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T. LOUIS -- Twelve boys in the first and second grade at a St. Louis elementary school are accused of sexually assaulting a second-grade girl during recess, authorities said Tuesday.
One teacher who was supposed to be supervising the recess has been fired, and another suspended with pay, St. Louis schools superintendent Creg Williams said. The boys, ages 6 to 8, have been suspended for the rest of the school year. Names of the teachers and students were not released.
The girl, who is 8, is physically OK but will not return to school for the rest of the school year. "We don't know what type of emotional scars it will have on the young lady," Williams said.
"In my mind it's unconscionable that it happe
ned and in my mind people have to be held accountable," Williams said. "How is it this kind of thing is even in the minds of young men?"
The incident happened Friday at Columbia Accelerated Community Educational Center, a school with 400 students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade on the city's north side.
Shortly after lunch, three classes of first- and second-graders were outside for recess. A student saw several boys huddled around the girl who was on the ground, and alerted a teacher.
School district spokesman Tony Sanders said details of the assault are not yet clear. Police were initially called and turned the investigation over to juvenile authorities.
The boys could face misdemeanor charges of first-degree sexual misconduct and third-degree assault, said Kathryn Herman, administrator of the city's Juvenile Court. She said one of the boys is age 6, seven are age 7, and four are age 8.
"These are really young kids," Herman said. "I can't think of ma
ny other cases at this age with this type of incident."
Williams said his office received "sketchy" information about the incident Friday, but he wasn't alerted to the seriousness of it until Monday. He immediately went to the school, then contacted the girl's mother.
The district's crisis team is trying to determine if any other girls were also assaulted, Williams said. A letter was going out to district parents on Tuesday, alerting them to the incident. Counselors were also available to students at the school.
Williams said the district will also consider counseling or other efforts for the boys accused of the crime. They will not return to Columbia but will likely be sent to different schools next school year, he said. The girl may also be transferred to a different school.
"We'll get help for the boys, too, then decide what to do with them," Williams said.
Williams said other adults at the school could also be reprimanded if an internal investigation determines
they failed to supervise the recess or swiftly address the incident once it came to light.
T. LOUIS -- Twelve boys in the first and second grade at a St. Louis elementary school are accused of sexually assaulting a second-grade girl during recess, authorities said Tuesday.
One teacher who was supposed to be supervising the recess has been fired, and another suspended with pay, St. Louis schools superintendent Creg Williams said. The boys, ages 6 to 8, have been suspended for the rest of the school year. Names of the teachers and students were not released.
The girl, who is 8, is physically OK but will not return to school for the rest of the school year. "We don't know what type of emotional scars it will have on the young lady," Williams said.
"In my mind it's unconscionable that it happe
ned and in my mind people have to be held accountable," Williams said. "How is it this kind of thing is even in the minds of young men?"
The incident happened Friday at Columbia Accelerated Community Educational Center, a school with 400 students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade on the city's north side.
Shortly after lunch, three classes of first- and second-graders were outside for recess. A student saw several boys huddled around the girl who was on the ground, and alerted a teacher.
School district spokesman Tony Sanders said details of the assault are not yet clear. Police were initially called and turned the investigation over to juvenile authorities.
The boys could face misdemeanor charges of first-degree sexual misconduct and third-degree assault, said Kathryn Herman, administrator of the city's Juvenile Court. She said one of the boys is age 6, seven are age 7, and four are age 8.
"These are really young kids," Herman said. "I can't think of ma
ny other cases at this age with this type of incident."
Williams said his office received "sketchy" information about the incident Friday, but he wasn't alerted to the seriousness of it until Monday. He immediately went to the school, then contacted the girl's mother.
The district's crisis team is trying to determine if any other girls were also assaulted, Williams said. A letter was going out to district parents on Tuesday, alerting them to the incident. Counselors were also available to students at the school.
Williams said the district will also consider counseling or other efforts for the boys accused of the crime. They will not return to Columbia but will likely be sent to different schools next school year, he said. The girl may also be transferred to a different school.
"We'll get help for the boys, too, then decide what to do with them," Williams said.
Williams said other adults at the school could also be reprimanded if an internal investigation determines
they failed to supervise the recess or swiftly address the incident once it came to light.
