Sharp Middle School Gave A Referral Over An Abuse Claim

After our last two articles reporting that Brandon Cox, a former Phillip Sharp Middle School Physical Education and Health Teacher, was arrested on serious charges involving a minor, our messages have not stopped.

One particular message is extremely disturbing and alleges behavior by the administration that goes far beyond what they should do. The Whisper was contacted by a former Phillip Sharp Middle School student who says she had Cox as a gym teacher when she was in sixth grade. We are withholding her name because she asked to remain anonymous, but she gave The Whisper permission to compile her account into this article.

Here is part of what she sent us:

“Hey, I’m a former student at the Phillip Sharp Middle School, and I am not in 8th grade. I had Mr. Cox as a gym teacher my 6th grade year. He was always staring at students, girls, when they were in his class. He has had me and my friend do some weird positions when playing games in gym class. He has tried to get the girls to wear short shorts for gym class. He was talking about how it would make ‘our butts look bigger and better.’ My friends and I have reported it several times through the year, and they have said to just move on with our day and not do anything about it. I had gotten a referral for reporting Mr. Cox to the principals. He is not a good person. He was always trying to be sexual with the students. When we could work on our assignments and someone walks up to his desk to ask for him, he would rub his area!”

After receiving that message, The Whisper asked her if she could explain who she reported it to and what happened with the referral.

This was her response:

“I have reported it to Mr. Rechtin. The referral was given by Mr. Hoover. They called me down to the office and asked me why I kept reporting ‘false’ information about Mr. Cox. I told them it’s not false information, and they gave me a referral for reporting false information and talking back.”

This is another account where the school failed to listen to students. The issue is no longer just that a former teacher was arrested after leaving the district. The issue is, once again, a student is alleging they tried to report disturbing behavior while he was still inside the school. Administrators were told, and they allegedly tried once again to intimidate the student into silence.

This is where the public needs to understand exactly how this is supposed to work. A school does not get to treat allegations of abuse, grooming, sexual comments, inappropriate touching, or sexually inappropriate conduct around students as a building level discipline issue. They do not get to decide, inside the office, that a child is lying and send that child back to class with a referral. They do not get to quietly “handle it internally.” Kentucky has mandatory reporting laws for a reason. When someone has reasonable cause to believe a child may be abused, neglected, exploited, trafficked, or placed at risk, the duty is to report. Not debate. Not protect the employee. Not protect the reputation of the school. Report. Every single time. That report is supposed to move the issue outside the control of the school building. It is supposed to put the matter in the hands of a higher authority that can investigate on behalf of the child, the state, and the public interest.

It is separate from whether criminal charges are filed later. It is separate from whether police eventually make an arrest. It is separate from whether a prosecutor decides a case can be proven in court. The point of mandatory reporting is that school administrators are not supposed to be the final gatekeepers when a child reports abuse, sexual misconduct, grooming behavior, exploitation, or inappropriate conduct by an adult in authority.

The name Rechtin should sound familiar to you. Randall Rechtin is the same Sharp Middle School Assistant Principal who definitely and clearly intimidated a girl in his office for 18 minutes for reporting that one of her teachers was watching pornography in class and was creepy. This disturbing video can be heard here. Thankfully, the student recorded the interaction.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1BorLKyABc/

I am going to be really honest with you here, I am disgusted by the Pendleton County School System. There are so many good people who work in this system. How is it the garbage seems to float to the top?

From the outside, it is starting to look like the unofficial policy is to avoid mandatory reporting requirements whenever possible. Ridicule the child. Defend the teachers and juggle them around when they have to. I mean, these are middle school children. It is abhorrent.

Then, regardless of how many parents reach out and want answers, the school stays silent. Regardless of how many students’ experiences in school are tainted by this kind of behavior, regardless of their trust in authority being shattered, this continues.

Read the comments on any of our school articles. This is a systematic breakdown of the trust a community places in its county schools. This is a failure of the administration of those schools. This is not a brand new situation. It is sick that it is so common, it is just accepted as a silent fact.

Then there are other kinds of comments. There are the defenders. The people who rush into the comments to protect the same system that students and parents say has failed them over and over again.

I have referred a few parents to lawyers. It is sad there are enough that there could be a class action lawsuit against this school system.

Keep the messages coming. To all the frustrated parents and any student who has been let down by this school system, we will make your voices heard. If need be, I can immediately refer you to a lawyer if you have a similar situation. There are current suits in progress.

The reason this kind of behavior continues is because it has been allowed to continue unchecked.

SHAME ON YOU, PENDLETON COUNTY SCHOOLS.

Whisper One Out.