LA PLATA, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - The principal and vice principal have been removed from a Charles County elementary school where three fourth grade girls claimed they were assaulted by classmates and threatened with rape last month, according to a source.
A letter sent to parents and guardians from Charles County Public Schools superintendant Dr. Kimberly A. Hill was shared with FOX 5's Lauren Demarco Tuesday. It states, in part, that Gale-Bailey Elementary School principal Verniece Rorie and vice principal Timothy Rosin "are no longer assigned" to the school.
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This announcement comes after allegations surfaced that three fourth grade boys were involved in a sexually explicit encounter with the three girls during recess on October 29.
Outraged parents held a rally outside a school board meeting in La Plata on Monday night demanding action.
Last week FOX 5 was told, in part, in a statement, “The incident involved a game of tag, which escalated to one of the boys making sexually inappropriate comments and movements toward the girls. One of the boys also wrapped his arms around one of the girls.”
CCPS says the girls reported the incident to a recess teacher. The girls then spoke with the vice-principal and gave written statements. The boys were also asked to give written statements. A school resource officer, with the help of the school, launched an investigation the following day.
After learning this, the father of a fourth-grade girl who was allegedly restrained replied with a statement condemning the school’s response.
“There was no game of tag,” said the father. “These boys jumped off a piece of playground equipment, forcibly forced the girls into a colored tube that they have on the playground. So it was just so far off from what happened and they’re trying to cover their backsides plain and simple.”
The father claims that before the incident took place, the girls went to a recess teacher about the boys but were told to go play and avoid the three. The father also tells FOX 5 he did not learn about the incident until his daughter got off of her school bus crying.
“You got #MeToo,” said the father, “and I’m – they’re standing up saying, ‘#MeToo,’ and the school system is saying, ‘Whatever. Just go back to class.’ That’s not the message I want my daughter – I want her to know that she is strong. She should be proud of what she did. And instead, the school’s slapping her in the face.”
A written statement sent on behalf of the three girls and their families read:
"The Charles County school system statement completely misrepresents what occurred to our daughters at Gale-Bailey Elementary school.
On October 30, our three daughters were repeatedly threatened at recess a group of boys who threatened to attack and rape them.
They complained a group of teachers who were sitting at a table looking at their phones. The teachers took no action and instead simply told them to “stay away from the boys.”
Within ten minutes, the girls were attacked. One girl was tied up and was attacked as the boy simulated rape over her clothing.
The girls were then placed near their attackers on the bus ride home that night and in the school building that day.
The school failed to notify the parents or the school community. No action was taken until a parent called a school resource officer.
This has been extremely traumatizing for these girls. One girl does not sleep, cries constantly and is in counseling.
The Charles County school system has attempted to cover this up from the beginning. Calling this a “game of tag” is completely false and demeaning to our girls. It is clear they do not take seriously the safety of these girls.
The school system needs to take action to remove the leadership, teachers and students who were involved in this."
Rorie was assigned principal in 2015 and Rosin became vice principal in 2018, according to the school website.
Effective Dec. 3, Tangela Scales will become the principal of the elementary school, according to the letter. Executive Director of Charles County Public Schools Dr. Linda Gill will temporarily assist Scales once she begins her new role.