Two School Administrators Charged with Failing to Report Abuse, SNAP Applauds
Two Virginia school administrators are facing charges after choosing not to report to police allegations of sexual abuse that had been levied against their school's volleyball coach. We applaud the filing of these charges and are grateful that police and prosecutors are sending a message to others who might ignore or conceal allegations of child sex crimes.
To us, it is simple: if someone learns about children that are at risk, they should report it to authorities. This should happen in every instance, regardless of mandated reporter status, because in our view it is better to err on the side of caution and ensure children are safe than let a potentially abusive situation continue. Unfortunately, Dr. Cliff Williams and Derek Zbyszinski chose not to look out for the children under their care and now face criminal consequences.
The fact that multiple staffers at Richmond Christian School have been arrested on cases of abuse is indicative that there is something wrong with the school's culture, training, and hiring practices. Hopefully this story is the wake up call that school administrators need to do better for their students.
We hope that others who in charge of children, regardless of whether that is through a school, a volunteer position, or otherwise, will pay attention to this case and choose to act immediately on allegations of abuse in the future.
CONTACT: Becky Ianni, SNAP Virginia Leader ([email protected], 703-801-6044), Zach Hiner, Executive Director ([email protected], 517-974-9009)
(SNAP, the Survivors Network, has been providing support for victims of sexual abuse in institutional settings for 30 years. We have more than 25,000 survivors and supporters in our network. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
Showing 1 comment