happen if the School Committee doesn't address this issue properly. No unsupervised adult should be able to access a child's locker room to shower. I went to a high school with a pool (logically it belonged to the school system and we used it for portions of phys ed) and no sane person would have allowed an unsupervised member of the community to be in there. Ever.
But regarding Anon 10:35, typically school systems contract with organizations to place high schoolers in an abroad program. Families do apply and are not as random as you suggest. The whole point of the program is immersion in a foreign culture and it is elective, not mandatory as is phys ed. I don't think there is anything similar in the two situations.
10:35, How would you realistically CORI somebody in a foreign country? Even if you had access to the data, would you have any confidence that it was accurate?
We have no control over foreign families -- it is up to sending families to decide whether they want to send their kids.
Foreign travel has nothing to do with the pool risk which is very real and very controllable.
SHS denied access to a CORI checked, two HS, dedicated, certified sports trainer into the building to effectively do his job. YET........ It's ok, to date, to allow naked unknown adults into a locker room shared with students during the school day.
Easily remedied? We will see won't we!
4:03 Great point about cori H.S.sports trainers.
We all know this issue will the fab four weeks if not months for a remedy.
I think the Supt should just order the adult programs discontinued during the school day. Let the Committee vote to overrule her. Let it be on their conscience if something happens.
They also better re-do the Community School Budget, because they are about to lose the Day program revenue --- OR they are about to gain a whole new revenue stream from perverts all over the Cape who read this morning's story in the Times.
I'd be more worried about the new customers than the existing ones.
Do you really think this school committee which is "pro community school, who cares what it costs the taxpayers" will vote for a change in policy for the community school run pool. Moms have been trying to do something about this for years. Canone, Rick Reino, Nancy Young no one would do anything, A few years ago during afternoon instruction or wahoos, I can't remember, there was a gentleman who came regularly to swim in an adult lane at the same time the youngsters were swimming. He would walk around the pool area aroused and no one would do anything about it. I hope finally the school committee will take steps to protect the kids.
The Truth Maker would ask,
Cori checking is a police function. But the schools need to develope a process that makes it happen.
Does it make sense to wait for something to occur or do they take a proactive course and make it mandatory?
More to the issue of how the pool is being given away to non taxpayers who basically pay only $10 more to use the pool per year then those of us who get to pay for this mismanagment through our taxes. No wonder we have a finacial problem in this area.
Between both issues we have some real concerns when it come to how this community school is operating.
Get them all Cori tested and increase the fee by $100 and perhaps it may help[ to prevent any further errosion of this resource.
Where were all the outraged Sandwich parents tonight at the S.C. meeting? I guess it just fine that complete naked strangers are showering with there children? And the kids lockers rooms are always wide open to anyone walking right thru the main doors to the pool locker rooms. The school board are off the reservation if they don't change this asap. Watch Fox 25 TV and lets hope an expose by Fox 25 TV bring them to there senses of who they should fight for, our children, not the community school pool people. This situation is perfect pedofile set up for a sexual assault.
I wanted to come but have two children still in the system and was afraid of retaliation through the now completely dysfunctional school committee and it's relationship to the secretary and teacher union. I watched at it all sickened me. Especially when I heard the name of one final candidate.
Thank you to the articulate and brave teachers you spoke and to Barb Susko and Andrea Killion for standing up to the insanity and ignorance. Someone said yesterday that they should have paid attention earlier, they had no idea such ignorance and dysfunction could come to our schools, that grown people could be so manipulative and dishonest toward citizens and put at risk the welfare and future of the town's kids not to mention the financial stability of the town. I can only observe that the pack mentality has rendered already challenged leaders completely incapable of thinking outside their clique. It continues to be a sad day in Sandwich.
I have heard that half our 8th graders are not coming to Sandwich High. I wonder how many 5th and 7th graders are leaving. Maybe that's the plan. Empty the schools and send tax revenue elsewhere.
Last night's meeting was outrageous.
How can anyone justify allowing naked strangers in with naked kids?
Kangas wants to know where we should draw the line? How about as soon as somebody drops their pants! What a moron.
Why was somebody from Cotuit even allowed to speak -- the Sandwich taxppayers pay for the pool --- not Barnstable!
Who cares what happened in 1972? The world has changed, school budgets certainly have changed. Back in the Good Old Days, Schools could spend whatever they wanted and send taxpayers the bill -- that changed with Prop 2 1/2 and Ed Reform -- Gaffney was on the School Committee she SHOULD know better !!
