The principal of a high school in North Carolina has been suspended with pay after a local news outlet investigated the school’s response to reported sexual assaults.
The paid suspensions of Hawthorne Academy High School Principal Diann Weston and assistant principal Nina Adams were announced to parents and staff in a message this Tuesday.
Last week, WBTV did a report on a sophomore student who said she was sexually assaulted by a classmate in August. The student was suspended after administrators accused her of filing a false report.
From WBTV:
The mother of the student who was suspended after reporting a sexual assault issued a statement in the wake of Weston’s suspension late Tuesday.
“My daughter wants everyone to know that she thanks them and it makes her feel she has more support,” the statement said in part.
“We never expected to get as much publicity as we did but we want everyone to know that things like this should be heard and not hidden.”
A lawyer for the student, Laura Dunn, also issued a statement on Tuesday. In addition to the Hawthorne Academy student, Dunn has also represented students who reported being raped or sexually assaulted at Myers Park High School.
“CMS had plenty of opportunities to avoid yet another campus sexual assault scandal, but rather than taking meaningful action when issues arose at Myers Park High School, it has waited for another disaster to strike at Hawthorne Academy,” Dunn said.
“All parents need to stand with their students at this time and demand change so this does not happen to another student ever again.”
On Monday, a second Hawthorne Academy student came forward to details what happened after she reported a sexual assault in 2019. The second student, Rashika Chamlagai, said she was made to sign a nondisclosure agreement that prevented her from talking about the incident.
Last week, WBTV reporter confronted school officials, asking them why the student was suspended. You can watch the video below:
