Rape Culture “Embedded” in New Rochelle High School, Students Told in Admin-Approved Statement

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — New Rochelle School District Central Office administration and support staff collaborated with student leaders of “FEMpowerMENt”, a school club, on a statement sent to all high school students which says rape culture is embedded in the New Rochelle school community.

The statement comes days after New Rochelle High School Principal Dr. Dagberto Artiles said school officials had been covering up sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, and sexual blackmailing for years.

During a meeting with faculty last week, Dr. Artiles said, “they (New Rochelle High School students) are reacting…to the history, believing that in the past, nothing has been done. That is that is sort of the common thread of the conversation, nothing has been done. The whole idea of sexual assault and rape and sexual harassment, and blackmailing has sort of been swept under the rug by the school and the school district, and nobody ever done anything. Again, that’s their perception, right, but that’s the reality as well.”

The New Rochelle High School club that organized a walkout that turned violent last week was intended to show support for survivors of sexual violence, and to “combat rape culture” which is “embedded in our school community and society”.

The statement calls for training staff on how to properly address reports of “sexual assault” per the Code of Conduct despite the Code of Conduct only mentioning the word “sexual assault” once and only to state it is a prohibited conduct. There is no protocol in the Code of Conduct on how staff should address reports of “sexual assault”.

The Code of Conduct does reference sexual harassment “as described in” Board of Education Policy 5530

Code of Conduct
VII. Prohibited Conduct
4. Making unwelcome sexual propositions, unwelcome sexual comments, or engaging in other acts of sexual harassment, all as further described by Board of Education Policy 5530.

There is no Board of Education Policy 5530.

The statement was read over the school PA system today during 8th period by FEMpowerMENt club’s co-Presidents Fairuz Saleh and sent to students:

March 28, 2022
Dear Student Body and Community Members,
Writing to you today are the FEMpowerMENt club’s co-Presidents Fairuz Saleh (senior) and Nila Roper (senior), alongside Luca Lazzarini (freshman), to share the progress we’ve made this past week. A week ago today, students gathered in solidarity to cultivate a message of support for survivors of sexual violence, and to combat rape culture, which is embedded in our school community and society. Although some students took advantage of this moment to incite violence, the message WAS delivered and will continue to be recognized. We’d like to thank those who came to the walkout to support this worthwhile cause and make a positive impact.
Our goal is to enact real change by destigmatizing the issue of sexual violence and making sure every student feels safe, seen, and supported on campus. Although the school community has failed to meet the needs of students, we want students to know that accountability and responsibility will be upheld. We also want to ensure that members of our community are properly educated on this topic, and that survivors have the necessary resources if/when they choose to come forward.
Over the past week, the three of us teamed up with other students and staff and held conferences about how we are going to enact this change and fix the harsh climate that limits the safety of students. As we spoke with Dr. Artiles, school and district administrators, and support staff, there were specific themes that continued to be raised and recognized.
Among them are the following:
– The stigmas and realities surrounding sexual assault, making a comfortable environment establishing trust between students and staff members by denouncing victim-blaming and ensuring confidentiality for every student who chooses to come forward.
– Building a culture amongst students, staff and community that respects and protects the confidentiality/privacy of students when they report.
– Creating a culture of safety for all members of our community.
The reporting process for survivors of sexual assault: specifically how to report it, who can I talk to, what are my resources and options are (Found below).
While we understand this fight is long and action will not be fully immediate, we are fully committed to working and holding each other accountable for the change that is necessary for this school community. The proposed policy additions in our plan of action include:
– Training for staff about how to properly address reports of sexual assault per the Code of Conduct, properly referring students to supported resources, in addition to sensitivity training to meet the emotional needs of survivors.
– Education for students about consent, respect in relationships, and what constitutes sexual assault/harassment (e.g. teaming up with Hope’s Door, a domestic violence organization, workshops, etc).
– Creating an effective reporting process for sexual assaults that is monitored daily, and alerts school administrators to take further action.
– Ensuring students know that their right to safely assemble and protest is fully supported by our school.
We would like to thank Dr. Artiles for working closely with us in such a short time willingly, openly, and enthusiastically. We appreciate that he has given us this forum to emphasize that this district has not lived up to the expectations of our students and community, and there is work to be done. We fully encourage students to reach out to us and/or Dr. Artiles with any questions, suggestions, or concerns. Every single one of our voices is crucial to this movement.
To our survivors out there: We see you. We hear you. We believe you. You are not exaggerating and you are NOT at fault. We recognize that historically, administrations have failed you, and have added to the existing trauma you’ve endured. The denial, the victim-blaming, and the stress you have faced will no longer be tolerated. You deserve to feel safe, supported, and heard. Sexual violence should not be normalized or ignored. It is systemic, and it is our mission to assure that it doesn’t continue to plague our students or anyone in the community.
To report any incidents of sexual assault, please see the attached (LINK) for available resources.
Best regards,
Fairuz, Nila, and Luca
FEMpowerMENt