SEX ABUSE

Shame on M0-DCPS for losing millions to Sex Abuse

Millions of dollars that should be spent on school building maintenance, teacher salaries and educational resources are instead being blown on jury verdicts and legal settlements because Miami-Dade County Public Schools can’t seem to keep their male teachers in check.

Last year, M-DCPS paid $9 million to five victims who had been raped by former Brownsville Middle School physical education teacher Wendell Nibbs. Today, he’s behind bars serving an eight-year prison sentence.

Now, a federal jury has ordered M-DCPS to pay $6 million to a former student of an ex-Miami Palmetto Senior High School teacher accused of harassing and sexually abusing a string of female students.

In a verdict late Friday, jurors determined the school district ignored warnings and did nothing to stop creative writing teacher Jason Edward Meyer, who was known to be having sex with students at Michael M. Krop High School since 2008. Not only did Meyer keep his job, he was allowed to transfer to Palmetto Senior High in 2011, where he continued to repeat his bad behavior. The lawsuit said he was so obvious, victims were known as “Jason’s Girls” and that Meyer pursued a total of eight students between the two schools during his 14 years as an M-DCPS teacher.

How many more millions must we lose because of this disgusting behavior that principals should be putting to a stop instead of turning a blind eye? The sexual harassment, abuse and rape of students is unlawful and unacceptable, and there is no room for romantic relationships between teachers and underage students, either. Period. Full stop.

Meyer is now awaiting trial on three felony counts of engaging in sex with a minor while M-DCPS is reportedly trying to figure out if it will appeal the $9 million order.

The Miami Times suggests a better use of school officials’ time would be to develop, communicate and enforce a better policy that penalizes teachers if there is even a whiff of impropriety. Further, principals who know what’s going on right under their noses and fail to act should lose their jobs.

Teachers and students who see something should say something. Whistleblowers must be welcomed, not silenced. Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the Catholic Church.