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> Another coach with another kid
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post Dec 18 2009, 09:03 AM
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http://nwitimes.com/news/breaking/article_...1cc4c03286.html

Former LaPorte coach turns himself over to authorities
By Christine Kraly and Marisa Kwiatkowski Times Staff Writers | Posted: Friday, December 18, 2009 12:05 am | (7) Comments

LAPORTE | A former LaPorte High School assistant girls volleyball coach was charged Thursday with multiple felonies for an alleged sexual relationship with a minor, an Indiana State Police spokeswoman confirmed.

And a Times investigation shows the charges could be a second black mark for LaPorte High School's volleyball team in the last two years.

Robert Ashcraft, 45, faces two felony counts of sexual misconduct with a minor and one felony count of child seduction, state police Sgt. Ann Wojas said.

The LaPorte resident turned himself in about 6:30 p.m. Thursday at LaPorte County Jail, Wojas said.

Wojas was unable to provide details of Ashcraft's charges Thursday, including when the alleged incidents occurred and whether they took place at LaPorte High School, where Ashcraft had been an assistant junior varsity coach. Wojas did report that the victim was younger than 16 years old at the time of the alleged incidents and that Ashcraft was not involved at the school other than in his coaching role.

LaPorte Community School Corp. officials announced Ashcraft's resignation at a district meeting Nov. 11, 2008.

Jim Dermody, the school corporation's assistant superintendent, said Thursday evening that he was unaware of Ashcraft's charges and felt it would be inappropriate to comment.

Other school and athletics officials contacted by The Times did not return phone calls seeking comment.

In an unrelated case in March, the U.S. Department of Education found that the LaPorte school corporation unlawfully retaliated against a student trainer who reported seeing what he believed was a professional trainer fondling a female volleyball player in 2007.

The federal agency's Office for Civil Rights found the corporation violated Title IX when it stripped then-senior Dan Vermette of his student trainer duties after he reported the 2007 incident.

Vermette -- who is now a computer specialist in the U.S. Marine Corps -- reported the alleged groping to both the school corporation and an outside employer that helped fund the professional trainer's salary, according to the Office for Civil Rights decision.

A school official told Vermette that reporting the incident to that outside employer was "incredibly inappropriate," federal records state.


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post Dec 18 2009, 09:28 AM
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The end of that story is pretty interesting. I hadn't heard it before. That kind of stuff is very common in the education and higher educational settings. They DO NOT want crimes reported to the authorities. They prefer to keep in internal, that way they can keep it as quiet as possible, and maintain their image publicly.
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post Jan 10 2010, 11:07 AM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=28108

QUOTE
Board member recants remarks on coach

Chris Schable
Staff Writer

LA PORTE - A La Porte Community School Corp. board member contradicted comments made by fellow board members and Superintendent Judith DeMuth regarding an alleged sexual relationship between a high school coach and player.

But just hours after making the comments, board member Ron Gigliotti recanted them.

Robert Ashcraft, 45, was arrested Dec. 17 and charged with Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor, Class C felony sexual misconduct with a minor and Class D felony child seduction.

According to the allegations in La Porte Circuit Court, Ashcraft, Fish Lake, was an assistant girls volleyball coach when he and the then-15-year-old player began a sexual relationship in fall 2007.

The now 17-year-old told investigators she and Ashcraft first kissed following a volleyball game that fall and had sex 10 to 15 times over the next several months.

Gigliotti said Wednesday the board fired Ashcraft at a November 2008 School Board meeting after learning he had what the board deemed inappropriate contact with female athletes, such as "applying ointment to (the athletes') muscles."

"That wasn't allowed and he knew that," Gigliotti said.

Gigliotti also said it wasn't the first time the board was made aware of Ashcraft's actions.

"When we knew he was doing something inappropriate, we took proper disciplinary actions. When he (repeated) those actions, he was fired," Gigliotti said. "We agreed to dismiss him at the School Board meeting in (November) 2008."

Gigliotti recanted those comments Thursday, however, claiming, "I didn't have a clear remembrance of what happened. The truth is, he resigned."

When asked if anyone in the administration or on the board asked him to recant his remarks, he said, "No. My memory of it was cloudy. It happened over a year ago. There was no intent on my part to deceive anyone or release misinformation."

Gigliotti's original statements are in contrast to statements made by board president Mitch Feikes and DeMuth. The two said recently Ashcraft resigned at the November 2008 meeting, and they had no knowledge of an affair between Ashcraft and the girl at that time.

"(Gigliotti) must have misspoke," DeMuth said. "There are five terms we use when employees end their service with us, and our employees confuse those terms a lot, especially resigned and retired. I'm sure that's what happened here."

