Multiple parents of sixth-grade girls at Chardon Middle School are sounding the alarm on alleged sexual assault reports involving a male classmate in the choir program, and the district’s handling and reporting of those allegations.
Multiple parents of sixth-grade girls at Chardon Middle School are sounding the alarm on alleged sexual assault reports involving a male classmate in the choir program, and the district’s handling and reporting of those allegations.
On April 7, the Geauga County Maple Leaf spoke with a parent of one of the alleged victims, who said the incidents involved a sixth-grade male reportedly sexually assaulting multiple sixth-grade females in the middle school choir program between October of 2024 and Feb. 24 of this year.
The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said two of the female victims had finally had enough, reported it to the assistant principal, more names were given as a result and one of them was her daughter.
The parent said she filed a police report with the Chardon Police Department in February and spoke with the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office a few days later.
Chardon Police Chief Scott Niehus confirmed his department received a report on Feb. 24 and referred it to the county’s sex abuse investigator at the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office.
“This is an active investigation and there is no other information being released at this time,” Niehus said. “Also, I will not be commenting until the investigation is completed.”
County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz said he could not comment on the matter because there is a pending grand jury investigation.
After speaking with authorities, the parent said she believes the school district did not handle the allegations appropriately.
She also believes the district failed to protect the victims and continued to put them in harm’s way by allowing the male student accused of assaulting them back into the classroom a few days after the incidents were reported.
According to her daughter, the male student is the son of a Chardon Schools Board of Education member, she said.
The parent said, to her knowledge, there were at least eight female students impacted by the male student’s behavior and she called the district’s handling of the situation unacceptable and asked that administrators take action to remove the student from the classroom and protect the victims.
Superintendent Michael Hanlon issued the following statement April 5 in response to a request for comment:
“The Chardon Local School District places a high priority on the safety of students, staff and community in our schools. To the extent your request pertains to the district’s internal investigation into allegations of student misconduct or any related administrative actions or decisions, please note that the district is prohibited by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Section 3319.321 of the Ohio Revised Code from disclosing such information.
“The Chardon Local School District prioritizes compliance with all legal requirements regarding the reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect and conducts regular staff training on this topic. The district has no record of any staff member failing to comply with the mandatory reporting requirements set forth in Section 2151.421 of the Ohio Revised Code.
“Chardon Local Schools maintains a strong, collaborative relationship with local law enforcement and county agencies, and we engage regularly with families to support students. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our students is a top priority, and we remain committed to creating a secure learning environment for all.”
John Karlovec contributed to this article.
