Book Description
"PASSING the TRASH" is the true story of a typical American community torn apart by a sex scandal involving their school Superintendent, underage girls, and teachers he supervised. A brave School Board member smelled a rat, hired a private investigator, and uncovered the Superintendent's early crime. The 30-year chronicle is brought to life through the voices of the victims, community members, and the lying seducer."PASSING the TRASH" chronicles a teacher's sexual abuse of his student - and the school administrators' failure to report his crime early on and banish him from education.This is also a tale of sexual exploitation of subordinates in the school workplace by the same man who became a powerful and charismatic school Superintendent. The scandal of his relationship with teachers he supervised eventually circled back to his original crime from thirty years earlier - and landed him in jail.In both cases, the school environments were sexualized, authority figures lost respect, and children were harmed.There are multiple victims in this story: First, the individuals (whether child or adult) who were seduced and sexually used by a narcissistic con artist. Then, the entire community beyond those involved in the sexual misconduct: the victims' families, the seducer's family, the school districts where he was employed, and the communities who fell for his deception.This is a case study in how a predator operates. It is a documentary history of abuse, seduction, deception, corruption - and gullibility.The story is told in the voices of the parties involved: school system emails, Facebook posts, statements at School Board meetings, proclamations, official school district documents, Michigan State Police reports, and court proceedings.This story shows how a handful of brave people can expose a powerful predator and bring him to justice after years of deception. It is a warning to others and a call for action by school administrators and lawmakers. Includes resources for educators, suggestions for further reading, and hundreds of endnotes. The book is endorsed by Professor Charol Shakeshaft, PhD and Jennifer Roback Morse, PhD.