FHS students suspended following off-campus incident
, Publisher
09-22-2007
Five Farmerville High School students have been suspended and will face further disciplinary action following an off-campus sexual encounter during the school day.
The incident sparked rape charges by a female student against a male student.
According to Union Parish School Board Superintendent Steve Dozier, the incident began last Tuesday afternoon at the beginning of sixth period when the five students skipped class and met at the high school softball field.
From there, the four boys and one girl left in a car and went to one of the boys’ house, located close to the school, where sex occurred between one of the boys and the girl. From there all five got back in the car and went to Farmerville Junior High School, where the girl was dropped off and seen by teachers. She reported for seventh period class.
After school the four boys – all Farmerville High School football players – went to practice. The girl went to band practice and then to the football practice field after school.
At some point during the school day, the girl told a friend she had been raped. The friend told her parents, who then informed the girls’ parents.
Later that day, the girls’ parents were notified of the incident and rape charges were filed.
According to the Farmerville Police Department report, the 14-year-old girl was taken to a local hospital, treated for possible rape, and released to her parents.
Farmerville Police charged a 16-year-old male with forcible rape on Tuesday night and placed him in an undisclosed juvenile detention center. He was later released on Thursday night following a preliminary hearing between assistant district attorney Bruce Hampton and representatives from both parties.
Dozier said the school district conducted a thorough investigation of the incident and determined that sex occurred, but there was no evidence of a rape. No staff members were notified that a rape had occurred during the school day.
“We interviewed numerous students from the class where the girl had skipped out of class and where the boys had left,’’ Dozier said. “We also had eyewitnesses and found a note and various other things. The school is confident that their investigation shows no evidence to support that a rape occurred.’’
Following the three-day suspension from school, all five students will be placed in alternative school for an undetermined amount of time for leaving campus without permission. However, according to Dozier, the female student involved and her parents have decided to remove her from the Union Parish School system.
The suspended students will also be barred from extra curricular events while attending alternative school.
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