Feikes agreed.

"He must have misunderstood the question," Feikes said. "Ron knows he wasn't fired."

Whether Ashcraft was asked to resign, Feikes said, "He resigned." When pressed, he said, "He resigned. That's all I can say. He officially resigned."

Indiana State Police and La Porte City Police conducted the investigation that led to Ashcraft's arrest. Indiana State Police spokeswoman Ann Wojas said there has been no formal investigation into the school corporation nor any employees as to their knowledge of the alleged affair.

According to Feikes, there's been no formal internal investigation either, but the matter has been examined by school officials "to some degree."

So far, he said, there's been no evidence any faculty member had prior knowledge of the coach's alleged activities.

"We haven't found anything," said Feikes.

One La Porte schools faculty member said he tried to inform the board of Ashcraft's alleged misconduct.

According to the minutes from that meeting, just moments before the board allegedly accepted Ashcraft's resignation, La Porte schools' teacher Greg Samuelson voiced concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting.

"Why are coaches and trainers being allowed to resign or just leave when accused of misconduct with female athletes?" Samuelson asked the board. "This is a violation of Title IX by not protecting female athletes from sexual harassment. Why does this administration violate state law by not reporting this type of conduct to (Child Protective Services) or the police first, but instead conducts their own investigation? As an advocate for girls' athletics and principals of Title IX, I encourage the La Porte School Board of Trustees to protect our female athletes and follow all laws that protect them."

The minutes approved by the board at the following meeting, however, were more vague.

They state: "Mr. Samuelson of La Porte spoke regarding a coaching job at the middle-school level. He also spoke regarding Strategic Plan Goal #4, and his concerns for student safety, female athlete treatment and hiring of consultants."

Samuelson said no board member or administrator ever broached the subject with him following the meeting.

Gigliotti agreed.

"We didn't discuss it after that, no. It was just one person (voicing concern at the meeting). A lot of people come up with innuendos, and you don't follow up on every one of them. If anyone within the school system saw anything, it would have been their duty to report it. Not only that, it's the law. If Mr. Samuelson knew anything, he would have to report it."

"They should have done their job and followed up," Samuelson said. "They should be able to infer something was going on from my comments at the meeting. I don't see how they can say they didn't have any knowledge of it."

(Stan Maddux and Alicia Ebaugh contributed to this story.)

q

Chris Schable, executive editor of The Herald-Argus, can be reached at cschable@heraldargus.com or (219) 326-3859.
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post Jan 12 2010, 01:39 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=52674.88

QUOTE
Police investigating LP School Corporation
State police taking closer look at how much school officials knew about alleged sexual relationship between coach, teen

Chris Schable
Staff Writer

The Indiana State Police began an official investigation into the La Porte Community School Corp. on Monday following the arrest last month of a former high school coach.

The investigation stems from the arrest of Robert Ashcraft on Dec. 17, 2009. Ashcraft allegedly had an ongoing sexual relationship with an underage volleyball player.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Ann Wojas confirmed Monday the case "has been assigned to an investigator, the school corporation has been contacted by that investigator and they are cooperating."

"The investigation is taking place as a follow-up (to Ashcraft's arrest) to make sure there is no impropriety there," Wojas said.

The 45-year-old Fish Lake man was charged with Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor, Class C felony sexual misconduct with a minor and Class D felony child seduction.

According to the allegations in La Porte Circuit Court, Ashcraft was an assistant girls volleyball coach when he and the then-15-year-old player began a sexual relationship in fall 2007.

Ashcraft allegedly resigned at a November 2008 school board meeting.

The La Porte School Board announced last week it will hire a private investigator to find out if any administrators and staff knew about an alleged sexual relationship between the former coach and player.

School Board President Mitch Feikes said the decision to hire an outside investigator is in response to "rumors and innuendo" that some faculty members knew about the alleged relationship between Ashcraft and the teen, but did not report it to the proper authorities.

"It's important to know exactly what went on, to clear the names and reputations (of the innocent)," Feikes said.

The school corporation came under fire in March 2009 when the U.S. Department of Education cited it for retaliating against a student who reported seeing a high school staff member fondle a student athlete.

According to federal officials, the student trainer reported seeing the state-certified and licensed trainer inappropriately touch a volleyball player in the training room in October 2007. The student was then forced to resign as a student trainer.

He was also prevented from serving as a student volunteer for the high school baseball team the next spring, according to the findings of the federal investigation.

The school corporation was ordered by the U.S. Department of Education to agree to policy revisions that include verbal warnings to employees who retaliate against a complainant, educating students and staff on their right to file a grievance if they feel retaliated against for reporting a possible violation and training of select administrators on the revisions to the policy and guidelines.

