ACLU Sends Letter to Crete Public Schools

By: Kim Eiten - Email

Updated: Fri 10:26 PM, Oct 12, 2012

"We're asking the school to voluntarily step up to the plate and start making voluntary steps to ensure this will never happen again." -Amy Miller, ACLU Nebraska Legal Director

It's a story 10/11 News has been following all week: an accused sex offender invited on a school field trip.

Now, the ACLU is stepping in.

They have a lot of questions over what took place at Crete High School earlier this month when an alleged sex offender went on a school field trip.

The red flags went up.

"Is it that Crete didn't have appropriate policies in place? Or, were there policies in place that were not followed by the staff involved?," ACLU Nebraska Legal Director Amy Miller said.

And, the ACLU wants some answers now.

"The school's done nothing that will make sure this doesn't happen again," Miller said.

That's why, they're stepping in.

"I think anyone can get behind the idea that the school failed miserably in this particular instance," she said.

What the ACLU wants is action. They said any more will do for now.

"We're asking the school to voluntarily step up to the plate and start making voluntary steps to ensure this will never happen again," Miller said.

As Crete Public Schools Superintendent Kyle McGowan told 10/11 News earlier this week, what can be handled on their end has been.

"It is something I don't want to make excuses about because I think that it could have been handled better, but now everything that has been done, at least on our part as a school, has taken place," he said Wednesday.

A statement released Friday reads, "The district does regularly review policies and procedures. Incidents are reviewed to determine if processes can be modified to assure continuous improvement."

It goes on to say, "The District is absolutely committed to the safety and best interest of children,"

But, it's not over yet.

The family said they are taking their concerns to the Nebraska Department of Education.

What happens from there, the Department won't say.

10/11 News spoke with the alleged victim's family over the phone Friday.

In regards to their reaction to the ACLU letter, they said it's too soon to say anything.