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Post by concerned parent on May 9, 2007 13:25:56 GMT -4
Peter Karl Urbanowicz was arrested on February 12th for a sexual offense that he committed on his 4 year old relative on February 10th.
Urbanowicz who lives in Chestertown was working at Kent Island Elementary School as a Teacher's Assistant in several of the classrooms. His employment ended when he was arrested. Prior to working at KIES he worked at Stevensville Middle School. Prior to working in Queen Anne's County he worked at schools in Kent County.
Local papers reported that he was arrested at his home in Chestertown; however, that is incorrect. He was arrested at KIES; teachers and also the Maryland State Police can confirm this.
Why would a 52 year old man travel all the way from Chestertown to work at a school on Kent Island for $8-10 an hour. He was working with little kids. I'm definitely not saying we should be profiling our teachers or that we should not have men working around the children, but come on now, this just doesn't seem right. Whomever the hiring authority for teacher's assistants is, they should have checked out the guy better. Even if he did come up clean on a background check, they should have said to themselves... hmm something just doesn't smell right. Of course there are jobs in Chestertown!
Who is the hiring authority for the assistants at the school?
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Post by outlaw on May 9, 2007 15:49:46 GMT -4
"I saw in the Kent County school board minutes from May of '06 that he resigned from a school (CMS) there as a special ed. teacher. " This was my post on this topic which is on page 7 of this forum. The fact that he resigned from Kent, where he lives, and then came to QA does sound suspicious.
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Post by bchevy on May 9, 2007 17:53:29 GMT -4
Wasn't this beat to death already?
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Post by falgar25 on May 9, 2007 20:49:12 GMT -4
An observation: "concerned" writes a lot like Pete.
Before we decide that all male teachers are pedophiles-in-waiting, consider recent events. There have been more female than male teacher sex offenders in the news lately.
I drive 45 miles to work everyday. What does that say about me? Aren't there jobs around here?
That thing that you smell is your poorly veiled insinuation that all men are latent sex offenders, especially if the career field they choose is education.
Maybe it's unpleasant that you need to wait until someone actually does something wrong before penalizing him for it, but that's the way our constitution works.
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Post by concerned parent on May 9, 2007 20:54:33 GMT -4
BCHEVY! I didn't see the earlier thread so that is why I'm posting now. I see you didn't really give a sh** then and you don't seem to now either. If you read what my question was then you would see it wasn't already covered. My question was "who is the authority that hires the teacher's assistants and other personnel?" Also, what kind of background check is done on them?
Maybe I should have just posted the thread under "who hires and checks out the teaching assistants and what kind of background investigation is done on them?" without mentioning the sex offender guy.
I for one, am concerned that this guy worked in our public schools. I am also concerned that no follow up investigation is being done by the Prosecutor's Office, or the school, or by anyone else to discuss with any parents the amount or type of interaction he had with any of our children. There should be some type of protocol here.
Why is it that on this board you can beat up on the police department again and again, same old threads with a different twist, but if you happen to bring up an incident that could affect our children you are bored?
You can read the titles of the posts on the subject lines, if its something you know you aren't interested in then don't read it.
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Post by concerned parent on May 9, 2007 21:10:53 GMT -4
Falgar, I don't know whether to laugh or cry or blush by your coment that I write like Pete.
Really Falgar, I have nothing against male teachers. Some of my favorite teachers growing up were male teachers and some of my kids best teachers are male teachers. Also, my father was a teacher and a very good one.
I am not trying to veil any insinuation that all males working in the school are sex offenders and that is crazy you would even think that from my post. My concern is: why would a 52 year old man drive about an hour to work for about 8-10 an hour and he resigned from doing the same kind of work in his own county.
Yes I know that many women are sex offenders and there have been quite a few of them this year. My concern is the same for them too... who was the hiring authority and what kind of background check was done on them?
No, I am not Pete. However, I am flattered that I have stirred the pot as much as he has.
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Post by falgar25 on May 9, 2007 21:16:33 GMT -4
Why is it that on this board you can beat up on the police department again and again, same old threads with a different twist, but if you happen to bring up an incident that could affect our children you are bored? "you are bored???" Not sure what you mean by that. However, assuming that was a sincere question and making another assumption about what you meant, I can give you my take on this. When the police are criticized, you are criticizing a small, distinct group of people who most of us are not a part of. There are a few on here who might actually be deputies, and they speak up for themselves, but most of us are not. Now, when you make a suggestion that any man who wants to be a teacher should be investigated even if a background check comes up clean, then you are attacking a fairly large number of us. Since I slightly resemble the group of people you are concerned about, I take exception to your insinuations.