The Indiana State Police are now investigating whether there were any school corporation employees aware of the alleged affair, but failed to notify authorities.

School Superintendent Judy DeMuth and Feikes said recently that Ashcraft resigned at the November 2008 meeting and they had no knowledge of an affair between Ashcraft and the girl at that time.

DeMuth, in a published report, said she hadn't heard of the alleged affair until Ashcraft's December 2009 arrest.

But La Porte teacher Greg Samuelson spoke to the board at that same November 2008 meeting and questioned why some coaches were allowed to resign under allegations of sexual abuse without school corporation officials investigating.

Feikes, fellow board member Ron Gigliotti and Samuelson all confirmed officials never questioned Samuelson following the meeting.

"He isn't credible," Feikes said in defense of the board's decision not to question Samuelson. "Greg has lawsuits against the corporation all the time and he hasn't won a single one. He isn't credible."

Asked if, in hindsight, it was a mistake for the board not to talk to Samuelson, Feikes said, "No. I don't care what he said, he wasn't and isn't credible."

La Porte City Police Sgt. Paul Brettin said Monday he spoke with high school officials in December 2008 after an anonymous tip, but no one present at the meeting had any knowledge of the alleged affair.

"It was just a fact-finding mission," said Brettin, who wouldn't reveal who exactly was at the meeting. "They cooperated fully and said they had no knowledge of any sexual relationship (between a coach and player)."

Detectives also conducted interviews with potential witnesses, but the investigation stalled when police failed to find a single witness to the alleged crime.

"Everyone claimed to know about it, but no one would come forward," Brettin said.

The investigation was inactive, but remained open until last fall, when the original tipster contacted police again and repeated concerns about the coach.

Brettin handed the investigation off to a Indiana State Police Detective Gretchen Deal, who was working with the city police on an unrelated case.

DeMuth did not return a phone call for this story.

Stan Maddux contributed to this story.

Chris Schable is the executive editor of The Michigan City News-Dispatch.

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post Jan 19 2010, 01:06 PM
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http://heraldargus.com/articles/2010/01/18...8e588381877.txt

QUOTE
School board to hold special meeting Tuesday

Details sketchy as purpose of meeting
Published: Monday, January 18, 2010 11:41 AM CST
The La Porte School Board and administration will meet Tuesday, January 19, 2010, at the Education Services Center.

According to a meeting agenda released by the school corporation Monday, the “special meeting” will begin with an Executive Session at 5:30 p.m.

The executive session is not open to the public, however, state statute prevents the school board and administration from making decisions in executive sessions outside of public view.

According to the agenda, the regular, public meeting will immediately follow the executive session.

Unlike previous agendas released to the public, no exact time was listed on the agenda, which, according to state statute, allows the school board to begin the public meeting any time after 5:30 p.m.

The regular school board agenda includes allotted time for public comment, personnel recommendations and board comment.

Those wishing to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting must complete a blue card distributed at the Educational Services Center and submit it to School Board President Mitch Feikes prior to the beginning of the public meeting.

For more information, contact the Educational Services Center at 219-324-9347.

A reason for the meeting and a detailed list of personnel recommendations the board plans to discuss and act upon is not known as repeated attempts by The Herald-Argus to contact School Superintendent Judy DeMuth went unanswered.
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post Jan 20 2010, 04:52 PM
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Every single person who knew about these activities and did not report them to the proper authorizes deserves to be publicly disgraced and fired.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...c0036327467.txt

QUOTE
School Board hires firm for its own investigation

Will spend $250 an hour regarding former coach
By Alicia Ebaugh
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 4:18 AM CST
LA PORTE — The same night Superintendent Judith DeMuth spoke of La Porte Community School Corp.’s “nightmare” $1.6 million budget cut coming from the state, the School Board unanimously voted to spend $250 an hour on a private investigator — with no limit on how much money will be spent.

The hiring of Larry Evans, an attorney with Valparaiso firm Hoeppner, Wagner & Evans, was approved Tuesday. He is supposed to find out whether any administrators or staff knew about former high school volleyball coach Robert Ashcraft’s alleged sexual relationship with a player.

There is no time or cost limit for the investigation, DeMuth said.

“This is ridiculous. There is already an investigation started by the (Indiana) State Police,” said La Porte resident Randy Mumms, who spoke at the meeting. “This is a waste of people’s money.”

DeMuth said the school district was “just made aware” State Police was going to investigate the same issue, and that they made the decision to hire Evans before they found out. Administrators can legally contract for services before those contracts are brought before the board publicly for approval, School Board attorney William Kaminski said.

