Six-Year-Old Forced To Perform Oral Sex … At School. Superintendent Under Fire Again For Foot Dragging
A former Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) Superintendent is once again being criticized for his handling of a sexual assault case. H.T. Sanchez, who is now the superintendent of the Plainview Independent School District, has enraged parents by not being forthcoming about the incident.
The incident which occurred on April 19th, involved a six-year-old girl that was forced under a desk and made to perform an oral sex act on another student. While the act was taking place other students were watching and one recorded it on a school issued iPad.
The following day the teacher noticed students were watching the video of the assault until she confiscated the iPad, which had been locked by the student. She then sent the device to the IT department where it was opened and the teacher realized what had taken place.
Heather Gonzales is the great aunt of the assault victim. She said that she noticed a change in her.
“She’s in distress, she’s like, “my stomach hurts. I just want to lay down.” You can tell something’s wrong with her. So, they said, ‘What’s going on? What happened?”
It was then that the girl opened up and told her family that a boy had exposed himself to her in the lunch line. She then also told them about the assault that took place in her classroom a week earlier.
Outraged that there were two separate incidents with a week and a half, Gonzales took to social media:
To anyone who has a student at PISD: Your children are NOT safe! Sexual abuse is happening, and parents aren’t being notified! Specifically at South elementary. I highly urge you to sit down and talk with your child and find out if anything is happening to them! People have had a list of problems with school, and nothing is ever done! But it’s to the point now that they are not safe! A situation occurred at South elementary, in the first grade! With the teacher present! It’s time to band together and make sure something is done! Visits were made to the principal and nothing was done…and lies are being told from the superintendent! so now it’s time to take it to social media and the news! Sorry, you picked the wrong family! We protect our own. Bullying is one thing. But this is sexual assault of a minor! If you have a child in 1st grade at South, please message me! There are several kids involved and we believe they are unaware of all the details! We are forced to post this because the school refuses to give any info! Please share!
Gonzales went on to say that the teacher was in the room but didn’t hear the girl’s screams for help because she had earphones in and was “listening to soothing music.” The teacher has since been placed on administrative leave.
Gonzales wasn’t through. She also started a petition seeking the immediate removal of Sanchez.
“Superintendent Sanchez has been a failure in his role as an administrator and has caused significant harm to the educational system. His actions have led to a decline in student performance, teacher morale, and community trust. We demand that he be removed from administration immediately.
He has allowed sexual assault among 6-year-olds go unreported! He refused to speak to parents and did not issue an apology. He did not step up when needed to address the situation.”
“Sanchez’s tenure has been marked by poor decision-making and lack of leadership. He has failed to address critical issues facing our schools, including inadequate funding, teacher shortages, and student achievement gaps. Instead of working collaboratively with stakeholders to find solutions, he has made unilateral decisions that have only exacerbated these problems.”
“Under Sanchez’s leadership, teachers report feeling unsupported and undervalued by the administration. Parents are frustrated with the lack of transparency and communication from district officials.”
“Sanchez’s mismanagement of funds is also concerning. He has overspent on unnecessary projects while neglecting basic needs such as textbooks and classroom supplies. This misallocation of resources is unacceptable when students are struggling academically.”
“It is time for a change in leadership at our schools. We call on the school board to take immediate action to remove Superintendent Sanchez from administration before any further damage can be done.”
Sanchez, Principal Jennifer Hughey and PISD Assistant Superintendent Yesenia Pardo provided a statement to the Avalanche-Journal advising that the incident was recorded by one of the students on a district electronic device.
“According to the district’s statement, the incident was uncovered the following day when the district’s IT department found a video recording of the incident taken by one of the students on a password-protected iPad. The district then reportedly contacted a DFPS investigator, who the district says interviewed the involved students before authorizing administration to contact their parents.”
“The two parents/legal guardians were notified that concerning content was identified on the device and that Child Protective Services would be notified of the matter.”
Now the FBI is involved. Protests have continued since May 1st, resulting in the Plainview Independent School District canceling classes on Monday and Tuesday due to threats made against the elementary school and its educators. The school district announced Monday that it is working with the FBI.
“We appreciate the support of the FBI and of their resources to evaluate the multitude of circumstances surrounding the incident.”
Apparently, this is not Sanchez’s first uncomfortable rodeo. In February 2017, Sanchez was forced out of the Tucson Unified School District. In return for his resignation, Sanchez was paid $200,000 to leave.
At the time of his resignation, the Arizona Daily Independent (ADI), reported:
Sanchez is alleged to have violated his contract when he reportedly directed principals not to follow the Board approved policy: Student Rights and Responsibilities.
Sanchez’s contract specifically requires him to follow Governing Board policies.
Sanchez allowed Pueblo High Principal Augie Romero to violate State law when Romero changed student’s grades without their teacher’s consent.
Sanchez, who is not a certified educator by the Arizona State Board of Education, is required under the terms of his contract to follow the laws and regulations of the State of Arizona.
Sanchez was contacted on at least two occasions by authorities for failing to report assaults on employees or police as required by Arizona law.
This schools inaction is inexcusable. Looking at the timeline, the assault took place on April 19th. The teacher, that somehow missed the entire incident while on her earpieces, took the iPad on the 20th. IT unlocked it on the 21st, so as of that date the school knew what took place.
Instead of moving the young girl out of the class and immediately expelling the students involved, they did nothing. So she had to sit in that classroom surrounded by the punks that were involved. Their inaction resulted in one of the boys becoming so emboldened, that he humiliated her again by exposing himself in the lunch line a week or so later.
It used to mean something when you heard that the FBI was involved. Now, It’s just another level of incompetent bureaucracy. I hope the parents protect the young girl at all costs, and don’t stop pushing until the boys are punished and anyone involved in the inaction/coverup are fired.
Six years old, what a shame. …. Pray she has a strong will, great resiliency, and a poor memory.
