Same Old Hard-ball Tactics in Fargo Means Kids are at Risk

By Patrick Noaker

Despite claims that Catholic Dioceses care about the problem of sexual abuse by their clergy, all evidence is that they are up to the same old hard-ball tactics – crush anyone who reports abuse by Catholic clergy. Yesterday I spent the afternoon in Fargo, North Dakota in court fighting the Diocese of Fargo and Shanley High School in a sexual abuse case involving Bro. Raimond Rose. During the hearing the Diocese and Shanley argued that they did not have the duty to tell a fifteen year old boy or his parents that the chaperone for a trip to Orlando, Florida was a known child molester. Their silence regarding prior sexual abuse of Bro. Rose was acceptable. They also claimed that the United States Constitution protects their right to assign known child molesters to teaching positions and trip chaperones. Am I the only person who thinks that this is preposterous? How can we protect our children when our schools and churches think like this? How many teachers within the Diocese and Shanley are known child abusers? According to the Diocese and Shanley, they do not believe that they are required to tell us. How is it possible for a child to be safe at school or church when the leaders of these institutions attack the children who are courageous enough to report the abuse? The Judge didn’t buy these arguments either. The Judge rejected the arguments and ruled that the claims against the Diocese and Shanley are valid.