School Board President Mitch Feikes said the board could have voted against hiring Evans, but didn’t because the investigator will look at a different aspect of what may have happened than State Police will.

“Theirs is strictly a criminal investigation,” Feikes said. “We have certain policies and procedures in place our employees are supposed to follow in reporting things like this ... our investigation will look into whether that happened. It’s internal.”

Indiana State Police Sgt. Ann Wojas confirmed early last week the case “has been assigned to an investigator, the school corporation has been contacted by that investigator and they are cooperating.”

The investigation stems from Ashcraft’s arrest Dec. 17. Ashcraft, 45, Fish Lake, was charged with Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor, Class C felony sexual misconduct with a minor and Class D felony child seduction.

According to the allegations in La Porte Circuit Court, Ashcraft was an assistant girls volleyball coach when he and the then-15-year-old player began a sexual relationship in fall 2007.

Ashcraft allegedly resigned at a November 2008 School Board meeting.

Evans has been a labor and employment lawyer for 30 years and conducted hundreds of similar internal investigations for corporations, Kaminski said. When asked whether district employees will legally have to cooperate with the investigation, DeMuth said she “can’t answer that.”

Tuesday’s special School Board meeting was not on the board’s meeting schedule until Monday. A La Porte police officer attended the special meeting, which attendees said was unusual. DeMuth said the School Board wanted to meet that night because it “had other personnel issues to take care of,” and was already meeting for the public work session on the budget cut.

School Board members also approved the consent agenda from the meeting, which included other personnel recommendations and travel requests. That agenda will not be made available until Wednesday.
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post Mar 5 2010, 10:16 AM
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http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...17401254116.txt

QUOTE
Former VB coach was asked to resign

New info contradicts School Board president
By Chris Schable
Staff Writer
Published: Friday, March 5, 2010 4:17 AM CST
LA PORTE — School officials asked an alleged sex offender to resign at least two weeks before the resignation was approved — even providing him a resignation letter prepared by the school — and were documenting his relationship with the alleged victim.

The information, obtained from e-mails released by the La Porte Community Schools this week, contradicts a statement La Porte School Board President Mitch Feikes made that assistant girls volleyball coach Robert Ashcraft was not asked to resign. School officials also said they had no knowledge of inappropriate conduct between Ashcraft and a then 15-year-old player.

Ashcraft, 45, was arrested Dec. 17, 2009, and charged with felony sexual misconduct with a minor and felony child seduction. According to the allegations in La Porte Circuit Court, Ashcraft, Fish Lake, was an assistant girls volleyball coach when he and a student athlete allegedly began a sexual relationship in fall 2007.

An Oct. 28, 2008, e-mail exchange between La Porte High volleyball coach Marybeth Lebo and a La Porte schools employee shows the administration was monitoring Ashcraft’s behavior before he was asked to resign.

In the e-mail, Lebo asked a school employee for details of an encounter the employee allegedly witnessed between Ashcraft and the alleged victim. The message references it wasn’t the first time allegations of misconduct were brought to Lebo’s attention.

“Is there any way you can e-mail me what you saw yesterday as you walked into the training room with Bob Ashcraft and (alleged victim)?” the e-mail reads. “I need everything documented and on file. It is a very long story, but I need to continue to document. I will fill you in later. Thanks, Marybeth.”

A day later, La Porte High Principal Greg Handel corresponded with Assistant Superintendent Jim Dermody, describing a meeting that took place earlier that day. The e-mail states he (Handel), La Porte High Athletic Director Ed Gilliland and Lebo met with Ashcraft and reviewed previous memos and directions given to him. Gilliland then, according to the e-mail, “reviewed the most recent observation of how the directions were not followed. (Ashcraft) agreed. (Gilliland) told him it was insubordination and asked for his immediate resignation. Ed produced a resignation letter and Bob signed it.”

La Porte Schools Superintendent Judy DeMuth and Feikes have both denied school administration or School Board members had any prior knowledge of an inappropriate relationship between Ashcraft and a volleyball team member when the board approved his resignation at a Nov. 11, 2008, School Board meeting. Feikes also denied allegations Ashcraft was terminated, as another board member first claimed, or that he was asked to resign.

In a story published Jan. 9, when questioned if Ashcraft resigned of his own accord or was asked to resign, Feikes said, “He resigned,” adding, “He resigned. That’s all I can say. He officially resigned.”

DeMuth, in a published report, said she hadn’t heard of the alleged affair until Ashcraft’s December 2009 arrest. Less than an hour after receiving Handel’s Oct. 29, 2008, e-mail, Dermody sent DeMuth an e-mail informing her of Ashcraft’s resignation that began, “The meeting with Bob Ashcraft was held today at LPHS.”

