Dozens of Myers Park students hold protest at First Ward Park to question CMS handling of sexual assault allegations

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - Current and former students at Myers Park High School held a protest Thursday evening as they continue to take a stand out about the handling of reported rapes and sexual assaults that led to the principal being reassigned last week.

The demonstration with roughly two dozen people was held at First Ward Park in Charlotte, with protestors questioning the district’s investigation into principal Mark Bosco’s handling of the reported incidents.

Bosco was suspended by Myers Park on August 6 and was reassigned his position on October 13.

After the district announced Bosco’s move, his lawyer issued a statement saying the former principal had been cleared of any wrongdoing in a thorough investigation.

But multiple former students who reported being raped or sexually assaulted at the school said they were not contacted by district investigators.

“How can you have a thorough and lengthy investigation only in reviewing one party of the whole thing?” Serena Evans, who reported being raped by a fellow student in a school bathroom in 2016, said. “I have continued to get absolutely no responses...I think that’s a strategic thing on their plan. I think they’re like ‘If we stay silent, they’ll go away,’ but we’re not.”

Other speakers challenged CMS to improve Title IX training and for the school board to launch an independent investigation of how the reported rapes and sexual assaults were handled.

WBTV began investigating reported sexual violence at the school in 2015 and continued its investigation in May. In the wake of WBTV’s reporting, Superintendent Earnest Winston announced a taskforce to examine how the district handles reports of sexual violence across its campuses.

Previous coverage

• Myers Park HS principal reassigned after an investigation into handling of reported rapes, sexual assaults
• Dozens of Myers Park students hold protest at First Ward Park to question CMS handling of sexual assault allegations
• CMS suspends Myers Park High School principal Mark Bosco, announces Title IX task force
• More women detail reported rape, assault at Myers Park as school leaders remain silent
• After weeks of silence, CMS superintendent responds to Myers Park students’ reports of rape, sexual assault
• ‘They made me feel worse’: Former Myers Park HS students question CMPD response to rape reports
• CMS failed to track reported rapes, assaults on campus
• Former Myers Park HS student sues school district over handling of rape allegations
• Myers Park HS students reported rape, sexual assault. Nothing happened.

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