"Inside the Sexual Assault Scandal Plaguing a High School District" by Carter Sherman
"The plan had been for Wombwell and Evans to share their stories. Then, their allies would share anonymous testimonials, collected by a group started in part by the duo, of sexual assault and harassment at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
A few people managed to read the accounts. One shared the story of a student who said they were raped as a freshman. (“I reported it to the school because he went there too. They did nothing for me, regardless of me saying I felt unsafe on campus.”) Another read the account of a student who said they were first sexually harassed at school at 13 years old. (“I go to school with my assailants. They go about their day like normal. I sit next to boys who harassed and assaulted me for years.”)
Then, a staffer told Board of Education Chair Elyse Dashew that board rules don’t let people read statements from individuals who aren’t signed up to speak. And when Wombwell’s fiancé got up to share an account, Dashew cut him off.
“People sign up to speak for themselves,” Dashew said. “So anybody else who has their own testimonial or feedback—”
“How do you expect a rape survivor to stand in front of the people that threatened them with suspension?” Evans interrupted. “Are you serious?”
People in the crowd started clapping. “Every story matters!” someone shouted.
Dashew tried to insist that Wombwell’s fiancé stop speaking. People started yelling. Finally, Dashew gave up. “OK, we'll break all the rules tonight,” she announced.
Wombwell burst into tears. Evans wrapped her arms around her.
“They will do anything they can to silence survivors instead of just actually doing the very reasonable basic things we're asking them to do,” Wombwell said minutes later, her voice shaking. “They care so much about their reputation and so little about their students.”
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