The following morning, Oct. 30, 2008, DeMuth relayed a report of Ashcraft’s resignation to members of the School Board, including Feikes.

Neither Dermody’s e-mail to DeMuth nor her e-mail to the School Board members mentioned Gilliland asked Ashcraft to resign.

Phone calls for comment were not returned by DeMuth, Gilliland, Lebo or Feikes.

Chris Schable is the executive editor of The La Porte Herald-Argus and The Michigan City News-Dispatch. He can be reached at cschable@heraldargus.com.

Time line of events

Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2008

6:12 a.m. — La Porte varsity volleyball coach Marybeth Lebo sends an e-mail to fellow a La Porte schools employee asking, “Is there any way you can e-mail me what you saw yesterday as you walked into the training room with Bob Ashcraft and (victim)? I need everything documented and on file. It is a very long story, but I need to continue to document.”

3:13 p.m. — La Porte schools employee responds to Lebo’s request, describing the scene in which, “(The victim) had her back to Bob with the back of her shirt lifted up and he was putting a Band-Aid on her middle back.”

5:35 p.m. — Jim Dermody e-mails Greg Handel and Ed Gilliland, asking, “Please let me know the time for tomorrow’s meeting.”

Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008

2:30 p.m. — Greg Handel, Ed Gilliland, Marybeth Lebo meet with Bob Ashcraft. Ashcraft submits his resignation.

3:02 p.m. — Handel e-mails Dermody describing the meeting with Ashcraft, saying “(Gilliland) ... asked for (Ashcraft’s) immediate resignation. Ed produced a resignation letter and Bob signed it.”

4:45 p.m. — Dermody e-mails DeMuth to inform her Ashcraft had resigned. The e-mail begins, “The meeting with Bob Ashcraft was held today at LPHS.”

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008

9 a.m. — DeMuth e-mails La Porte School Board members and informs them of Ashcraft’s resignation.

Nov. 11, 2008

Ashcraft’s resignation is officially accepted by the school board at a regularly scheduled meeting.

Dec. 17, 2009

Ashcraft is arrested and charged with felony sexual misconduct with a minor and felony child seduction.

Jan. 5, 2010

The La Porte School Board says it will hire an attorney from Valparaiso to investigate which administrators and staff, if any, knew about an alleged sexual relationship between Ashcraft and a teen player.

Jan. 9, 2010

A story reports, “(DeMuth and Feikes) said recently that Ashcraft resigned at the November 2008 meeting and they had no knowledge of an affair between Ashcraft and the girl at that time.”

Jan. 12, 2010

A story reports, “DeMuth, in a published report, said she hadn’t heard of the alleged affair until Ashcraft’s December 2009 arrest.”

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

La Porte Schools releases thousands of pages of corporation e-mails that contain the name “Ashcraft.” One of those e-mails states members of the school corporation administration wrote a letter of resignation, presented it to Ashcraft and asked him to sign it. He complied.


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post Mar 31 2010, 08:14 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/0...60502181517.txt

QUOTE
Retired coach, parents rally to Lebo’s defense

Bob Wellinski/For The N-D Ken Schreiber speaks at Tuesday’s meeting.
By Matt Fritz
Staff Writer
Published: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 4:17 AM CDT
LA PORTE — Parents and community members on Tuesday night asked for an end to the “kangaroo court” becoming of La Porte with its treatment of Head Volleyball Coach Marybeth Lebo.

During the La Porte Community School Corp. board’s special meeting, retired La Porte High School teacher and coach Ken Schreiber spoke against community members who claimed Lebo must have had knowledge of former volleyball coach Robert Ashcraft’s alleged sexual misconduct with a female athlete, and without any proof and asking for her resignation on top of it. He pointed out that Ashcraft’s case was being handled in a court of law, while Lebo wasn’t even given that benefit from public opinion.

“This isn’t a court of law, it’s a kangaroo court with an emphasis on innuendos, untruths and facts without any substantiation,” he said. “I’m embarrassed by the community of La Porte and these people who say they’re representing it.”

La Porte resident and parent James Maurer supported Schreiber, saying he hoped Lebo remained the head volleyball coach due to the way she treated players on the team.

“She cared about her players as complete individuals,” he said. “This leads me to believe she did not know about the problem with the volleyball coach.”

Joe Otis, Valparaiso, said he knows the coaches and the good they do, pointing out the large number of scholarships they’ve earned for their players, and said he was tired of the vicious trash being spewed about them by anonymous “cowards” online and at the end of newspaper stories, although he did commend those who spoke before the board about their concerns since they didn’t do it anonymously.

Taking no stance on innocence or guilt in the case, Miki Young, La Porte, begged for peace among members of the public, saying the disgust and hate being expressed by people in this case were causing more harm than good, and affecting more people than the remarks were aimed at.

