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[bonnie]

Sexual abuse lawsuit settled

Renowned AUC maestro was involved


By Karen Nugent TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

LANCASTER— A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit against a former Atlantic Union College choir director and music professor alleging sexual misconduct with four students and a consultant.

In a letter released yesterday to students, faculty and staff, College President Norman L. Wendth said the lawsuit against Francisco de Araujo was resolved through mediation. The terms and conditions of the agreement, he said, are confidential and would not be made public by mutual consent among the five male plaintiffs and Mr. de Araujo.

more?
http://www.telegram.com/article/20080621/NEWS/806210339/1008/NEWSREWIND

[Johann]

Does a confidential mediation satisfy all parties? Does that mean "not guilty" or "forgiveness achieved"?

[bonnie]

Does a confidential mediation satisfy all parties? Does that mean "not guilty" or "forgiveness achieved"?

Mostly what it means is the denomination has managed to stall,litigate,argue,intimidate. Never an admission of guilt by the denomination, even when the guilty parties have admitted to the wrongdoing.
This way  they can claim it was best for all to settle and put this nasty business behind us.

Never once have I seen or heard where a settlement out of court had blame attached. Or more importantly,responsibility taken

[Ozzie]

Does a confidential mediation satisfy all parties? Does that mean "not guilty" or "forgiveness achieved"?

It usually mean 'cover-up and shut-up'. 

By the time it gets to this stage, usually the victim and their family, are so stressed by the whole thing (that would have been going on for years anyway), that they just want peace and just want it to be all over and done with and the pain of it all to go away. 

[Gailon Arthur Joy]

3ABN should have taken it's cue from AUC!!!

I am sure GenCon wanted out of this bloody mess as quickly as possible. Money can grease the settlement skids quite nicely when an insurance company is committed to getting rid of a claim.

I'll bet Plaintiff's counsel came out of that mediation settlement with a big smile all the way to the bank. Probably enjoying a nice vacation as we speak. And five plaintiff's have a real boost to their future as well, at least financially speaking.

And, I bet AUC gave them all a great recommendation as well!!! 

Gailon Arthur Joy

[bonnie]

3ABN should have taken it's cue from AUC!!!

I am sure GenCon wanted out of this bloody mess as quickly as possible. Money can grease the settlement skids quite nicely when an insurance company is committed to getting rid of a claim.

I'll bet Plaintiff's counsel came out of that mediation settlement with a big smile all the way to the bank. Probably enjoying a nice vacation as we speak. And five plaintiff's have a real boost to their future as well, at least financially speaking.

And, I bet AUC gave them all a great recommendation as well!!! 

Gailon Arthur Joy

It may appear to those looking on that "money greases the settlement skids". However from the inside there is a much different view.
As for a real boost to the future of plaintiffs,only those that have  had their lives destroyed, families torn apart, and know no matter how you try,  you can never make lives the same again,understand how insulting and degrading that viewpoint can be
How many wish it would be that simple and materialistic, most will never know


edite to correct sentence

[bonnie]

By the time the skids got greased with money, the plaintiffs have been thru more than most will ever understand.
It isn't the "greasing" that leads to settlements out of court. The plaintiffs are drained,emotionally,spiritually, and most often financially. They have gone the last mile and simply have nothing else to give.

But for most, they find that what they cannot give any longer is still something others will try to take

[Gailon Arthur Joy]

By the time the skids got greased with money, the plaintiffs have been thru more than most will ever understand.
It isn't the "greasing" that leads to settlements out of court. The plaintiffs are drained,emotionally,spiritually, and most often financially. They have gone the last mile and simply have nothing else to give.

But for most, they find that what they cannot give any longer is still something others will try to take

Bonnie,

This was a 3 month "ordeal" mediated and disposed of. No long drwan out fight. I am sure they were given a structured settlement that eased much of the pain and saved the College a long drwan out embarrasing litigation process at a very critical time while they are battling accreditation problems. Settlement was and is usually the expediante thing to do.

The litigation hell you lived through was quite different, although should have been handled similarly.

Gailon Arthur Joy

[Ozzie]

By the time the skids got greased with money, the plaintiffs have been thru more than most will ever understand.
It isn't the "greasing" that leads to settlements out of court. The plaintiffs are drained,emotionally,spiritually, and most often financially. They have gone the last mile and simply have nothing else to give.

