Complaint Review: Worthington Christian Schools

Worthington Christian Schools (WCS) is an educational ministry of the Grace Brethren Church (GBC) of Columbus, Ohio. It costs approximately $60,000.00 for a student to attend WCS for 14 years for PK-12 (i.e. Pre-kindergarten, Kindergarten, and grades 1 through 12).

Without ever warning the parents or students, the WCS/GBC administrators knowingly hired admitted and continued to employ accused child molesters as Teachers, Girl's Coaches, and Youth Directors. These administrators clearly understood that these child molesters would be tempted to molest again and that there was indeed a "risk" to literally thousands of WCS students over the years of being molested. WCS/GBC intentionally withheld this crucial information from the unsuspecting WCS parents and students for 10 years till the administrators were finally caught endangering the students and deceiving the parents during the "cover-up" that was discovered. Those child molesters would still be employed at WCS today if the Columbus Dispatch newspaper had not learned of the truth and reported the facts to the unsuspecting WCS parents and students. Refer to the Columbus Dispatch newspaper: Wednesday, October 17, 2007 and the WBNS-10TV story: Tuesday, October 23, 2007 for details.

The list below is of the WCS/GBC administrators who were fully aware of the danger to the students, temptations of the child molesters, deceit against the parents, and the cover-up:
1. Previous WCS School Superintendent Taylor Smith (father of admitted child molester)
(Taylor Smith is now the ACSI Vice President of Executive Support)
2. GBC Outgoing Senior Pastor Jim Custer
3. GBC Executive Pastor Jim Augspurger
4. WCS School Superintendent Bill Williams
5. WCS High School Principal Tom Anglea
6. WCS Counseling/Bible/Psychology Teacher Buzz Inboden

It is important to note that the WCS Assistant Superintendent, Troy McIntosh, claims that he had no idea that child molesters were teaching and coaching students at WCS till the Fall of 2007 (Note: Fall 2007 began on Sunday, September 23). However, it is nearly impossible that he was unaware of this because of the following reasons:
1. The other WCS administrators were aware of both child molesters.
2. Some WCS teachers, staff, parents, and students were aware of at least the admitted child molester.
3. WCS/GBC claimed that there were other teachers and/or staff monitoring the admitted child molester to prevent him from molesting another child.
4. Some WCS parents and students have claimed that there was a "well known rumor" about the admitted child molester.

After being caught, Troy McIntosh informed the Columbus Dispatch newspaper that WCS/GBC "don't apologize" for their decision (Columbus Dispatch: Wednesday, October 17, 2007).
Nearly a week later, Troy McIntosh informed WBNS 10 TV that WCS/GBC "did not regret their decision" (WBNS-10TV: Tuesday, October 23, 2007).

Only after observing reactions of and reading emails from the deceived WCS parents, the WCS/GBC administrators realized they might lose their jobs. So, after they don't apologize and did not regret what they did, they finally claimed to have lots of regrets. However, there was no regret for what they did; only regrets that the parents felt the way they did about it. Then, nearly 6 months later (April 2, 2008), the Executive Pastor and Outgoing Senior Pastor made the following statement:
"If that decision distressed, offended or hurt you, we would like to apologize and ask for your forgiveness."

It should be obvious that at the very least WCS/GBC is guilty of Child Endangerment against the WCS students, is guilty of Fraud against the WCS parents, and worked to Cover-Up those crucial facts. Evidence that each of these crimes was committed is given below using a single example of the applicable publicly available facts:

Child Endangerment:
Occurred for 10 years (1998-2007) with the admitted child molester Dwayne Smith and also occurred for at least 6 years (2002-2007) with the accused (later convicted on January 24, 2008) child molester Jason Crary. WCS/GBC officials acknowledged between one another that there was indeed a "risk" to the students as Executive Pastor Jim Augspurger said on a recording (Columbus Dispatch: Wednesday, October 17):
"We understand that if something happens between Dwayne and a student, we will be big-time liable," "That's a risk we take."

Fraud:
Occurred during the Child Endangerment described above. WCS/GBC used background checks and other means to deceive, confuse, and mislead the parents about the safety of their children. While being fully aware that the students were indeed at "risk" with multiple child molesters, WCS/GBC made claims such as the following:
"His last background check, July 31, 2006 was spotless."
WCS/GBC intentionally misrepresented the truth as they withheld crucial information from the parents. The the parents relied upon the claims made by WCS/GBC and WCS/GBC benefited monetarily from the parents due to those fraudulent claims.

Cover-Up:
Occurred during the Child Endangerment and Fraud described above while WCS/GBC worked to withhold those facts from the parents. Note that both child molesters would still be employed at WCS today if WCS/GBC were not caught endangering and deceiving the unsuspecting students and parents during the "cover-up" as described in the audio recording at the Internet link below:
http://members.aol.com/Tim026300/CoverUp.mp3

To address these offenses against the WCS parents who paid WCS for a safe Christian education for their children, WCS parents expect WCS and GBC to immediately terminate employment of all those who were aware of the danger to the students and deceit against the parents. This includes terminating the Assistant Superintendent Troy McIntosh who claims he was completely unaware of the danger and deceit, which is virtually impossible, who has also demonstrated gross incompetence by not investigating the rumors, and who has also demonstrated to be a highly ineffective leader by not being informed or aware of what the other WCS/GBC administrators and some teachers, staff, parents, and students in the school and church knew to be true.

Please refer to the following Internet web page below for more information:
(((link redacted)))

Tim
Powell, Ohio
U.S.A.

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