Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) has criticized the Mentor Board of Education for its handling of a recent incident involving a 15-year-old student at Mentor High School who was arrested on 36 felony counts, including child pornography charges.
In a letter addressed to Mentor Board of Education President Maggie Cook, Moreno expressed his concerns about the decision to allow the student, charged with multiple felonies, back onto school property. “As not only the senior Senator of our great state, but as a dad myself, the most important thing I can do is protect Ohio’s children,” wrote Senator Moreno. “You are a mother yourself, who sent your own children to Mentor High School, I cannot imagine how you could entertain the prospect of your children attending school with an alleged criminal, arrested on child pornography charges. How, as Mentor Board of Education President could you let this happen? And, apparently, the best you could do to alleviate concerns of both the students and parents was send an email to parents where it was indicated that a number of steps were taken to ensure that students and staff are able to operate without additional disruption. This is absolutely unacceptable.”
Moreno’s letter further stated: “I write to you today, not only as a United States Senator, but as a parent, which is the most important job I will ever have. I am absolutely repulsed to learn that a 15-year-old Mentor High School student was arrested last week on child pornography charges. Yet, even worse, I am revolted to learn that you may have allowed a potential sex offender, who was charged with 36 felony counts, including pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, back onto Mentor Public School property.”
He continued: “Unfortunately, this is not the first time I have written to you about my sincere concerns regarding the Mentor Board of Education. You showed almost no interest in having a conversation, which is consistent with what I have heard from Mentor Public Schools’ parents about your disregard for their concerns as well. From your fellow school board members disregard of President Trump’s Executive Orders to now inviting potential sex offenders into Mentor Public Schools, I am deeply concerned on behalf of all parents of Mentor Public Schools and the taxpayers in Lake County that you are unable to faithfully keep Ohio’s most vulnerable population safe. Children deserve to attend school without fear that there are sexual predators in their classrooms.”
Senator Moreno requested answers from President Cook within five days regarding this issue.
