‘Inexcusable’: Hudson school board facing questions after student charged with rape
HUDSON, Ohio (WJW) – The Hudson Board of Education is facing tough questions about the district’s decision to allow an 18-year-old child rape suspect to attend classes for months before the allegations were made public earlier this month.
During Monday night’s board meeting, Hudson resident Arabella Feil told district officials, “for the parents not to be informed until five months later is inexcusable. I mean, it’s truly inexcusable.”
Taxpayers questioned why parents and students were not immediately alerted when the 18-year-old Hudson High School senior was indicted by a Summit County grand jury in February on charges that include kidnapping, rape, and gross sexual imposition.
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Investigators say the victim of the crime, which allegedly occurred on December 2, 2023, is only nine years old.
“If the board members and the superintendent were made aware of the indictment since its delivery, how did you all think it served the parents and students’ safety to keep the defendant walking the halls and not provide off campus learning? The community is appalled,” said Arabella Feil.
Taxpayers question the wisdom of allowing the suspect to continue to attend classes.
Former Hudson School Board member John Billick told the current board, “as a former member of the school board, I am embarrassed, disappointed and ashamed.”
“The level of disappointment and shock in our community over the decision to keep this boy in school, this 18-year-old adult in school, is to most of us, our minds are blown,” said Feil.
Hudson Schools Superintendent Dana Addis told the audience, “school districts are required to educate their students even in difficult circumstances.”
Amid the uproar in the community, the superintendent issued a statement one week ago that he reiterated on Monday night.
“We were aware that one of our students at Hudson High School has been part of a police investigation involving an alleged sexual assault that happened out of school and did not involve any other Hudson student,” said Addis.
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And then, in response to continued rumors and complaints from parents and students, the superintendent issued a follow-up statement last Thursday, that he emphasized at Monday night’s meeting.
“The student had agreed not to attend school, graduation or any other activities pertaining to Hudson High School for the rest of the year,” said Addis.
As the controversy has swirled around on social media in recent weeks, students and parents were invited to sign an online petition, voicing their opposition to the district’s original decision to allow the suspect to attend classes without notifying students and their families.
“Students here are outraged, I signed the petition, obviously lots of kids signed the petition. This is a place where students are supposed to feel safe and they don’t because of your deficiency,” Feil said.
The 18-year old-suspect is scheduled to stand trial on the criminal charges in August.
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