GUILFORD — I'm uncomfortable with The Commons publishing Mindy Haskins Rogers' criticisms of the WSESD School Board on its recent statement regarding a sexual assault investigation.
If the goal of journalist Virginia Ray is to evaluate how the WSESD conducts and speaks of such an investigation legally and in the best interest of students, staff, and the community, I suggest that she interview attorneys, union reps, the Vermont School Boards Association, policy experts, the police chief, and private investigators, not Mindy Haskins Rogers.
I question the ethics of a newspaper that allows one community member to accuse our volunteer school board members of “gaslighting,” performing “damage control,” furthering “rape culture,” and discouraging “survivors from coming forth” without evidence to back this up.
I'm also concerned that The Commons is promoting Haskins Rogers' availability and willingness to hear “a steady flow of stories alleging sexual grooming, abuse, and assault of students.” Considering that she is not a licensed practitioner, I worry that these people are not receiving the appropriate therapeutic care they really need.