UPDATE II: Two arrested on multiple sex assault allegations at Mark Morris; school district to seek review of atheletic program
Police investigation includes whether mandatory reporters of child abuse failed obligations to report
Blast Zone Media publisher Jordan Nailon contributed substantially to this report.
Longview police Thursday morning arrested two juveniles on multiple allegations of sexual assault in connection with their criminal investigation at Mark Morris High School, the agency announced this morning.
It also said it is looking into why the Longview School District did not report suspected sex abuse to law enforcement and child protective authorities, as required by law.
In another new development Thursday, Longview School Superintendent Karen Cloninger announced the district will hire an “independent third-party investigator to review district practices related to our athletics program, including student supervision and staff training” once the police investigation is completed.
Reports of abuse have focused on members of the boys basketball team.
“The allegations are deeply troubling and inconsistent with what our school district stands for,” Cloninger wrote on the district website.
Her statement adds: “To support our students, we have initiated the School Mobilization Assistance Response Team (SMART) to provide additional counselors and supportive adults on campus. They will be available at the Mark Morris High School starting at the beginning of the school day. Students may ask any staff member for help connecting with support.” (The entire statement appears at the end of this story.)
The two suspects were taken into custody on the following charges:
• Rape in the 2nd Degree.
• Unlawful Imprisonment with Sexual Motivation.
• Indecent Liberties with Forcible Compulsion.
• Indecent Exposure.
“The investigation remains active. Detectives continue to review evidence and conduct interviews as they examine all aspects of the case. Currently, there is no known ongoing threat to students,” according to a statement police published on Facebook.
“In addition to the criminal allegations involving juveniles, the department is reviewing matters related to Mandatory Reporting requirements. This review relates to statutory reporting obligations and is part of the broader investigation,” the press release states.
Police opened the investigation on February 9 when an alleged victim came to police to report he’d been sexually abused.
The arrests followed multi-day student protests last week calling attention to allegations of pervasive sexual misconduct and other abuse on campus. The bulk of those allegations have been directed towards the boys’ locker room as an unsafe space, and the boys basketball team has come under particular scrutiny.
Although several students interviewed after school Thursday professed no knowledge of the arrests, a few said the arrests were a hot topic and that students were divided in their opinions about the arrests. One freshman named Aleca, who said she participated in the student demonstrations, said it the arrests were vindicating for the students who called out the district
Up until today, School officials had — at least publicly — downplayed the student concerns. Mark Morris Principal Aaron Whitright sent an email to school families on Sunday, February 8, condemning “false rumors (that) are circulating on social media and undermine the feeling of safety in our school.”
The Mark Morris school resource officer told KATU on February 9 that the school is “addressing the matter internally” and hadn’t yet requested the department’s help. That was before an alleged victim came to police later that day.
However, the city reported Thursday that the officer, Hieu Ngo, remains on duty at the high school — contrary to a report making its way around the school.
Parrish, the school district spokesman, said last week that the district “consulted with Longview PD and sought out legal advice and was told it was not a CPS (Child Protective Services ) reporting matter.”
The law requires educators to notify police whenever there is reasonable cause to suspect any kind of abuse.
A local doctor who has testified in numerous child abuse cases told me Thursday that many people are reluctant to report abuse — even when required to do so.
“It’s easier to put their heads in the sand like ostriches and ignore it unless it is very flagrant,” said the doctor, who asked to remain anonymous. “It easier to say, ‘I don’t want to get involved’ and not have to to court.”
As a case in point: The St.Helens School District in Oregon has been under scrutiny for failing to report years of suspected sex abuse of students by choir and math teachers. In both cases, St. Helens High School leadership failed to notify law enforcement, the Department of Human Services and the Oregon Teachers Standards and Practices Commission — all actions required by state law, according to an independent investigation completed last February.
Charges that emerge from the Mark Morris investigation will be adjudicated in Clark County.
Last week Cowlitz County Prosecuting Attorney Ryan Jurvakainen recused himself from handling any charges that might arise from the investigation into allegations against the Mark Morris basketball team due to his connection to people potentially involved in the case.
While an official connection has not been confirmed by authorities, it’s been an open secret for weeks that the Mark Morris boys basketball team has been dealing with its own internal discipline issues.
The Monarchs played the final three games of the regular season with numerous regular varsity players out of action without explanation. Mark Morris then removed four players from its playoff roster and did not submit a team photo for the 2A District IV program.
Players and students at Mark Morris confirmed there has been internal discipline handed out in relation to allegations of misconduct by players on the team. Administrators at Mark Morris have repeatedly declined to comment and have directed all further questions to Parrish.
Mark Morris head coach Ken Kelly has also been silent on the specifics of the situation, declining all requests for comment outright since a postgame interview following a loss to R.A. Long on Feb. 5, the final day of the regular season.
“People are going to reach for straws with just about any situation out there, and it’s not my job to stop any rampant rumors or community talk,” Kelly told Blast Zone Media after that shorthanded Civil War loss. “My job is to follow procedure and follow protocol and make sure that if something does happen that I work hand and hand with my administration to make sure the right decisions are made.”
Kelly declined an interview request with Blast Zone Media following the Monarchs’ season-ending loss at W.F. West in Chehalis last Thursday, and explanations for the extended absences and the playoff roster changes were never provided. However, Kelly did speak on the record in a postgame radio interview with The Blitz 101.5, in which he stated in part:
“I will say this much — people may think that there’s some kind of crack in the dam here. People say, ‘Oh, the season was a failure, the season was a disaster.’ Whatever they want to say, that’s fine. But in my mind there’s one really, really big success here. I am somebody who, I have no problem making decisions that may not help us win basketball games if I feel that they’re the decisions that are right.”
In Thursday’s press release, police said, “We recognize that this situation is concerning for students, families, and staff. Allegations involving youth and our schools carry significant weight in our community.”
“The safety of our students remains our first and highest priority,” Police Chief Robert Huhta said in the release. “The Longview Police Department will continue to examine every aspect of this case thoroughly and objectively.”
Anyone with information regarding criminal conduct is encouraged to contact the Longview Police Department at 360-442-5800 or call 911.
Check back for possible further additions to this story.
Longview School District Statement
Dear Parents and Families,
Today, Thursday, February 19, the Longview Police Department announced the arrest of two students on charges related to the ongoing investigation into alleged student misconduct at Mark Morris High School.
The allegations are deeply troubling and inconsistent with what our school district stands for.
We recognize that this news may be unsettling. To support our students, we have initiated the School Mobilization Assistance Response Team (SMART) to provide additional counselors and supportive adults on campus. They will be available at the Mark Morris High School starting at the beginning of the school day. Students may ask any staff member for help connecting with support.
We remain committed to cooperating with the law enforcement investigation. Once the law enforcement investigation is complete, and so the findings can inform our next steps, the district will engage an independent third-party investigator to review district practices related to our athletics program, including student supervision and staff training. This step reflects our commitment to accountability and to examining our practices carefully and thoroughly.
Because this is an active investigation, and to protect student privacy, we are very limited in the information we can share. Please know that our first priority is always the safety and well-being of all students.
Thank you for your patience. We will share additional information as we are able.
Respectfully,
Karen L. Cloninger, Superintendent
Longview Public Schools
This column and all other Lower Columbia Currents stories and content are copyrighted and may not be copied or used in any other publication without the express consent of Andre Stepankowsky, the publisher. Readers who want to share the stories may do so by sharing links to them.