FL - School teacher arrested for abuse, SNAP responds

A school teacher in Palm Beach has been arrested for abusing children as young as nine.

We are grateful to Palm Beach police for not only arresting Stephen Budd, but also for reaching out to families to find more victims. School officials at Rosarian Academy should follow this example and use all of their resources to find other victims and help them come forward.

We agree with the police that there are likely more victims, especially given that Budd worked around special education students. In the past, Budd has also worked at another catholic school (St. Francis of Assisi) where he also prepared students to receive sacraments. It is highly likely that Budd victimized children in those roles as well, and we urge church and school officials there to aggressively reach out to parents of both current and former students.

 

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Showing 1 comment

  • Lani Halter
    commented 2013-04-05 17:44:25 -0500
    Dear Mrs. Dorris and Mrs. Blaine and Mr. Clohessy,

    I too, am beginning to wonder, indeed even as one of the persons who commented on this (the attached story) said:

    “how many more instances of perverts in the palm beach county school system is it going to take to get a full investigation from the state and feds…this is like the 10th in a year…start calling and emailing the state reps…ALL of them and demand a full and complete investigation”

    I am beginning to wonder HOW MANY WILL IT TAKE??? How many victims and how many times, and how much do the “authorities” have to read or be reported to, until finally those who actually do have power and are in powerful offices in our country, what will it take for them to notice and take charge of arresting and convicting these pedophiles?

    What will it take to begin what essentially will certainly be the difficult and lengthy process of ridding our churches and schools (both public and private) and other places vulnerable children would otherwise congregate, of essentially what are “institutionalized” predator pedophiles?

    When I read that thousands of pages of documentation had been submitted to the ICC, my heart sank. My heart sank not only because of the reality of how many victims those thousands of pages must represent exponentially, but because of realizing that perhaps most jurists would find the task of reading all of the documentation beyond their own capacity or tolerance for the need of being adequately informed of the details of these very real and specific charges.

    So, I feel compelled to pray here:

    God, I beg you, please help all of the victims and all of those fighting on their behalf. Please help all of us who truly care and want to see
    this virulent scourge that has been and continues to be inflicted by pedophiles in our own country and on our earth, to be ended in our lifetime. Please I pray, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, let this be the time, let these be the years for it to be ended. Amen.

    Lani Halter
    Mother and Grandmother
    Remember Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:41 and Luke 17:2

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