A 19-year-old registered sex offender who already has a long list of violations has been arrested and accused of raping a 14-year-old classmate.
Jeremiah Thompson, a senior at Prairie High School, was arrested last week and is being held on $50,000 bail.
Thompson has been convicted of child molestation and rape, and was found guilty of a sexually motivated assault on his mother three years ago.
“Our administrators know it – counselors, teachers who are involved know it – but no announcement to students, or parents, or the public from the schools. We’re not allowed to,” said Gregg Harrington the director of communications for Battle Ground Public Schools.
According to a police report, Thompson met a 14-year-old female classmate at a local grocery store, took her to his home and had sex with her.
Parents KIRO 7 spoke with are concerned because the school can’t legally say a word about Thompson’s criminal history to parents or students.
Some Washington lawmakers would like to see the law that’s currently silencing schools changed.
“The reality is, if I’m the parent of this little girl, the status quo has failed me miserably,” Rep. Ann Rivers (R, La Center) said.
Rivers said Republicans in the state House of Representatives have been pushing for changes that would allow districts more flexibility to notify parents about just such a danger in schools. But she said that so far, the bill containing those changes hasn’t even been scheduled for a hearing.
“Trouble is all around us, danger is all around us, but being aware of it can help you to mitigate it,” Rivers said.
KIRO