“It’s easy to judge those you don’t have any kinship to,” she said. “And I have no right to cast any stones, but lives here are being damaged and will continue to be damaged... The words of rage hurt people.”
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post Mar 31 2010, 09:36 PM
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"The words of rage hurt people."

Nah, sorry. Child rape hurts. What you are seeing are the feelings of discomfort in people who just want this to go away.

A bad thing happened here. It is obvious that someone failed to act on behalf of this child and there is a strong probability that there was then a cover up by some school officials. The investigators will hopefully do their job and we will be made aware of who else acted inappropriately. Comments such as: "“She cared about her players as complete individuals. This leads me to believe she did not know about the problem with the volleyball coach.” are assinine.


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post Apr 1 2010, 06:57 AM
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If the coach had knowledge, or even a suspicion of this before October 28, 2008, she should be fired. If not, leave her alone. To me, it is that simple.
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post Oct 13 2010, 07:54 AM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/1...e0733575342.txt

QUOTE
Investigation of coach may reach prosecutor

By Bridget Flynn
Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 5:17 PM CDT
LA PORTE — A police investigation of La Porte Community School Corporation administrators regarding an alleged sexual relationship between an assistant volleyball coach and a player might be heading soon to the La Porte County Prosecutor’s office.

Deputy Prosecutor Chris Fronk said Monday that investigating Detective Mike Robinson of the Indiana State Police, has informed him that the findings of the investigation would be given to the prosecutor’s office shortly.

“I was advised by the detective that it would be ready soon, possibly this week,” Fronk said.

Fronk declined to give a time frame.

“The parents involved and the community involved would want me to review it thoroughly,” he explained.

When asked whether he expects charges to be filed as a result of the investigation, Fronk responded, “That would be pure speculation.”

Robert Ashcraft, 45, is out on bail awaiting trial on two charges of sexual misconduct with a minor, one a Class B felony and another a Class C felony, and one charge of child seduction, a Class D felony. He resigned as assistant volleyball coach in October 2008 and in December 2009 was charged with the felonies.

Allegations that school officials tried covering up the relationship between Ashcraft and the player are still being investigated by the Indiana State Police, along with an outside investigator hired by the school corporation. In January, the school district hired Valparaiso lawyer Larry Evans at $250 an hour to conduct an internal investigation.

Ashcraft faces a Dec. 6 trial in La Porte County Circuit Court.

Robinson could not be reached for comment.
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post Oct 15 2010, 08:22 AM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/1...c9009835453.txt

QUOTE
LP schools probe may go to prosecutor today

By Chris Schable
Executive Editor
Published: Thursday, October 14, 2010 5:13 PM CDT
The results of the Indiana State Police investigation into La Porte Community School Corp. administrators and staff likely will be turned over to the La Porte County Prosecutor’s office today, according to Indiana State Police Det. Mike Robinson.

“I’m still typing it up, but I’m hoping to have it to them (this) morning,” Robinson said.

The investigation involves former La Porte High assistant volleyball coach Robert Ashcraft’s alleged sexual relationship with a player and what school board members, administration and staff might have known about the relationship before Ashcraft’s arrest.

Ashcraft, 45, was arrested Dec. 17, 2009, and charged with Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor, Class C felony sexual misconduct with a minor and Class D felony child seduction.

When reached Wednesday by phone, deputy prosecutor Chris Fronk would not confirm whether a decision to press charges against any school board members, administrators, officials and/or staff would be made by the Nov. 2 school board election.

Current school board members Carol Shinn-Big, Adam Schoof and Ron Gigliotti are seeking re-election.

“It’s kind of not my job to make people’s voting decisions,” Fronk said Wednesday. “It’s my job to make sure people who are breaking the law are held accountable and that people who aren’t breaking the law are not prosecuted unfairly.

“I’ve never been handed an investigation with thousands and thousands of pages and e-mails. It wouldn’t be fair to review the case watching the clock. You don’t dilly dally with it, but you don’t rush through it.”

School officials and school board members, including board president Mitch Feikes, claimed Ashcraft, at the time of his arrest, was not asked to resign, and that they had no knowledge of inappropriate conduct between Ashcraft and a then-15-year-old player when he submitted his resignation.

When contacted Jan. 6, Gigliotti confirmed Ashcraft was fired, but recanted those comments days later, claiming he “didn’t have a clear remembrance of what happened.”

La Porte Schools Superintendent Judith DeMuth said Gigliotti “must have misspoke,” and Feikes said “(Gigliotti) must have misunderstood the question.”