Why was Crossman allowed to speak -- she is a Community School employee. Last night's discussion could easily impact Community School revenuie which could easily eliminate her job --- how could she possibly justify getting involved in the discussion?
And where were the parents?
Pathetic.
Somebody mentioned the way things were in 1972 as a reason not to change the pool. For those who weren't around then, here's what else was happening in 1972:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 1020
Average Cost of new house: $27,550.00
Average Income per year: $11,800.00
Average Monthly Rent: $165.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas: 55 cents
Wrangler Jeans: $12.00
HBO launched first subscription cable service
Digital Watches are introduced
First scientific hand-held calculator (HP-35) introduced (price $395).
Atari kicks off the first generation of video games with the release of PONG, the first game to achieve commercial success
In other words, so what?
But I do think there were people around then too!!
Ed, the parents are afraid to speak out because they are afraid and rightly so that their kids will pay the price. Mean spirited and ignorant people and practices have created a bullying mentality in Sandwich. With this situation it has risen to new heights. Not to mention the "mean girl" mentality. But of course that is exactly why the status quo has been going along for so long. Dr. Young started to break it up, Dr. Johnson was even braver but my goodness how could anyone do 3 jobs at once and not be stressed out. The clique that wants control of the schools what to go back in time. Our kids and our town deserve better. The parents are on survival mode at this point. I know I'm one of them.
Can someone explain to me how Nancy Crossman is allowed to speak on the pool issue? I am not trying to be a smart aleck here - I am asking an honest question. Is she permitted to speak on this issue or as an employee of the Community School, is she not obligated to refrain from the discussion. Thank you for any insight!
Did anybody else notice the first person to start bitching last night was from Barnstable?
Why should we be paying taxes for "foreigners" to use our pool -- let alone wander around bare-assed with our kids?
Doesn't anybody have ANY common sense?
I'd like to repeat myself:
It does not matter that the pool uses education dollars to subsidize its operations.
It does not matter that an independent, external audit, stated that pool operations, oversight and booking keeping were less than best practice (meaning: not done according to MA law).
And, it does not matter that the High School pool locker room could be a daily Perv Parade of unsupervised, unknown, naked adults.
None of this matters because no one cares and no one is going to do anything to fix it.
And, as Edith Ann liked to say: That’s the Truth.
Someone reminded me today that when Nancy Crossman came to the Board of Selectman to ask for Special Employee Status that would allow her as a part time employee of the Community School to serve on the School Committee, she promised she would excuse herself from any discussion about the pool. The state ethics commission told a SC member who asked, that only the chair of the school committee can remind Nancy or anyone with a conflict of interest that they should state that before they discuss and issue. There is no legal obligation for her to not speak to a pool issue. Clearly there is a ethical one.
easy solution, fill the pool in with a few truckloads of cement and make it classrooms!! The pool is filthy anyway and in these budgetary times it is an expense we dont need.....There is a real brand new beautiful pool at the Y in barnstable.
Any complaints regarding members who do not recuse themselves from discussions in which they have a personal financial interest are handled by the State Ethics Commission. Complaints can be filed at(888) 485-4766.
Thanks anon 9:40.
Just take 10 minutes for us all to file a complaint online at the Mass. Ethics Division, Taylor White says the BOS designated Crossman as a special municipal employee but it does not allow her to have any input into the community school, especially on financials.
This is clearly a conflict because she is trying to save her income thru the comm school by keeping the pool programs running regardless of wether naked adults are showering with our naked children. Put all those facts into the complants and watch how fast the ethics division reacts.
They don't disclose who files either so there can't be any retaliation against our children.
I guess Crossman presents this faux letter from the ethics division to justify her making comm school decisions.
If everyone takes just 10 minutes then the ethics division would investigate, all they need to look at is the SCAT tapes.
Chair Marshall is suppose to make sure these ethic violations don't occur, but since it's pro comm school she ignores her responsiblity.
We should file against the chairwomen too for her not policing her members many times in the past. SCAT tapes are the evidence people so refer ethics to those tapes.
For clarification - Committee Chairs have no ability to "police" committee members who choose to "overlook" ethics considerations. They (or anybody) is able to comment on what they think may be a lapse in judgement -- but the Chair has no authority to bar a member from a discussion or block their vote on an issue they may be conflicted on.
