“The allegation that a staff member failed to respond or address the behavior was not substantiated.” Of course it wasn't. Who could substantiate it other than the victim. I doubt the guilty parties would. I wish Mr. Dotson the best and hope he can put this ugly incident behind him.
Sadly, this type of issue is nothing new to the Cashmere School District. There are many wonderful people living in Cashmere but there are also many not so nice people in that community. The schools can do better but the community of good people needs to speak up when possible. This incident from 10 years ago shows the school district has been aware that there is a problem but have failed to sufficiently improve.
One life is ENOUGH! Stop Bullying in the Cashmere School District
Started
February 7, 2012
Petition to
Resource Specialist at Cashmere Middle School Mrs. Avila and 44 others
Why this petition matters
Started by
Beau Smith
The reason for this petition is due to the Cashmere School District failing to follow it's own anti-harassment policies, which led to the bullying and subsequent suicide of a beloved young teen, only because he was openly gay.
It's time for the Cashmere School District to educate its students on the effects of bullying and to reinforce that policy for its staff members, regardless of their own beliefs on the "issue" of homosexuality. No child should have to feel so helpless and alone that their only measure of action is ending their own life.
No matter how much you disagree with someone, they don't deserve to be physically or emotionally harmed. To say that no staff member or classmate ever saw this student being bullied, would be a figment of any logical mind's imagination. The failure of the Cashmere School District cannot go unanswered.
Rafael Morelos, 14, was punched in the locker rooms, taunted in the classroom, and tormented online. Maybe your child, your grand child, or your younger sibling isn't homosexual, but what's to stop other children from harassing them for being different? The Cashmere School District certainly isn't going to stop them as evidenced by its lack of response and change.
The only effort put forward by the administration was at one time when "appropriate action" was taken. This is a farse. If appropriate action had been taken, then we wouldn't need to petition the school district, Rafael would still be alive and his family would not be mourning his death.
Although the Cashmere School District is not entirely to blame, as this is a community issue, it is important for the district to reinforce anti-harassments and anti-bullying polices/procedures in staff and students in any positive way.
So please, in an effort for equality, and in an effort to save many more from pain, suffering, and even death, sign this petition.
I will hand deliver these petitions to Superintendent, Glenn Johnson and all other administrators in the Cashmere School District, they already recieve an email, but a show of petition in paper will make a much bigger impression.
I hope anyone reading this, demands change from him and his school district as well!
It takes the voice of many to make a change for the better.
If you wish to learn more about the reasons behind this petition, or if you'd like to reach out to the Cashmere School District and express your concern, the information can be found here:
“The allegation that a staff member failed to respond or address the behavior was not substantiated.” Of course it wasn't. Who could substantiate it other than the victim. I doubt the guilty parties would. I wish Mr. Dotson the best and hope he can put this ugly incident behind him.
We need to know who the third party investigator was to make sure it wasn't a "pay a consultant friend" situation, as it often goes.
The third-party investigator is Ryan Rectenwald of Clear Risk Solutions in Moses Lake, which is a firm paid for through the risk pool as I understand it. I reached out to him while I was working on my story for Crosscut: https://crosscut.com/equity/2023/06/cashmere-senior-challenges-wa-schools-speak-out-against-racism
I mentioned it in that piece and he said he could not comment on an active investigation.
Good to know, thanks Dom.
Sadly, this type of issue is nothing new to the Cashmere School District. There are many wonderful people living in Cashmere but there are also many not so nice people in that community. The schools can do better but the community of good people needs to speak up when possible. This incident from 10 years ago shows the school district has been aware that there is a problem but have failed to sufficiently improve.
One life is ENOUGH! Stop Bullying in the Cashmere School District
Started
February 7, 2012
Petition to
Resource Specialist at Cashmere Middle School Mrs. Avila and 44 others
Why this petition matters
Started by
Beau Smith
The reason for this petition is due to the Cashmere School District failing to follow it's own anti-harassment policies, which led to the bullying and subsequent suicide of a beloved young teen, only because he was openly gay.
It's time for the Cashmere School District to educate its students on the effects of bullying and to reinforce that policy for its staff members, regardless of their own beliefs on the "issue" of homosexuality. No child should have to feel so helpless and alone that their only measure of action is ending their own life.
No matter how much you disagree with someone, they don't deserve to be physically or emotionally harmed. To say that no staff member or classmate ever saw this student being bullied, would be a figment of any logical mind's imagination. The failure of the Cashmere School District cannot go unanswered.
Rafael Morelos, 14, was punched in the locker rooms, taunted in the classroom, and tormented online. Maybe your child, your grand child, or your younger sibling isn't homosexual, but what's to stop other children from harassing them for being different? The Cashmere School District certainly isn't going to stop them as evidenced by its lack of response and change.
The only effort put forward by the administration was at one time when "appropriate action" was taken. This is a farse. If appropriate action had been taken, then we wouldn't need to petition the school district, Rafael would still be alive and his family would not be mourning his death.
Although the Cashmere School District is not entirely to blame, as this is a community issue, it is important for the district to reinforce anti-harassments and anti-bullying polices/procedures in staff and students in any positive way.
So please, in an effort for equality, and in an effort to save many more from pain, suffering, and even death, sign this petition.
I will hand deliver these petitions to Superintendent, Glenn Johnson and all other administrators in the Cashmere School District, they already recieve an email, but a show of petition in paper will make a much bigger impression.
I hope anyone reading this, demands change from him and his school district as well!
It takes the voice of many to make a change for the better.
If you wish to learn more about the reasons behind this petition, or if you'd like to reach out to the Cashmere School District and express your concern, the information can be found here:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2017840595_suicide26m.html?prmid=4939
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/bullying-not-investigated-in-suicide-of-14-year-old-anti-gay-bullying-victim/discrimination/2012/02/06/34196
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/06/rafael-morelos-gay-washington-suicide_n_1258471.html
http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/cashmere-community-mourns-after-teen-commits-suici/nHTSw/
http://www.cashmere.wednet.edu/
You can contact Superintendent Glenn Johnson at: gjohnson@cashmere.wednet.edu
And please spread the word!
the link for this petition is: http://www.change.org/petitions/one-life-is-enough