By RON BROCHU
Denial? Lack of knowledge? Neither justify the lack of strong policies to prevent sexual impropriety in a school system, or any other institution – especially where children are present. So it’s troubling that the Superior School district again finds itself grappling with such allegations.
In 2006, a Superior student accused music instructor Brian MacDonnell of conducting himself inappropriately during a lesson in which the teacher and student were alone in a classroom. To its credit, the district refused to renew MacDonnell’s contract, and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction in September declined to renew his teaching license.
But in recent weeks, allegations of another incident have emerged. And again, a student and adult were alone – a circumstance that gives the older person a disproportionate ability to manipulate a child and to deny any accusations that might arise. This time, a former school teacher faces a charge of third degree sexual assault. Hennepin County investigators say retired instructor William Rehnstrand assaulted a Superior High School student while mentoring the boy with his senior project. According to a criminal complaint, the incident occurred in Eden Prairie, Minn. Rehnstrand, who is credited with founding the mock trial program in Wisconsin, served on the Superior School Board when the incident allegedly occurred. He resigned that post without explanation on Sept. 22.
Those familiar with child sexual abuse know it typically occurs within the family – or the extended family. Court documents typically paint a situation in which a relative or domestic partner, a person the child usually trusts, initiates abuse while providing care in the absence of parents. Overall, a minority of abuse occurs in other settings, although it tends to receive the most attention, particularly when clergy are involved.
Although the minority of abuse occurs within institutions, they must work harder to ensure sexual abuse is not facilitated through their policies, or lack thereof, and that’s the issue in Superior. In fact, it’s an issue nationwide, having emerged during the presidential campaign, when Republicans took the wrong position for the wrong reason.
GOP operatives purchased ads stating Barack Obama wanted to initiate sex education in kindergarten. Trying to paint Obama as intruding on parental rights, they didn’t explain he was merely advocating a “good-touch-bad touch” program – which already exists for older kids in many communities. It’s inconceivable that a problem as insidious as child sexual abuse would be politicized in this way, but there’s always an element of society that puts its own interests above those of others – including society’s most vulnerable members.
Outside of the political realm, however, some other groups have learned the value of abuse education, including Boy Scouts of America. In Duluth, PAVSA provides an excellent program in which Scouts and their leaders receive instruction in separate rooms. Boys are told how to recognize abuse and urged to report it. Leaders are told to never be alone with boys, and to avoid any type of contact that might be interpreted as suspicious. The Scouting program forbids its leaders from leading boys in the absence of another adult. There always must be at least two leaders present.
And that’s the program flaw that must be addressed by the Superior School district. It’s not a simple one, because students often must seek after-class homework assistance. Both students and staff, however, must understand that such contact can’t be allowed in a society that has lost so much innocence.
The task isn’t impossible. Many schools already are equipped with cameras. It’s time some of them are pointed at instructors. Teachers probably would find the practice invasive and demeaning, but when fighting crimes against children, it’s not fair to monitor some perpetrators while exempting others.
Sadly, the latest incident, if the allegation proves true, occurred within Superior’s senior project program, which challenges kids to firmly demonstrate their mettle before receiving a diploma. It’s a program that deserves to be continued. But without question, one-on-one student-mentor gatherings should be prohibited. This point should be driven home strongly and clearly to students, teachers, parents and the community.
The need for such vigilance is unfortunate, because the overwhelming number of educators are hard-working, intelligent, dedicated individuals who never would harm a student in any way. The number of bad apples nationally is exceedingly low, but their crimes cast a large shadow that can’t be ignored.
Author Ron Brochu welcomes your comments.
Published in the Nov. 21, 2008 Reader Weekly
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Campaigns play cruel joke on Northland
By RON BROCHU
Politicians promised much during their recent campaigns, particularly in terms of a stronger economy and plentiful jobs. Sandwiched among accusations of immoral character, socialistic tendencies and financial impropriety, voters were told shiny, happy people will hold hands from Seattle to Miami, Fond du Lac to East End, during the rebound that explodes once we imprison investment bankers, renounce NAFTA, slash corporate taxes and stop redistributing wealth, depending on your silly beliefs.
Despite good intentions, nobody can guarantee communal prosperity, particularly not through partisan economics. At best, such commitments are wishful thinking. At worst, they’re outright lies – right up there with digital phones offering crystal-clear audio quality. Say what?
To pepper the Twin Ports with such off-handed campaign jive is a cruel joke. The current recession is just the latest among several downturns to spotlight that our economy sags worse than Salvador Dali’s vision of life. Forty years in search of recovery, Duluth and Superior are on an economic roller coaster, with job gains typically offset by job losses, new investment by consolidation, decent wages replaced by subsistence pay. Living here requires patience and continuous sacrifice. Patience is essential because it could take a lifetime to find that one perfect job. Continuous sacrifice because your perfect Duluth job probably will never pay on par with the same position in a stronger market. And God help the poor sot who loses that perfect job.
We all thought conditions were improving, with a $6 billion Superior refinery expansion – a dream disseminated more by local reporters than Murphy Oil – and extensive new Iron Range mining investment. Then we learned that pro-business, pro-jobs politicians of every stripe rendered those developments virtually impossible by facilitating the credit crisis and market collapse. Even the stealthiest investors lost their fortunes in a greedy extravaganza fit for Caligula. Today, thanks to Congress, the near-term prospect for multi-billion-dollar investment is slimmer than the potential for expanding a refinery with oil prices in free fall.
For area job holders, many of whom are underemployed, the credit crisis represents another dark day after an age of darkness. Placing investment on hold reiterates the fact that Tommy Toad, the high school idiot who moved to Colorado, is making more money selling truck tires than Don Ness earns trying to unravel Duluth’s municipal catastrophe. It just ain’t fair.