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Post by Guest on May 9, 2007 22:04:28 GMT -4
I'm totally with you concerned parent. You bring up serious valid points about the situation. KIES did not address this situation with parents at all, neither did QA County schools. They never made parents aware that this man had been arrested at the school nor have they ever stated who exactly he was in contact with at the school. Their answer to everything is pertaining to this is call the state police. This is not the proper way to handle a situation concerning our children. This school system needs to realize they need to come to the present world and stop living and acting like it's 30 years ago in this county.
For Those of you who are trying to change a serious subject and hijack this thread go start your own subject called ( I'm bored and I want to WHINE)
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Post by Mike on May 9, 2007 22:41:03 GMT -4
old news, next
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thomas
Full Member
Welcome to the Land of Pleasant Living!
Posts: 169
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Post by thomas on May 10, 2007 9:16:54 GMT -4
GBM, you are obviously not a parent. No one with a child in school could ever make an assinine comment like that. Wouldn't you want to be notified if the police had shown up and arrested a teacher at your childs school? Especially for sex crimes against a child! If you are bored with this thread, feel free to read a different one.
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Post by einebierbitte on May 10, 2007 9:31:31 GMT -4
Just curious: Was he a sex offender prior to being hired? Or is this a new charge as of February? If he came up clean on the background check prior to being hired, then what did the Hiring Authorities do wrong? Why would they "think something just doesn't smell right?" Cause if his references and background all checked out to be on the up and up....Then your "profiling" or assuming that just because he is commuting and is of a certain age he must be a pedophile... and like a previous poster said...about commuting, I commute over 60 miles one way every day....What ill pre conceived profiling does that say about me? ?? Even the most prolific people in the world can turn out to be sex offenders (like WJC) even if they have never been convicted... You really truly never know...but where do we draw the line...what more can be done?? I guess we are going to have to start home schooling children because no one is above suspicion anymore...But then again...can't trust the parents and relatives either..... No win situation.
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Post by deputy on May 10, 2007 10:15:26 GMT -4
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Post by concerned parent on May 10, 2007 13:57:10 GMT -4
Einerbeitte, I also commute over an hour a day too, but not for a job paying less than $10 an hour. The point is, the parents aren't being advised of anything. Regardless of the parents thinking that this just doesn't smell right, we don't know that he was ever checked out by anyone. The schools don't provide any information. They don't even tell the parents which kids/classes he had contact with. The parents were never informed that a man was arrested at the school. Nothing is being done. This concerns me and also many of my other friends.
And to Deputy who says that I should start a blog on this, maybe I will. But to you Deputy, Falgar, Greensboro Mike, and Bchevy - you can all read, if you don't like the title don't read the thread. You post about the police again and again, yet you complain because this is the second thread to be posted about a sexual offender? You guys whine more than my children ever did.
This is a serious topic and a serious concern. If you are bored don't read it!
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Post by bchevy on May 10, 2007 18:23:13 GMT -4
All this for little ole me? WOW! I didn't see the earlier thread so that is why I'm posting now. Maybe you should have looked before posting?I see you didn't really give a sh** then and you don't seem to now either. IF you found the other thread, and IF you read it, you really shouldn't come to that conclusion.If you read what my question was then you would see it wasn't already covered. True, but why not post it in the right place?My question was "who is the authority that hires the teacher's assistants and other personnel?" Also, what kind of background check is done on them? Then you should call the board of Ed. You STILL don't have your answers here....Maybe I should have just posted the thread under "who hires and checks out the teaching assistants and what kind of background investigation is done on them?" without mentioning the sex offender guy. You've answered another of your own questions....I for one, am concerned that this guy worked in our public schools. I am also concerned that no follow up investigation is being done by the Prosecutor's Office, or the school, or by anyone else to discuss with any parents the amount or type of interaction he had with any of our children. There should be some type of protocol here. Yep, I totally AGREE WITH YOUWhy is it that on this board you can beat up on the police department again and again, same old threads with a different twist, Most of the "same old threads" get hijacked, they start off as one thing, and you get the Petes, and "deputy"s, etc that just turn them uglybut if you happen to bring up an incident that could affect our children you are bored? Did I EVER say I'm bored? NO, I thought this was covered already- that's allYou can read the titles of the posts on the subject lines, if its something you know you aren't interested in then don't read it. I HAVE to read them all, as most of YOU don't know how to title a thread.... ;DRant off...
