Last year Sean Lanigan was accused of molesting one of his students. After 47 minutes of deliberation, a jury of his peers acquitted him. Not guilty. They felt there was no evidence.
His accuser has been using her patrol position to bully other students. Lanigan corrected her and warned her that she could lose her position. That was it. The patrol decided that Lanigan had to pay. And pay he did. The story of the downfall of this Fairfax PE teacher can be found in the Washington Post. Sean Lanegan was set up. There were missteps made by Fairfax County Schools and by the Fairfax County police.
Once acquitted, Sean Lanigan’s life still hasn’t gone back to normal. He has over $100,000 worth of legal fees and he isn’t in his old school. He works 5 days out of 10 but is paid for 10. Fairfax County still appears to want him removed. By all accounts an excellent teacher, this man has been victimized by a vengeful student. It can happen to anyone.
It is good to keep this in mind as we look at the arrests in Prince William County the past year. There have been 4 that have hit the newspapers. Who knows how many other situations have just gone quietly off into oblivion because no arrests were made. It happens all the time.
Most recently, 2 middle school teachers have been accused of inappropriate touching while in a custodial position. (meaning the child is in the care of the teacher in the absence of parents) I thought about getting on a high horse over these 2 men. Enough is enough. Why are there so many perverts running around our school system right now?
Then I talked to people who know both men. Every single person I talked to was dumbfounded over the accusations and arresst. (To my knowledge neither man knows the other.) The people I talked to in each case said they were perfectly decent, likeable men who you would never suspect of such unseemly conduct. That’s when I decided not to get on my high horse. People in America are innocent until proven guilty.
Sean Lanigan was not guilty. Perhaps these people are not guilty either. They don’t need their names dragged through the mud. The teacher at Woodbridge Middle had plans to retire in June.
Sadly, teenage girls can and do make false accusations sometimes. Could this be what is happening now? Why do they do it? Who knows? They know it is a good way to really ‘get’ any teacher. Most kids would never think of doing something like that. However, it only takes one to ruin a life.
Before we play judge, jury and executioner in these new cases, let’s remember people are innocent until proven guilty. Think about Sean Lanigan, who we hope will get his life back soon.
Innocent until proven guilty seems to get lost on these types of stories. I’m not defending the student or the teacher here. I do that one of the meanest things on earth is a middle schooler. They think they are so smart at that age and have a little power. Kids this age will lie to get back at their teacher. I’m not saying that’s alwlays the case, but it does happen often enough. It’s the PE teachers that seem to have this happen more than others. I had a friend that was PE teacher at my daughter’s school(the wonderful elementary school Moon spoke of 😈 ) That case was never brought to the media’s attention or to anyone’s for that matter. This child lied through her teeth about this man, and students, parents, and teachers all spoke out for him in various ways. Remember this one topic that is for closed meetings with SB. We really don’t how many cases are quietly swept under the rug or the kid may come clean about their lies.
I am surprised no one has said anything about the recent spate of removals of teachers from the middle schools and high schools this year. I count 4 that made the newspapers.
That is pretty significant, in my opinion. It just shouldn’t be happening for starters.
I feel bad for him and all the other men and women that go through this.
The kids who make these stories up may do it out of meanness, but seems to me general psychosis is probably the root cause usually.
It happened in my extended family. A guy was accused of molestation by a girl who had in past repeatedly made up sexual stories. In this case, she told 3 or 4 entirely different versions of what had happened, depending on the audience. I personally met with the prosecutor’s office, trying to get them to drop charges on the guy. They didn’t. He was offered a plea bargain but instead chose to go to trial. He was found innocent. I saw with my own eyes how an obviously innocent man can be run through the mill in some circumstances.
Thanks for sharing that sad story, Rick.
How many innocent victims are tarred with that brush?
We all know that molestation does go on however. How do we send a strong message to these young girls that they hurt people who really need help? How often are true victims not believed because of the little lying hussies out there?
Look at what almost happened to those Duke lacrosse players. That incident cost those families hundreds of thousands of dollars to clear their names. And that woman is what, in jail now for other flim flams?
What is the county or state’s policy on picking up the costs of defending against false charges while acting in accordance with your employment?
How is this different than getting injured on the job?
Part of the problem lies in the fact that real sex offenders often tend to be very charismatic and popular both with adults and children, making it hard to imagine that they could be so evil. Ted Johnson was a case in point. As a parent, it’s really hard to balance keeping your eyes wide open with presuming innocence and then potentially having your child harmed.
It’s a good bet that Fairfax County’s lawyers wish Mr. Lanigan would just go away. They’re imagining the size of the payout the county would have to make if they keep him on and he does anything at all inappropriate later on.
It sounds like he was falsely accused, and the ‘victim’ was able to create a he said-she said situation, which never happened. He should be fully re-imbursed for his legal fees, and any back pay that he was denied. He should also be given his old job back, at the same school. Hard to believe that they decided to prosecute him on such a little offense – meaning, that she said this was a one time incident, there was no exposure, or real touching of private parts – just laying on her – I am not trying to make light of the accusation, just that it is not what I would term a sexual crime.
Actually, reading between the lines, they are trying to avoid paying his legal costs. If he is a member of Fairfax Education Association, he has tort insurance. (and I don’t know if he is or isn’t.) I expect Fairfax Co also has tort insurance on him. The difference in the two policies usually is that the county tort won’t pay if you are guilty.
FCS is saying that he violated policy because he technically touched (not sexually) the kid, by his own admission. It sounds like a pissing contest between FCS and FEA. Technically, FCS should pay and shut up. They say no, because he violated policy.
He should NOT be reassigned to his old school. His situation has been too sensationalized. His presence there would be disruptive and he would attract too much attention through no fault of his own. It is really better for HIM that he be reassigned to any other school (hopefully of his choice) so he can get on with his career.
Emma brings up a good point. Where is the balance? How do we protect innocent people and at the same time protect children from sexual predators?
The moral of this entire story is: (and particularly if you are male.) Never ever put your hands on a kid for any reason, even just fooling around. Never ever be in a professional situation without witnesses.
Its a shame things have come to this.
My high school gym teacher was the victim of a false accusation. This happened only a few years ago in MoCo MD. The poor guy got dragged through the mud big time. When he was being interviewed on TV he started crying. His accusers got suspended after they admitted their scheme. It was the same situation where he had disciplined the girls for doing something so they conspired to ruin his career, marriage and life. The guy ended up retiring.
But what can we do? Suzy says Mr. So-and-So molested her. What do you do?
“But what can we do? Suzy says Mr. So-and-So molested her. What do you do?”
Prosecute them.