BAKERSFIELD, CA -- The Kern High School District came under fire again Monday night. During its board meeting, the father of an autistic girl who alleges she was sexually assaulted on school grounds, said the district does not protect its special needs students.
Although the family of that girl won a civil suit in May, the father stands firm that the district is callous when it comes to its autistic children. We are not identifying the father to protect the identity of his daughter.
"I ask you, when did my daughter become the enemy? When does a sexual assault victim become the enemy? When does an autistic child become the enemy?"
For the father of an autistic girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted in an Independence High School bathroom in 2009, no amount of money can make up for the Kern High School District's lack of responsibility.
"When will you stand up and say enough is enough, we will protect these children, we will protect those who cannot protect themselves?"
In June, 17 News learned that a private investigator was hired by the district's lawyers, to secretly videotape the girl in order to prove she was not emotionally damaged because of that alleged sexual assault.
"If there's anything that's come out of this case that grieves me more than anything else it's the fact that this district now has the reputation that we don't protect those people who most need our protection. I don't think that's true of us."
Board President Chad Vegas said in Monday's meeting that if it were up to him, he would fire whoever gave out the girl's information to the private investigator and that he was sickened to learn more details of the case in recent days.
"I think what happened in your case was clearly our fault. I am deeply sorry it occurred, but I don't think it's true that we don't protect the weakest among us. I do think in this case clearly we did not," Vegas said.
Vegas also said that Leonard Herr, the attorney who represented the district in the case, was not hired by the district, but by Self-Insured Schools of California, which is overseen by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools.
Although the family of that girl won a civil suit in May, the father stands firm that the district is callous when it comes to its autistic children. We are not identifying the father to protect the identity of his daughter.
"I ask you, when did my daughter become the enemy? When does a sexual assault victim become the enemy? When does an autistic child become the enemy?"
For the father of an autistic girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted in an Independence High School bathroom in 2009, no amount of money can make up for the Kern High School District's lack of responsibility.
"When will you stand up and say enough is enough, we will protect these children, we will protect those who cannot protect themselves?"
In June, 17 News learned that a private investigator was hired by the district's lawyers, to secretly videotape the girl in order to prove she was not emotionally damaged because of that alleged sexual assault.
"If there's anything that's come out of this case that grieves me more than anything else it's the fact that this district now has the reputation that we don't protect those people who most need our protection. I don't think that's true of us."
Board President Chad Vegas said in Monday's meeting that if it were up to him, he would fire whoever gave out the girl's information to the private investigator and that he was sickened to learn more details of the case in recent days.
"I think what happened in your case was clearly our fault. I am deeply sorry it occurred, but I don't think it's true that we don't protect the weakest among us. I do think in this case clearly we did not," Vegas said.
Vegas also said that Leonard Herr, the attorney who represented the district in the case, was not hired by the district, but by Self-Insured Schools of California, which is overseen by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools.