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The Kansas City Star
Updated: 2014-04-04T03:31:57Z
April 3
By MATT CAMPBELL
The Kansas City Star
The principal and two faculty members at Southwest Early College Campus were placed on administrative leave Wednesday after a 14-year-old girl with autism said she was repeatedly raped at the school.
Southwest High School
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The incident comes just months after school officials vowed to step up measures to protect students in the wake of an alleged rape at the same Kansas City school.
A spokesman for the school district said the staff members were suspended because they were held responsible for security on campus.
A juvenile boy and girl were arrested Wednesday in connection with the alleged assaults of the girl with autism, a police spokesman said.
According to the police report, the girl said she had been raped repeatedly over the last month, and as recently as Tuesday, by the same 14-year-old boy while a 13-year-old girl stood lookout in the hall. The victim said the assaults occurred on the second floor of the school, in an area out of view of security cameras.
Steve Green, superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools, said in a statement released Thursday that the district learned of the allegations on Wednesday and began an investigation. He said he instructed district administrators to cooperate with police.
Green’s statement said other personnel could be suspended if the investigation uncovers additional facts that warrant their removal.
“Once the investigation is complete, a final decision will be made about whether they will continue as employees of KCPS or will be dismissed,” his statement said of the suspended employees. “I have directed my team to take any and all steps necessary to insure the safety of our students and our staff at (Southwest.)”
Ed Richardson is the principal at Southwest. The Star tried to talk to Richardson in person Thursday night, but was unsuccessful.
A district spokesman said Derald Davis is in charge temporarily at Southwest, 6512 Wornall Road.
In August, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly dragged through Southwest halls in the middle of the school day and raped in a small, second-floor room near the auditorium. Two classmates, a 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy, were charged as juveniles with rape.
The district said then that it would increase measures for student safety. That was to include increased safety awareness training for employees and weekly safety reviews at each school. It also was to include a review of all locks and doors as well as restricted access to isolated areas.
The district said security-camera systems were to be upgraded and adult supervision would be reinforced during lunch, recess and passing periods.
In the most recent allegation, the victim said she was experiencing pain in her vagina early Wednesday morning and woke her parents, who took her to a hospital. She said that her assailant would order her to give him oral sex and force her to have intercourse and that he would hit her if she refused.
The victim said the assaults would occur about the same time of day. She said she did not report them earlier because she was afraid her father would react and get himself into trouble.
Green said Thursday that the increased security measures were in place, including security cameras and keeping empty rooms locked.
But he said the students involved in the most recent alleged assault “conspired to dodge those security measures.”
“The cameras worked and we have some video that was shared with police,” Green said.
The district spokesman said a message about the alleged incident would be distributed to students at Southwest today.
The Star’s Joe Robertson contributed to this report. To reach Matt Campbell call 816-234-4902 or send email to mcampbell@kcstar.com.
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