(HorizonPost.com) – The state of Maryland permitted a convicted juvenile rapist to attend public school in Baltimore, Fox 45 in Baltimore reported.
A Baltimore mother informed Project Baltimore that the teenager who assaulted her daughter in May 2023 when she was only three was currently attending high school in Baltimore City.
In late December, the 15-year-old rapist pleaded guilty to second-degree rape and was given 50 hours of community service and counseling. With the rape conviction, the teen was also ordered not to have unsupervised contact with any children under the age of 15.
As part of his plea, the court ordered that school attendance or a GED was mandatory. As a result, in January, the convicted rapist returned to Baltimore City’s Patterson High School.
As one of the largest high schools in Baltimore, Patterson has around 1,300 students enrolled, many of whom, as 9th graders, are under the age of 15.
The victim’s mother told Project Baltimore that it would be impossible for teachers to supervise the rapist to ensure that he is not having contact with children under 15. What’s more, the parents and students of Patterson High School were not informed that a convicted rapist was enrolled.
Under Maryland law, a juvenile offender who is not on the registry cannot be prevented from attending in-person school, except under specific circumstances.
The Maryland State Board of Education cited state law to determine that a student can only be removed from a school if the student poses “an imminent threat of serious harm” to students or staff.
The victim’s mother told Project Baltimore that she believed that the student should not be permitted to attend school in person and that other accommodations should be made to ensure he gets an education.
Project Baltimore asked the city school district if other options were being considered for the convicted rapist.
The district declined to comment on the student, citing state and federal law that prevents a school from discussing matters involving an individual student. The district reiterated that state law requires schools to educate all students enrolled, including those who have been convicted of juvenile offenses.
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