Online claims a student made about the Atlantic County Institute of Technology are being investigated, officials told BreakingAC on Thursday.
But the truth will be very different from what was portrayed, the school said.
The 16-year-old girl created an online petition that made claims about how she was treated by faculty and other students after she was the victim of a sexual assault off school grounds.
It had almost 2,900 signatures within the first 24 hours.
BreakingAC is not identifying the girl due to her age and that she is the victim of an alleged sexual assault.
Local law enforcement, along with Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office and FBI are investigating the allegations, attorney Eric Goldstein said during a conference call that included Superintendent Philip Guenther and ACIT Principal Joseph Potkay.
“We’re cooperating to the fullest extent,” Goldstein said. “It’s an ongoing investigation into facts that— at the end of this — will be different than what’s being presented to you now.”
The girl’s father confirmed they have been in contact with the administration and are working together. He said he believes his daughter acted out of anger that is part of the post-traumatic stress she has suffered since the assault.
“Everyone, including the young girl’s parents, want to get her the help she needs,” Goldstein said.
The girl was 15 when she was sexually assaulted around March 1, in the Egg Harbor City home of Randy Williams, according to the affidavit obtained by BreakingAC.
Surveillance video put the victim at the scene at the relevant times, and Williams admitted to having sexual relations with her, the detective wrote.
Williams, 22, is charged with second-degree sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.
He was arrested March 2, and released from the Atlantic County Justice Facility on a bracelet March 14, jail records show.
The girl's post said a gun was involved along with two other juvenile males, although that is not mentioned in the charges against Williams. One of the males has not been identified, she said. The other is charged as a juvenile, so BreakingAC was unable to confirm those charges.
After the assault, the girl claimed issues with faculty and other students, naming them in a lengthy Wednesday evening post on change.org that has since been scrubbed of any identifiers.
Now, Goldstein said, the school is concerned that those named could be unfairly affected by the allegations.
“It’s unfortunate that the great work our faculty and administration had done to build an outstanding school may be tarnished by a lot of reckless online activity,” Guenther said.
“This is not in any way a victim-shaming event,” Goldstein said. “We’re doing all we’re doing today to make sure the facts come out.”
The girl has stood by her story, although she did tell BreakingAC she is not looking to get anyone fired. She said her goal was to shine a spotlight on a problem.
“We’re trying to handle this in a very sensitive way,” Guenther said. “It is something that is difficult and has ramifications both for the student who wrote it and for the faculty and other students who were named.”
Goldstein said they welcome the investigation, and are glad that different agencies are involved.
“The more eyes that are on this, the better,” he said. “It’s not something we’re going to brush under the rug.”