But e-mails released by the La Porte Community Schools proved officials did ask Ashcraft to resign — even providing him a resignation letter prepared by the school — and were documenting his relationship with the alleged victim.

In an e-mail dated Oct. 29, 2008, La Porte High Principal Greg Handel corresponded with then-Assistant Superintendent Jim Dermody describing a meeting that took place earlier that day. The e-mail states Handel, La Porte High Athletic Director Ed Gilliland and La Porte High volleyball coach Marybeth Lebo met with Ashcraft and reviewed previous memos and directions given to him. Gilliland then, according to the e-mail, “reviewed the most recent observation of how the directions were not followed. (Ashcraft) agreed. (Gilliland) told him it was insubordination and asked for his immediate resignation. Ed produced a resignation letter and Bob signed it.”

DeMuth also denied school administration or school board members had any prior knowledge of an inappropriate relationship between Ashcraft and a volleyball team member when the school board approved his resignation at a Nov. 11, 2008, school board meeting.

Dermody was named superintendent of New Prairie School Corp. over the summer.

Robinson confirmed recently that Handel, Gilliland and Lebo all refused to talk to Indiana State Police investigators.

A separate investigation into the incident is being carried out by private attorney Larry Evans, who was hired by the La Porte School Board at $250 an hour.

A source close to the La Porte School Board told The Herald-Argus recently the board will not make public the findings of the private investigator.

— Bridget Flynn contributed to this story.

q

Chris Schable is executive editor of The News-Dispatch and The Herald-Argus. He can be reached at cschable@heraldargus.com.
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Ang
post Oct 19 2010, 09:52 AM
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It's been my observations that when someone at a school corporation does something bad and gets caught it goes one of two ways:

1. They say, "You're caught, you need to quit" The person quits and it all goes away quietly. Nobody knows who knew what and the community is completely clueless as to what happened.

or

2. They say, "You're caught, you need to quit" and the person fights it, gets their name and "crimes" smeared all over the paper and in the community is totally aware of what the person did and how "awful" they are. (cases in point, Jeff Kuch and Tim Bietry)

I personally know of two situations where a person was caught looking at porn on school computers, one was adult porn, the other "kiddie" porn. Huge files were made concerning these porn issues and the individuals were confronted. Both resigned their positions, one "retired" and the other left due to "health issues," and the public never had a clue that a pedophile was teaching their kids! (what shocked me more than anything was that one of the individuals was a teacher I had when I was at Elston)


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post Oct 29 2010, 03:01 PM
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http://thenewsdispatch.com/articles/2010/1...2b347004795.txt

QUOTE
Ashcraft case turned over to prosecutor

By Stan Maddux
and Bridget Flynn
Staff Writers
Published: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 4:09 PM CDT
LA PORTE — The investigation into former La Porte High School assistant volleyball coach Robert Ashcraft’s alleged sexual relationship with a player and what school board members, administration and staff might have known about the relationship before his arrest is going forward.

Ashcraft, 45, was arrested Dec. 17, 2009, and charged with Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor, Class C felony sexual misconduct with a minor and Class D felony child seduction.

Indiana State Police Detective Mike Robinson said Friday afternoon that he has given his report regarding La Porte High School officials and staff to the La Porte County Prosecutor’s Office.

Robinson said he and Deputy Prosecutor Chris Fronk will meet to discuss the case when Fronk has completed reading the report.

“He’s got a lot of information to go over,” he said.

Robinson said the case report is more than 80 pages long and he gave Fronk enough additional information to fill a 3-inch binder.
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post Jan 8 2011, 08:36 AM
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http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...dd051c0785.html

QUOTE
New prosecutor reviewing LaPorte schools case
StoryDiscussionNew prosecutor reviewing LaPorte schools case
By Christine Kraly christine.kraly@nwi.com, (219) 662-5335 nwi.com | Posted: Friday, January 7, 2011 12:00 am | No Comments Posted

Font Size:Default font sizeLarger font size.LaPORTE | A criminal investigation of the LaPorte Community School Corp. has a new set of eyes.

New LaPorte County prosecutor Robert Szilagyi is reviewing the investigation of whether LaPorte school staff knew about, and failed to act on, an alleged sexual relationship between a volleyball coach and player.

Indiana State Police Detective Mike Robinson began investigating school administrators and staff soon after former junior varsity high school volleyball coach Robert Ashcraft was accused of conducting a sexual relationship with a then-15-year-old player.

Ashcraft was charged in December 2009 with sexual misconduct with a minor and child seduction. His trial is scheduled for March.

Szilagyi said this week he has just begun analyzing the "3-inch-thick" case, and does not have a set time frame for determining any charges.

Deputy prosecutor Chris Fronk had been reviewing the schools case closely since he received it from Robinson in October.