But for most, they find that what they cannot give any longer is still something others will try to take

That is EXACTLY the situation Bonnie. The emotional, spiritual and financial drain is beyond description unless one as been through this. By the time it gets to settlement, most people are willing to settle just to get rid of it all out of their lives and to try and to get on with some semblance of 'normality' and try to piece their lives together again.

I don't believe that the associated scars ever completely heal though.

[bonnie]

By the time the skids got greased with money, the plaintiffs have been thru more than most will ever understand.
It isn't the "greasing" that leads to settlements out of court. The plaintiffs are drained,emotionally,spiritually, and most often financially. They have gone the last mile and simply have nothing else to give.

But for most, they find that what they cannot give any longer is still something others will try to take

Bonnie,

This was a 3 month "ordeal" mediated and disposed of. No long drwan out fight. I am sure they were given a structured settlement that eased much of the pain and saved the College a long drwan out embarrasing litigation process at a very critical time while they are battling accreditation problems. Settlement was and is usually the expediante thing to do.

The litigation hell you lived through was quite different, although should have been handled similarly.

Gailon Arthur Joy

A settlement does little to nothing to ease much of the pain. Expediant is a word that some would use to describe a settlement of a fender bender.

Those responsible saw the expediate thing to do, not the right thing.

[bonnie]

The suit alleged that Mr. de Araujo, who is called “Maestro” and known around the world for his choral direction and musical performances, engaged in inappropriate touching and sexual abuse. It also alleged that the college was aware of his previous alleged sexual predatory behavior, but ignored the men’s complaints and had them expelled, or, in the case of the consultant, fired.

Reducing this to "3 months" and diplomatic negotiation is about as accurate as complaring heartburn to a full blown heart attack.  How many?? Just the five that filed suit?? Hardly. Whose lives we will never know about?  If the college was aware and ignored complaints, which is the most common scenerio, no admission of guilt, not attempt to right the wrongs,wrongs those that offer such flippant responses will know.




Mr. Wendth in his letter expressed fear that because specifics of the agreement are confidential, speculation and rumors may spread around the campus.

Isn't this a shame? Even tho no wrongdoing is ever admitted to,and a little settlement just in case we contributed to the wrong, some nasty people might actualy speculate that this good, kind, christian man may suffer at the hands of rumors.
“I therefore urge everyone again not to speculate or trade rumors. Instead, let us bring the college family together for healing. Let us continue to act with deep sensitivity to everyone involved,” he said.

This simply says the nasty little actions and apathy the school was quilty of was made to go away and now we are one big happy family. Wonder about this "continuing" to act with sensitivity" routine. Maybe the word should have changed to we will now BEGIN to act with sensitivity.

All erased with "money" greasing the skids. What a ringing endorsement for christian education

[GrandmaNettie]

I would be far more comfortable with a judicial mindset that would not allow secretive settlements in the case of sexual abuse.  The alleged abuser is neither cleared nor proven guilty; the alleged victim(s) never receive judicial vindication; there is the strong potential that the abuser will have the freedom to go on to abuse more victims without any record of the abuse in the system.

To "grease the skids" in cases like this, Gailon, smacks of characterizing the victims as extortionists.  There is no amount of money that can replace what has been lost when a person is sexually abused.  Even allowing the abused to tortue and kill the abuser wouldn't take the pain away.  Sometimes it's better to think about all the ramifications of the thoughts one conveys before saying something that can be viewed as thoughtlessly insensitive and callous.

As a victim myself, I do hope the school paid dearly for this settlement and that those officials who expelled the men who complained were dealt with severely.  However, the words they have expressed demonstrate that they have not learned any lesson; they are merely attempting to hide what happened.

[bonnie]

I would be far more comfortable with a judicial mindset that would not allow secretive settlements in the case of sexual abuse.  The alleged abuser is neither cleared nor proven guilty; the alleged victim(s) never receive judicial vindication; there is the strong potential that the abuser will have the freedom to go on to abuse more victims without any record of the abuse in the system.

To "grease the skids" in cases like this, Gailon, smacks of characterizing the victims as extortionists.  There is no amount of money that can replace what has been lost when a person is sexually abused.  Even allowing the abused to tortue and kill the abuser wouldn't take the pain away.  Sometimes it's better to think about all the ramifications of the thoughts one conveys before saying something that can be viewed as thoughtlessly insensitive and callous.

As a victim myself, I do hope the school paid dearly for this settlement and that those officials who expelled the men who complained were dealt with severely.  However, the words they have expressed demonstrate that they have not learned any lesson; they are merely attempting to hide what happened.