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Post by bchevy on May 10, 2007 18:24:04 GMT -4
;D ;D
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Post by outlaw on May 11, 2007 1:02:58 GMT -4
I understand why parents are frustrated and worried about this perv. Of course, you can go to the school board meeting and talk to them while they're up on their thrones, but most of them could care less. Hopefully the contemptuous attitudes towards the concerns of parents will change once we go to an elected school board. Did they not even send home a letter or anything? They're known for sweeping things under the rug, but this is ridiculous.
I don't think whoever hired him could have known he was a perv, but now that he's been arrested I wonder why he resigned from his Chestertown job and if something happened there that was covered up. It wouldn't be the first time a sex-offender teacher was allowed to quietly resign and move on to another school. Before I am called a teacher hater (or anti-teacher hater by same deputy), most of my kids' teachers have been great.
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Post by outlaw on May 11, 2007 9:49:23 GMT -4
Concerned parent, if you haven't gotten anywhere with the principal, the ombudsman, Fred McNeil, is supposed to get back to you within 24 hours. The number is 410-758-8215 or 800-336-7775, ext. 215. E-mail is ombudsm@qacps.k12.md.us. If you need to go further than that, I've found Dr. Williamson to be more responsive than Dr. Sadusky, but they probably won't respond unless you really press for it.
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Post by sarahj on May 12, 2007 18:50:07 GMT -4
Kinda of sad that we almost have to beg to get a response from our school officials don't you all think?
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Post by outlaw on May 13, 2007 16:00:09 GMT -4
Begging or even trying to reason with apathetic school officials only seems to increase their contempt. Demanding and threatening is unfortunately the only way to get results. They fear negative publicity and not much else.
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Post by concerned parent on May 13, 2007 23:48:45 GMT -4
Some of the parents went to the last BOE meeting (I could not make that meeting) with a list of questions and the members seemed interested and promised to get back with answers, but have not.
We don't know if there was a background check done on him, if there was one, what was the outcome, why did he leave the other schools? Biggest concerns: there are huge discrepancies in what we are finding out of how long this man worked at the schools in QA County and we can't get a straight answer. KIES told parents that he "had no interaction with the kids" which is completely wrong because we know for a fact that he was in at least two of the rooms as an assistant. We do not know whether he also subbed for different classes or if he worked in any other classes.
I know of one school that sends out announcements each time there is a fire drill at the school or they apply any pesticides to their grounds. Shouldn't parents also be informed, "somebody was physically arrested at the school while school was in session"?
Yes, the parents have tried begging for information and have gotten nowhere. The BOE seemed concerned and they said they were concerned, but to this date, nothing has been done, no parents have been notified as to what classes this man has had contact with and no other infomation has been provided.
To this date, Stevensville Middle School (look at their web site) still has him listed as an employee under "Special Education".
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Post by outlaw on May 14, 2007 10:05:59 GMT -4
Unreal. They're probably too busy worrying about the trip to China that the commissioners wouldn't fund to answer you. Just the fact that they haven't taken time to remove him from their website says it all. Here's a suggestion. E-mail a list of questions to all five school board members, Sadusky and Williamson. Remind them that parents took the time to attend their meeting and the questions have not been addressed. Send a copy to the school principals and all five commissioners. Send a copy to the ombudsman (McNeil), and call his office and tell them you are waiting for a response. See if other parents will do the same. You could also try to get the "Bay Times" to do a follow-up article or the "Capital" to do a story. The board will absolutely hate this.
Are you sure the guy was arrested at school? The fact that the paper said he was arrested at home really creeps me out. So much corruption and cover-up. Good luck.
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Post by concerned parent on May 14, 2007 10:36:54 GMT -4
Yes, he was arrested at the school while school was in session. One of the employees told one of the parents this "off the record". The parents, me included, called the MD State Police and verified that yes, he was arrested at the school. Call the MD State Police they will tell you... they aren't hiding anything.
At the last meeting the parents gave the BOE a copy of the concerns. Dr. Sadusky was also at the meeting.
We will keep following up with everyone. We will also try Dr. Williamson to see if we can get answers or try the Bay Times or Star Democrat. We have a right to know if a sex offender had interaction with our kids and what kind of interaction and how much interaction. This info we are asking for is not classified or protected in anyway, yet we can't get a straight answer from anyone because everyone feels they need to cover their @ss.
Thank you to everyone who wrote with suggestions. I am not going to write anymore on this subject unless something new happens or we find out something. I am getting quite sad reading all of the negative posts in response to an honest effort to obtain some information.
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Post by outlaw on May 14, 2007 12:47:55 GMT -4
Don't be discouraged. This is too important. Stick to your guns, and you should definitely get McNeil involved if you haven't already. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
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