Story Archive

Adult Supervision

“He told me to take my pants down, and he put his fingers in my underwear,” said Evan George, 16. “I felt scared.” The “he” in question was Rich Edwards, athletic director for the American Leadership Academy in Queen Creek, Ariz., and he was looking for a vape pen. He didn’t find one, but George still got an eight day suspension. His parents complained, but an appeal to the charter school’s board of directors was turned away. Beyond that, there was nowhere to go but the state Charter Board, which has 11 members and just 11 employees to supervise 500 schools. Edwards told the board other school officials were present during the search, and he denied putting his hands in George’s “compression shorts.” The board didn’t investigate, saying it lacked authority over searches and punishments. (AC/Arizona Republic) ...then who does have authority when a teenager says an adult put his hands in his underwear?