Catholic Librarian Should Be Fired, SNAP Responds, SNAP, April 4, 2014

Catholic Librarian Should Be Fired, SNAP Responds

SNAP
April 4, 2014

http://www.snapnetwork.org/md_catholic_librarian_should_be_fired_snap_responds

A Baltimore teacher has been arrested for sexually abusing one of her current students. We urge Catholic officials to fire and denounce - not just suspend - the librarian who kept silent about these crimes for weeks and discipline two Catholic officials who are calling these crimes "a relationship."

[wbal.com/article]

[archbishopcurley.org]

They are wrong and callous to do so. It's misleading and hurtful to call child sex crimes "a relationship." That implies equality and consent that cannot exist between an adult and a child, especially between a teacher and a student.

Baltimore Archbishop William Lori's spokesman used that insensitive and inaccurate phrase in a radio interview. And school president Fr. Joseph Benicewicz did the same in a letter to parents.

These are well-educated church officials who have considerable experience handing child sex crimes. They know better. But they deliberately choose to use misleading and minimizing language that rubs more salt into the wounds of child sex abuse victims. Shame on them. They should be punished.

Finally, Lori's spokesman claims church officials are "doing everything” they can in this situation. That's not true either. Catholic officials say this often but evidence shows they largely do the bare minimum.

Lori should personally visit the school, urging students, staff and parents to disclose any suspicions or information they may have to law enforcement. He should post the teacher's name, face and work history on his archdiocesan website with the same plea, prodding victims, witnesses, and whistleblowers to contact secular authorities, not church officials.

We are grateful for law enforcement for getting this dangerous teacher away from kids. And we hope this victim's family will help police and prosecutors charge and convict Lynette Trotta and anyone else at Archbishop Curley High School who may have ignored or concealed her crimes.