As a bit of an update to to
this post, and in answer to a question someone had, here is
more information about the charming Hugh Cranford, the lovely Lutheran youth paster in Topeka who likes liturgical positions that give him access to children. His former place of "vicarage" was Concordia, in Saint Louis, Missouri. The final outcome of pending matters against Cranford there is unclear; but the whole disgusting matter is still quite recent, and the wheels of our justice system have a reputation for turning slowly at times. He was ousted from their church and school in the summer of 2011.
Something that should concern the Luthern community in Topeka Kansas is this, according to the Capitol Journal, "Dale Meyer, president of the seminary, said Monday after hearing about the allegations in early June the seminary immediately suspended the vicarage and prevented Cranford from enrolling in any other classes.
Meyer also said the alleged incidents didn’t take place at Faith Lutheran Church or Topeka Lutheran School. He said they also had no word that the alleged incidents took place on the seminary’s campus." Now; who cares WHERE his alleged assaults on children took place? The deal is this: parents were told by the church that they could trust this man with their children. As it happened, they could not. The information was readily available through a criminal background check AND through a reference check. This, apparently, was not performed. Now the church wants to distance itself from any responsibility in the matter at all. Someone at the church may have even given Hugh Cranford the information that charges were being filed, and assisted him in leaving town before law enforcement could find him. It's entirely possible. Hugh Cranford is still at large, and Dale Meyer is more concerned with damage control than with child safety. This is why I do not allow my children at attend Christian churches in Kansas. It's dangerous.
Hugh Cranford, without his Neo-Nazi beard.
A few days ago, I wrote this post, about a young lady named Rhiannon Ambrose, who attempted to take advantage of open enrollment in Kansas by enrolling in Marysville High School, where forensics, speech, and drama are part of the curriculum; instead of enrolling in Frankfort, the public school closest to her home, where none of those classes are offered and one of the teachers is a confessed, yet unprosecuted, child abuser. Today, in a telephone conversation, superintendent Randy Freeman explained to Rhiannon that his initial reason for accepting all students requesting transfer from other districts, except her, would remain undisclosed, but that a new reason is the petition she wrote. Randy Freeman does not welcome students who write and send petitions, either online, or take hard copies of the same door to door. He also stated that he does not welcome students whose parents write and have published various written works. This writer finds that position quite interesting for an educator at an American school! Has Randy Freeman not heard of the Constitution? And the First Amendment? Petitions and public announcements are the cornerstone of Freedom of Expression! In essence, Randy Freeman has told Rhiannon that because she has engaged her First Amendment rights and petitioned, via written word, and because she has first degree relatives who write and have published their work, she is unwelcome in his school, while other transfer students whose parents do not know how to write, are welcome! Are there any more questions about exactly how American public schools have gotten "dumbed down"?