The Chair's only recourse would be to file a citizens complaint after the violation occurred.
How about a link Bob to the Ethic Commission. Make this real easy for people.
Ethics Link added to Upper Left Side at the beginning of the "reports" section.
Bob, thank you for the link to the Ethics Commission. Can anyone tell me why it takes so long for the Sandwich Community Television to post the video of the SC meetings? Perhaps Jessica Pipsqueak requires the videos to be reviewed verbatem like the meeting minutes? Hmmmmm.....
Please visit Randy Hunt's blog. There you will find a forum for both the School Committee Candidates and the BOS candidates. Bob Catalini, school committee candidate, has addressed some critical issues for our town relative to the current School Committee's continued extremely poor performance and in particular the potential effect of their control of the Superintendent issue for the past year continuing now in the for of a supposed final interview phase for obvious under-qualified candidates for superintendentQ!
I was not allowed to chaperon my child's field trip because I did not apply for a CORI in time. Instead, I drove along behind the bus and "coincidentally" met them at their destination.
I can't even meet the child for lunch unless I have signed in at the office -- yet, once the child gets to high school I can pay a few bucks and get naked with their friends?
And people think that's reasonable?
anon 9:30 You are completely wrong, the YMCA pool is NOT new, in fact it was only part of the YMCA that was not renovated. So let's not make up lies
Who cares? The Y is a voluntary program. Nobody is forced to go there. Every kid is forced to take gym. And the Town is liable for anything that may happen there.
Front page story in the Cape Cod Times this morning covers the view of a sex offender speaking to the current Sandwich Community Pool policy. Thanks Cape Cod Times. The School Committee and the town need to wake up. It is further evidence of the disgraceful behavior of School Committee members Nancy Crossman and Marie Kangas in defending the antiquated and unsafe policy. If recall weren't such a daunting complicated task, I would say these women have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have no business on the committee along with "pro-community school over the school system" long time member Sherry Marshall who is running for re-eletion. I wonder how many homes will go on the market this week because of these women. And how many people will google Sandwich and decide to move somewhere else, or how many businesses will take one look at the mess in town and take there dollars elsewhere. While you are googling take a look at the school committee candidates. I sadly think it is a done deal with the local horse because compared to the three he looks like a winner.
6:20 Sue Sandermeyer and Bob Catalini have five votes from each of our family members. They are by far better than the Marshall.
They are capable of carrying on an intelligent conversation, which Marshall has a tough time with complete sentences as chair.
Sherry's only interest is keeping the Comm school just like it's always been since 1972.
Regardless of if any of our children are in danger showering with naked adults. It's Comm School and the pool people Sherry cares about and protects.
If Sherry Marshall gets reelected then it is time to move out of this crazy goin no where but backwards town.
Three votes from my family for Sundermeyer and Catalini. Time for Ms. Marshall to leave the School Committee and take her small town political thinking with her. Thank you Sherry for your service. I have voted for you in the past but what you allowed to happen on your watch and the power you gave two green school committee members, power that I am convinced was not in the best interest of our children or our town is inexcusable. Especially now having watched the last School Committee meeting, I am more convinced that we need a new committee and we need new values on it.
Money will always rule the day...
Having adults changing in the student's locker has been going on since the inception of the high school and pool. It was wrong then, and is wrong now.
Everybody chose to ignore this problem because it was financial gain over the safety of the students. The only person that got results was a parent who went to the media. Good for her.
Here we have former school committee members saying how wrong this set-up is..........yet, nothing was ever said when they were members of the SC.
As a teacher at the high school, I brought this up to those in the administration and basically got laughed at. My two sons changed in these locker rooms and I thought it was disgusting that they had to be subjected to nude strangers! I have had students come to me and tell me how uncomfortable they felt and I could do nothing!!
The reason the school was built was for the education of our Sandwich students. Their safety cannt be compromised, for any reason.
Blame for compromising our student's safety belongs to all that chose to ignore it and do nothing about it. Thankfully, now something is being done.
Good for you Anon. 4:45. I know people who have been trying to change this and be heard about it for years. When I first moved here I tried water exercise, but frankly felt very uncomfortable with the teens. I felt bad for them, uncomfortable, and didn't continue. It didn't seem right. I like you am glad something is being done now! I'm glad Dr. Canfield was very clear on student safety. He said it was the main consideration.
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