SAR — A THIRD Round of Child Sexual Abuse Scandals
What a NON-surprise from SAR in Riverdale.
The Judaic Studies principal (grades 6–8), Rabbi Jonathan Skolnick has been arrested for “production of child pornography.”
This after numerous child sexual abuse scandals in the Jewish community in Riverdale, and at SAR in particular!
- In the 1970s-80s: SAR employed TWICE now convicted sexual offender, Stanley Rosenfled who admitted to sexually molesting hundreds of boys throughout his life.
- Again in 2012, SAR was rocked by a sexual abuse case by a female staff member “allegedly engaged in sexual activity with a male sophomore.”
- Now for a third time in 2019, SAR’s 2018–2019 newly appointed Middle School Principal of Judaic Studies is arrested for production of child pornography and SAR’s principal is stunned at how this could be happening: “It is shocking to know that someone who we have trusted with our children has been accused of harming them. Despite the practices in place to protect our children, we are not immune to breaches such as the one that seems to have taken place at SAR.”
Clearly there is a PATTERN OF BAD BEHAVIOR AND NEGLIGENCE here (i.e. like a repeat offender) and at a certain point, the patience and excuses completely runs out!
This latest sexual abuse debacle with Rabbi Skolnick (where was the vetting process on hiring him?) occurring AT THE VERY SAME TIME that SAR was conducting and publishing the results of it’s earlier sex scandal with convicted sexual offender Stanley Rosenfeld and SAR’s statement in their October 5, 2018 message releasing their report that:
Continuing our conversations with our students and faculty on preventing and addressing sexual abuse. In 2014, SAR implemented an Anti-Harassment Policy:www.saracademy.org/antiharassmentpolicy. Training is done annually for all staff as well as appropriate training for high school and middle school students as part of their advisory program. Emphasis of the training is on awareness and reporting of any potential abuse as well as setting appropriate parameters for student-staff interactions. We are fully committed to the safety of our students and to continuing to implement best practices in these areas.
As anyone can see that the words by SAR are nothing but cheap and empty as demonstrated by the facts of their now THREE TIMES REPEATED sexual scandals as reported!
How SAR could be “shocked” after three times the same types of sexual abuse occurring under their watch should be a complete mystery to any reasonable, thinking human being with a soul.
Where is the outrage by the Riverdale community and by the current board of directors of SAR? And where is the REAL action by them to correct their now half century HISTORY of abuse against the children in their completely negligent care?
Of course, let us also not forget the other sexual scandal allegations in the same community at the Riverdale Jewish Center and the chorus of denials and lack of accountability that went on with their prior “Sauna Rabbi” of thirty years who finally stepped down in 2016.
Would the Riverdale community and SAR in particular like to offer up any new denials today and provide any more cheap words about their Anti-Harassment policy and phony “commitment to the safety of our students”?
Less than two-weeks before the Jewish New Year 5780, will SAR finally take RESPONSIBILITY for the abuse to their past students and REALLY do what it takes to protect its current and future children.