Robinson spent months scouring hundreds of thousands of school e-mails and attempting to conduct interviews with several administrators, some who declined to meet with him.

Szilagyi said he will be consulting with Fronk as he analyzes possible evidence.

Robinson encouraged patience from the public, saying such voluminous cases can be complex and require scrutiny.

He said he is confident Szilagyi's office will continue giving the case a thorough review.

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post Jan 18 2011, 10:18 AM
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http://www.thenewsdispatch.com/articles/20...b7156859020.txt

QUOTE
Szilagyi: Ashcraft trial, then school charges considered

By Bridget Flynn
Staff Writer
Published: Saturday, January 15, 2011 5:09 PM CST
LA PORTE — La Porte County Prosecutor Robert Szilagyi said Friday deciding whether to file charges against La Porte school officials will be a priority at the conclusion of Robert Ashcraft’s trial.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Chris Fronk is prosecuting Ashcraft, 46, Fish Lake, who was arrested Dec. 17, 2009, and charged with Class B felony sexual misconduct with a minor, Class C felony sexual misconduct with a minor and Class D felony child seduction. He awaits a March 28 trial.

Indiana State Police began an investigation last January into the La Porte Community School Corp. and what school officials might have known regarding the relationship Ashcraft, a former assistant varsity volleyball coach, allegedly had with a volleyball player.

State Police detective Mike Robinson gave the results of his investigation into the school corporation to the La Porte County Prosecutor’s Office on Oct. 22, 2010.

“I’ve gone through it,” Szilagyi said, “and I want (Fronk) to go through it, and we’re going to butt heads together, but I don’t want to have him go through it until he’s completed with Ashcraft. I want him to be focused on that. I just don’t want it to interfere with that trial.”

Szilagyi said he has not considered reassigning the investigation.

Szilagyi said after the Ashcraft trial, it will be a priority for himself and Fronk to determine whether to file charges against school officials.

“There’s always a big difference between probable cause and reasonable doubt,” he added. “With just about anything you do, you can always find probable cause, but to me and most prosecutors, you don’t charge a case based on that alone. You’ve got to make sure that there’s enough evidence to go to trial and get the reasonable doubt conviction.”

Szilagyi said he intends to keep the public abreast of whether charges are filed against school officials, but added his communications on that matter will be limited because it’s “a case in review,” and he doesn’t want to affect the outcome of Ashcraft’s trial.
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post Jan 18 2011, 10:31 AM
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Wow! A Prosecuting Attorney who communicates with the press! That's virutally unheard of in LP County! Will wonders never cease? laugh.gif


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post Mar 28 2011, 06:19 PM
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http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte...c901788c94.html

LaPorte school's chief has new job


By Christine Kraly christine.kraly@nwi.com, (219) 662-5335 nwitimes.com | Posted: Monday, March 28, 2011 5:45 pm | Comments Posted


LAPORTE | Judith DeMuth, superintendent of the LaPorte Community School Corp., has been named the new chief for Monroe County schools.

DeMuth was named the new superintendent of the Bloomington-based Monroe County Community School Corp. on Monday in a unanimous board decision, Jim Muehling, Monroe County board president, said.

Muehling called DeMuth an "competent, confident" candidate, who withstood scrutiny from several school personnel -- as well as members of the Monroe County community who played an active role in recruiting the new superintendent.

Muehling said the terms of DeMuth's contract still are being worked out, but it would start July 1, and her salary will be at least $185,000 a year.

DeMuth could not immediately be reached for comment Monday.

DeMuth is planning a LaPorte exit as questions still linger over whether her administration reacted properly when learning of an alleged sexual relationship between a high school volleyball coach and a player.

Before a recent delay, Robert Ashcraft's trial had been set to begin Monday, the day DeMuth won the Bloomington job.

Ashcraft, a former assistant junior varsity volleyball coach, was charged in December 2009 with sexual misconduct with a minor and child seduction.

This past fall, Indiana State Police also completed an investigation into the school district's possible role in the alleged crimes. Prosecutors have said they will not decide whether to pursue charges against other LaPorte school personnel until after Ashcraft's trial.
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post Mar 29 2011, 06:47 AM
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I can't believe that people would hire someone in this situation. It is an eerie parallel to the catholic church situation.
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post Mar 29 2011, 07:08 AM
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It's my understanding that one of the big reasons Dr. Demuth chose to relocate to Bloomington is to be near her youngest son who is a Freshmen at Indiana University and is going to be the starting ace on Hoosier baseball team, perfect timing with the start of baseball season. All her kids have now graduated high school and it's time for her to move on. Her older daughters are great athletes as well.
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