Now before you go and throw your Bargain Hunter at the wall, proclaiming that a particular writer is off his rocker, let me go on record supporting the conviction of the two Steubenville football players who raped a teen girl who obviously had too much to drink.
I adhere to the mantra that if theres no yes, theres an implied no.
I actually think the boys, or men, or whatever they are, are getting off easy. Once they get to their 21st birthdays, their justice system ordeal will be over, with the exception of the label – sex offender – that could be attached to them for the rest of their lives.
Getting on with her life wont be as easy for the victim, who will live in torment with what happened that summer night in 2012 for the rest of her life, no doubt.
I also agree with Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine that a grand jury should be impaneled to investigate additional charges against any other people who might be culpable. Those potentially include coaches – did you know Steubenvilles Big Red football team has 27 of them – parents and other students.
The news media is reporting in the wake of the verdicts that the victims life is being threatened, so clearly Steubenvilles image continues to take hits on the national stage.
Narrow-minded?
Check.
Football-crazy?
Check.
Mean streets?
Check.
Place you want to live?
Nope.
Heres my protest.
Calling these two thugs sex offenders does us all a disservice. It dilutes the purpose of tagging them, which includes having them register with the legal authorities forever.
I think the sex offender label should be reserved for the creeps – from Jerry Sandusky to sneaky priests – who lie in wait for the young innocents and then rape using the threat of violence.
Its time to secure a separate label for those who would violate a woman who couldnt on her best day win a war with a 200-pound football player, let alone two of them.
Tag them rapists for a time and make them pay the price.
But wouldnt you like to believe that at some point these kids can overcome the falsehood of small-town arrogance and high school football stardom, along with an obvious lack of maturity and ignorance of a decent upbringing (or lack thereof).
I hope so.
***
Were now in Week 3 in the Strongsville teachers strike.
Last week I expressed hope that the strike would be settled by the time you were able to read my commentary last weekend. Well, those hopes have been dashed.
As of March 18, the board and teachers were not giving an inch.
Stalemate. Impasse. Deadlocked.
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Superintendent John Krupinski said the district is moving forward with reinstating some lost courses and activities, and continues to bring in substitute teachers and fire some others, including one who asked a class of middle school students if any of them had a cigarette.
It was not immediately clear whether the substitute was joking.
I think its safe to say that Strongsville misses its teachers. And its teachers need to retake control of their union.
***
Perhaps the Strongsville Board of Education, administrators and teachers should check out the situation at Conotton Valley School District, which is facing a $400,000 deficit and will have to cut staff for the next school year. Conotton Valley has schools located in slivers of Harrison and Carroll counties.
Conotton Valley has 68 employees. Strongsville has 385 teachers and guidance counselors.
Its possible – very possible – that Conotton Valley wont survive another decade especially if the Republicans in power in Columbus continue to lean toward charter schools as a solution to public schools.
***
Two recent fatal accidents near the new Dover Schneiders Crossing-I-77 interchange ought to be enough to send safety officials into scramble mode.
Apparently there are not enough flashing lights, signs and whatever to convince drivers that they shouldnt enter an exit ramp that will send them to a certain head-on collision on I-77.
I hope theres a fix in the works.
Read more from Dick Farrell at TuscBargainHunter.com.
