Myers Park principal suspended. CMS investigating school’s sexual assault response.
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Title IX complaints in CMS
From lawsuits at Myers Park High to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools reassigning administrators amid controversy, this is the latest on sexual assault cases and Title IX issues in the district.
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Myers Park High Principal Mark Bosco is suspended while an investigation is underway, following complaints from students that the school mishandled past reports of sexual assault and harassment.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools on Friday sent a message to Myers Park High families saying Bosco is on a paid suspension.
The Charlotte Observer confirmed the suspension with a CMS official, and two CMS officials confirmed the district has launched an investigation but said they could not comment on the matter publicly.
An interim principal for Myers Park has not yet been publicly named.
The school, and Bosco, have been the subject of complaints from current and former students who say reports of sexual harassment and past cases of reported rape have not been taken seriously. The sexual assault reports involved students and complaints have centered on whether Bosco provided students with adequate support. Some have accused the school of failing to follow federal law.
A lawyer for Bosco on Friday sent a statement to the Observer saying the principal “is confident that he has followed applicable CMS policy at all times and of course will cooperate fully in the investigation.”
Attorney Sally Higgins, of Higgins & Owens in Charlotte, said Bosco requested the district investigate beginning in June, which is when controversy erupted in the community — although it appears the CMS investigation underway is more recent than June. In the spring, CMS settled a lawsuit with a former student who says she was raped at Myers Park High in 2014.
The Observer reported last week that new revelations of past reported sexual violence call into question how effective CMS’ attempts at Title IX reform were, even after a federal investigation revealed problems. Title IX, part of federal education law, requires federally funded schools and colleges to follow strict protocol when responding to reports of sexual assault.
An earlier investigation by the Observer found CMS likely needs fresh investigations under Title IX as more survivors have come forth.
Students and Bosco’s attorney weigh in
Through protests and public hearings at school meetings, several former students who say they were assaulted or harassed at Myers Park have called on the principal to resign. Lawsuits involving Title IX issues at Myers Park have claimed Bosco and other leaders discouraged female students who reported sexual assault from taking action to file criminal charges or open official Title IX investigations. Findings from a federal education department investigation in 2017 revealed some violations in how school leaders ran Title IX investigations and notified involved students of the process.
Bosco’s lawyer says “He is and has always been committed to fostering a school community in which students’ unique needs are met, safety is a top priority, and all students can thrive. Mark and his staff face difficult situations that require sensitivity and fairness for the students involved and their families.”
Bosco, whose contract expired June 30, has been on medical leave during the school’s summer break.
His contract is eligible for renewal, and was initially expected to be considered at the school board’s Aug. 10 meeting. But the most recent meeting agenda does not include a vote on his contract.
The Observer reported on Wednesday that at least one board member had asked for a new investigation into Myers Park High’s handling of sexual assault reports, and another said she would not support renewing Bosco’s contract.
One former Myers Park student, who spoke during a school board meeting last month and says she was raped on campus in 2017, said Friday that Bosco’s suspension is not the end of the issue.
“It’s a good first step but I’m hoping for a more permanent solution,” said the 22-year-old, who has asked that her real name not be used.
She told board members recently that she was raped in the woods on the Myers Park campus her freshman year and didn’t report the incident to school staff because she heard other students say Myers Park couldn’t “do anything to help me.”
Several national experts interviewed by the Observer last month on Title IX and campus response to sexual violence said a new investigation — even into reported rape cases now more than five years old — could reveal whether systemic issues continue at Myers Park. And a therapist who spent years working with Myers Park families told the Observer: “... Through what parents have disclosed to me in a therapeutic setting, and my own interactions with MPHS faculty, I am deeply concerned about the culture MPHS administration has created.”
Aidan Finnell, a current junior at Myers Park, who helped organize a protest earlier this summer calling for change, said the current suspension and investigation seems like “someone was listening enough to do that.”
“I’m still upset because it’s not enough. While it’s a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go before Myers Park and the rest of CMS can fully be better and more representative and helpful toward their students, staff and community.”
Bosco currently makes $149,462 annually. According to the district’s record of employment, he had never been suspended or demoted for disciplinary reasons or placed on administrative leave.
He was at the helm of the high school when years-old cases brought into question how Bosco and school leaders responded to reports of rape and sexual violence.
“I am very disappointed that it has taken all of this exposure before CMS has been willing to look into how the Myers Park administration has been functioning under Bosco’s leadership,” said Serena Evans, 19, who says she is among the survivors of rape on the Myers Park campus. She was 15 at the time. She’s given the Observer permission to use her name.
“I will be eagerly waiting to see what additional steps CMS will take,” Evans said. “I hope this is only the beginning of change.”
In recent weeks, many former students have shared stories of harassment or sexual violence on the Myers Park High campus. CMS Superintendent Earnest Winston has said he would talk with administrators and Title IX liaisons in the district to review federal mandates and school-level training for employees and students.
Also on Friday, Winston announced the the establishment of a Title IX Task Force at CMS.
According to Winston’s note to families, the purpose of the task force is to review current reporting and support procedures to ensure the district is responding promptly and effectively to claims including harassment, assault or violations under Title IX.
Winston said some details remain under development, such as the selection criteria for task force participants, initial task force meeting dates and the frequency of meetings.
“I can share that the task force will be student-driven, with current students representing each learning community,” Winston wrote. “Students will outnumber staff members in the total makeup of the group. An outside facilitator will manage task force meetings and assist with finalizing recommendations. The purpose of the task force is to deliver a formal report including recommendations to improve processes and procedures for responding to claims and providing support for students and families.”
That report, Winston said, will be delivered for his review prior to the end of the first quarter of the upcoming school year.
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 2:46 PM.