The scenario is much worse for jobless individuals. A quick look at employment sites reveals a stark reality: Few people qualify for those long-promised high-paying industrial jobs. Wanna work on the Range? Hope you can weld, drive a 40-ton truck and swing a crane. By itself, a high school degree won’t open the gate, much less the hiring manager’s door – not even for a sympathy interview with cousin Bob. Even a college degree in the wrong specialty can be worthless.
At best, heavy industry might employ our children or grandchildren, but only if they’ve secured the proper credentials – a two-year technical degree at minimum, with four-year engineering credentials preferred. The rest of us better hone our telemarketing skills, head back to school or hope the Food Shelf opens a store within walking distance.
Lowering the bar
The U.S. Senate campaign featuring Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken set new lows for both parties in Minnesota, if not the nation. Rivaling a cage match between Dr. X and Mad Dog Vachon, their faceoff redefined rude politics, although both will claim the worst ads were sponsored by outside groups. Note, however, that neither candidate asked their supporters to hold off from making third-party, stomach-turning accusations.
On a brighter note, however, they collectively hastened the demise of America’s two-party system. Unfortunately, it won’t happen fast enough. Independent Dean Barkley was unable to profit from the banal Coleman-Franken diatribe, which is difficult to comprehend. If Barkley had the pizzazz of Jesse Ventura, he might have pulled it off, but his personality and reputation weren’t sufficiently audacious to rally the nauseated, disenfranchised folks who simply stayed home Tuesday.
Apparently, it has come to that – a political system that depends upon the groin shot, rabbit bunch and show biz personalities. And may the richest, sickest candidate win.
Author Ron Brochu invites your feedback.
Published in the Nov. 7, 2008 Reader Weekly
Politicians promised much during their recent campaigns, particularly in terms of a stronger economy and plentiful jobs. Sandwiched among accusations of immoral character, socialistic tendencies and financial impropriety, voters were told shiny, happy people will hold hands from Seattle to Miami, Fond du Lac to East End, during the rebound that explodes once we imprison investment bankers, renounce NAFTA, slash corporate taxes and stop redistributing wealth, depending on your silly beliefs.
Despite good intentions, nobody can guarantee communal prosperity, particularly not through partisan economics. At best, such commitments are wishful thinking. At worst, they’re outright lies – right up there with digital phones offering crystal-clear audio quality. Say what?
To pepper the Twin Ports with such off-handed campaign jive is a cruel joke. The current recession is just the latest among several downturns to spotlight that our economy sags worse than Salvador Dali’s vision of life. Forty years in search of recovery, Duluth and Superior are on an economic roller coaster, with job gains typically offset by job losses, new investment by consolidation, decent wages replaced by subsistence pay. Living here requires patience and continuous sacrifice. Patience is essential because it could take a lifetime to find that one perfect job. Continuous sacrifice because your perfect Duluth job probably will never pay on par with the same position in a stronger market. And God help the poor sot who loses that perfect job.
We all thought conditions were improving, with a $6 billion Superior refinery expansion – a dream disseminated more by local reporters than Murphy Oil – and extensive new Iron Range mining investment. Then we learned that pro-business, pro-jobs politicians of every stripe rendered those developments virtually impossible by facilitating the credit crisis and market collapse. Even the stealthiest investors lost their fortunes in a greedy extravaganza fit for Caligula. Today, thanks to Congress, the near-term prospect for multi-billion-dollar investment is slimmer than the potential for expanding a refinery with oil prices in free fall.
For area job holders, many of whom are underemployed, the credit crisis represents another dark day after an age of darkness. Placing investment on hold reiterates the fact that Tommy Toad, the high school idiot who moved to Colorado, is making more money selling truck tires than Don Ness earns trying to unravel Duluth’s municipal catastrophe. It just ain’t fair.
The scenario is much worse for jobless individuals. A quick look at employment sites reveals a stark reality: Few people qualify for those long-promised high-paying industrial jobs. Wanna work on the Range? Hope you can weld, drive a 40-ton truck and swing a crane. By itself, a high school degree won’t open the gate, much less the hiring manager’s door – not even for a sympathy interview with cousin Bob. Even a college degree in the wrong specialty can be worthless.
At best, heavy industry might employ our children or grandchildren, but only if they’ve secured the proper credentials – a two-year technical degree at minimum, with four-year engineering credentials preferred. The rest of us better hone our telemarketing skills, head back to school or hope the Food Shelf opens a store within walking distance.
Lowering the bar
The U.S. Senate campaign featuring Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken set new lows for both parties in Minnesota, if not the nation. Rivaling a cage match between Dr. X and Mad Dog Vachon, their faceoff redefined rude politics, although both will claim the worst ads were sponsored by outside groups. Note, however, that neither candidate asked their supporters to hold off from making third-party, stomach-turning accusations.
On a brighter note, however, they collectively hastened the demise of America’s two-party system. Unfortunately, it won’t happen fast enough. Independent Dean Barkley was unable to profit from the banal Coleman-Franken diatribe, which is difficult to comprehend. If Barkley had the pizzazz of Jesse Ventura, he might have pulled it off, but his personality and reputation weren’t sufficiently audacious to rally the nauseated, disenfranchised folks who simply stayed home Tuesday.
Apparently, it has come to that – a political system that depends upon the groin shot, rabbit bunch and show biz personalities. And may the richest, sickest candidate win.
Author Ron Brochu invites your feedback.
Published in the Nov. 7, 2008 Reader Weekly
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