The problem is that the school did not pay dearly the insurance company did.  Only if and when the time comes that those behind the abuser holding his coat and studiously looking the other way are made to pay dearly not only with their own money, their reputation and careers are you likely to see much in the way of change.

The smile of the face of the plaintiffs attorney wouldn't bother me nearly as much as the ones that got by with another. No admission of wrongdoing,no apology, just secrecy again, which is what they thrive on

[GrandmaNettie]

I would be far more comfortable with a judicial mindset that would not allow secretive settlements in the case of sexual abuse.  The alleged abuser is neither cleared nor proven guilty; the alleged victim(s) never receive judicial vindication; there is the strong potential that the abuser will have the freedom to go on to abuse more victims without any record of the abuse in the system.

To "grease the skids" in cases like this, Gailon, smacks of characterizing the victims as extortionists.  There is no amount of money that can replace what has been lost when a person is sexually abused.  Even allowing the abused to tortue and kill the abuser wouldn't take the pain away.  Sometimes it's better to think about all the ramifications of the thoughts one conveys before saying something that can be viewed as thoughtlessly insensitive and callous.

As a victim myself, I do hope the school paid dearly for this settlement and that those officials who expelled the men who complained were dealt with severely.  However, the words they have expressed demonstrate that they have not learned any lesson; they are merely attempting to hide what happened.

The problem is that the school did not pay dearly the insurance company did.  Only if and when the time comes that those behind the abuser holding his coat and studiously looking the other way are made to pay dearly not only with their own money, their reputation and careers are you likely to see much in the way of change.

The smile of the face of the plaintiffs attorney wouldn't bother me nearly as much as the ones that got by with another. No admission of wrongdoing,no apology, just secrecy again, which is what they thrive on

I agree.  However, the school's insurance rates will probably skyrocket.  Perhaps it is less likely today that the student population will roll over and dismiss the matter.  Hopefully, the realization that fellow students were treated the way those expelled were will give the present students pause and the issue will not slip silently away into darkness.

[bonnie]

I agree.  However, the school's insurance rates will probably skyrocket.  Perhaps it is less likely today that the student population will roll over and dismiss the matter.  Hopefully, the realization that fellow students were treated the way those expelled were will give the present students pause and the issue will not slip silently away into darkness.

Well, I am not as confident that skyrocketing insurance rates will cause any pain whatsoever personally for any that bear the responsibility. When my insurance rates go up, I am the one that needs to work a little harder to pay.
The SDA org. is no different than the US government. It does not earn or produce income. It takes the money from members thru their tithe and we are left to hope it is used wisely and very little else. Put a little more guilt trip on those deadbeats that are not paying a full tithe

This problem has as much of a base with the members as it does the "governing body"

After more than six years of listening to "Christian concern" over this matter I am not nearly as optimistic as you may be.

From members online and personal- Just a few of the nicer instruction

Forgive 70x7

.Excuse me but I will not offer the head of another son and my grandchildren 489 more times till they get it right.

Write quietly their sins in the sand-

We tried that, really doesn't work all that well

Lawsuit, Oh My don't you know that EW and the bible say NO. You can't go to heaven if you do. Mustn't disgrace the church. Cover for them, so someone else can find the glory in forgiveness. You are accountable, not the church

SDA Org


Office of Jan Paulsen, You will have to contact others, this really isn't our concern

NAD- How sorry we are, It is so sad that young children are the "unfortunate byproducts" of divorce.

Must not have occurred to anyone that my grandchildren would not have been a BYPRODUCT if they had done their job.

A ministerial sec. Knowing this man for a number of years.
I am shocked, I never knew this was what he was capable of.

Excuse me ,Mr. Secretary, as you are telling me this, I am holding a copy of a registered letter sent to your home, dated 10 years before this conversation,signed for by you that says a whole lot different.


Risk Management- We would certainly like to help your confused and disturbed grandchildren, but we don't want to be seen as taking sides in this.

God forbid a SDA ORG would take a side on something that was a complete no-brainer and right was not even a question

MN Conference- We will pray for you, but we have to guard against gossip.

I have to give the man credit, he did just that for over a year, before I forced the issue. One thing we can be sure of is that this won't hinder their advancement in  "God's Work". It seems he has done rather well after very suddenly leaving the little conference of MN.

This strange form of "Christian concern and caring" does rather well for some.

I just have no faith in it ever changing. Maybe the only thing left is for "some victims to have the skids greased"