by Jody Spear –
HAMPTON – Hampton-Dumont High School sent letters out with the students, Tuesday, February 21, with the understanding that they would give it to their parents.
The purpose of the letter was to make the students and parents aware of the upcoming plan of allowing a sex offender student to start attending Hampton-Dumont High School.
Todd Lettow (pictured, left), Superintendent of Hampton-Dumont Schools, said, “The students were allowed to ask questions. The goals are to make all the students comfortable and to protect all the students.”
Information from the Iowa Sex Offender Registry for Dumont says that Aaron Craig Meyer (pictured, below), age 16, was convicted on October 7, 2010 of Sexual Abuse 2nd Degree.
“I am not sure of the actual date the student will be coming back,” said Lettow. He could not comment on the student.
Talking with several parents about their thoughts on this plan, most had mixed feelings. “We’ve never had to deal with anything like this before,” said one parent.
Some parents would hate to see this boy singled out. That’s he’s been through the correct systems and done his time. “He’s trying to start over with a clean slate.”
At the same time, some fear that it might happen again.
It was said, “This is a scary thing. I’ve heard 9 out of 10 times, they’ll be repeat offenders.”
“I’m okay with it right now,” said another parent. “Yes, he should get a second chance.”
Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree in Iowa is a class “B” felony under Chapter 709 Sexual Abuse. It is defined as, during the commission of sexual abuse the person displays in a threatening manner a dangerous weapon, or uses or threatens to use force creating a substantial risk of death or serious injury to any person. The other person is under the age of twelve. The person is aided or abetted by one or more persons and the sex act is committed by force or against the will of the other person against whom the sex act is committed.
I read Shana Rowen’s post 2/27/12 @9.46am with interest. All of you people who castigate and condemn this lad, saying you would pull your kids out of school if he was allowed to attend. I know that’s your choice. But how many kids have abused, tortured, raped or killed other students, and some of them had no prior actions which caused fear or concern? The danger is out there. In every school, church, football game, McDonalds-we know it. We just hope it won’t manifest itself while we are around. But we can’t let it dictate our lives. Teach your kids what to watch out for. How to protect themselves against the people and situations that are out there. But everyone, enjoy life while you have it. Don’t let fear destroy you. And don’t let your fear destroy this young man.
I go 2 skool wit him and i go 2 da same bathroom as him and he dosnt try to touch me or anything
Silvano come to my office when you see this.
I’m surprised that there was nothing about cop wannabe harassing him day in and day out. “Maintaining school policy”, Forcing teenagers into his office, without parental consent. Intimidating them until they don’t even want to go to school anymore. Spreading the false information to the rest of the staff. It’s a shame that he walks around that school with such hypocritical authority….owning a brewery while punishing kids for partying. Scheming and communicating with local PD, putting cameras on light poles outside of a students house. Watching them because of strictly suspicioun. It’’s disgusting. Sadly I am a graduate of Hampton Dumont and I personally along with multiple other students experienced all of this thoroughly. I despise this school system despite the good changes they have made In the present. It’s good they aren’t destroying mindsets of young athletes and students in extracurricular activities by taking something they love away from them anymore. This universe reciprocates, everything come back around. The more you want for the better with positive intentions can certainly happen.
So much for protection of minors because they are considered unable to make intelligent decisions about their choices. That is why juvenile matters are supposed to be sealed! They cannot enter into contracts because they are not able to understand the consequences in part or entirety of what they are doing. Shame on the person who made this public and they should be held civilly and criminally responsible just like this kid is.
So, a child is considered to be anyone under the age of 18 and deserves the protection of anonymity. It should not matter what the reason. There is a reason that the judicial system makes juvenile records sealed…because teens cannot make an educated, informed choice and cannot be expected know OR grasp the consequences of their actions. His records should have been sealed. The fact that they are not makes whoever allowed this liable for all damamges. So much for equal protection under the law.
umm… why was i not notified of this? My 4yr old goes to school 1000 ft away and i wasnt told until my parents saw it on facebook!!! I think everyone in the school district should have been notified of this. if they cant live by a school why should he go to school its called get a ged. AND I DONT CARE WHAT THE CRIME WAS IT WAS 2ND DEGREE SEXUAL ASSULT THAT MEANS IT WAS BAD IT WASNT LIKE HE GOT CAUGHT PEEING ON A WALL OR GOT CAUGHT HAVING SEX WITH A GIRLFRIEND HE USED A WEPON TO FORCE SOMEONE UNDER 12 TO HAVE SEX
You clearly don’t realize that sexual assault of a minor, by a minor is a legitimate litigation in ANY sexual encounter including two minors? Period.
Just because someone makes a pre-16 mistake, they should live the next 84 years of their lives suffering from being a high school dropout, huh? Seems legitimate.
Ashley, no one barred your husband from graduating just because you had a child with him when he was a high school senior. Why should this young man be barred from getting a diploma because of a second degree sexual assault?
Lila…His name IS on the state registry I’ve seen it myself as he lives in my county, the newspaper is to keep people informed, not to censor themselves as they see fit. I can not believe ANYONE would stick up for someone who could commit acts like those that that boys did! Absolutely inexcusable! I would think you would feel differently if it was your child who had to ride the same bus as the offender or go to school with them!
I cannot believe the newspaper is even ALLOWED to print this. His name is NOT listed on either the national or the state public registry.
As prevalent as bullying is in the schools, all it will take is the hate speech of one vigilante parent and this boy will pay the ultimate price. Should this very likely scenario play out, the school will be legally liable as well as those who decide they have a right to judge and punish this young man.
The final paragraph says absolutely nothing about what this child was actually guilty of or even if he really was. It is simply a description of SOME of the possible indicators of the crime category he was convicted of. In case you are not aware, a sex offense is tried completely differently from any other crime. It is the only crime in which you can be arrested, convicted and punished on hearsay evidence alone. You ARE NOT innocent until proven guilty, the accused must be able to PROVE their innocence. More than a quarter of a million of OUR CHILDREN are already on this list. When will people wake up?
Does anyone actually know the real story, or even care???
Wow… first of all re-offense rates for sex crimes are extremely low, in fact lower than all crimes except murder. It’s inexcusable that a school official is so uneducated on the subject but even worse that he was quoted by the newspaper with no fact-checking whatsoever!
Secondly, all of you saying this is a terrible idea and that you’d pull your child out immediately…do you even KNOW what his crime was? You better get your kids out of public school if you’re that terrified, since there’s no registry for any other crime. Your kid is probably sitting next to a drug dealer or arsonist, you just don’t know it.
The people that allow this should be held accountable if something happens. They made the call.
my child would be pulled from this school in a heartbeat!!! Makes me so sad that a child himself can do this to yet another child
This is a bad idea!!!!