FYI Friday, April 16, 2021 Don't convict the LCB in court of public opinion This week, the Ruston Daily Leader has published stories regarding the beginning of an investigation by the Ruston Police Department into complaints of sexual abuse at the Louisiana Center for the Blind. A former student filed a complaint in January alleging abuse by a former employee at the center. The LCB has faced several allegations that began going public in December of 2020.RPD Deputy Chief Chad Hamlin confirmed to the Leader staff this week that investigators were meeting with a woman who recently told the department she had been sexually abused a little more than two years ago . Let us be clear - the accused is said to be a former employee. This subject is a volatile one. It's an emotional issue, not only for the hundreds of students who have attended the LCB, but also their families and the many staff members who have worked there and continue to work there. This is an investigation, not a trial conducted in the court of public opinion. We know there will be comments made - on the street and on social media platforms. Remember that any heated opinions made off the cuff affect many people. We've already received comments from other former students who said they have fond memories from their days at the center. One even mentioned to us that lives have been changed for the better due to training received there. Of course, someone's positive experiences do not invalidate the trauma others may have suffered. So you can see this issue is complicated and extremely emotional. This is why, as with all criminal cases, we are taking the stance that as a publication, we will await the results of the investigation before we pass judgment or opinion on the staff at the center. Police detectives do this for a living. They take their jobs to heart, and we know they will do whatever they need to in order to uncover what has happened at the LCB in the past. We also want to clarify that the RPD investigation is not centered on the LCB itself, but of the complaints made. We also are aware there have been numerous other complaints alleged by other former students. However, at this time, none of the others have come forward to press charges. In essence, we've only scratched the surface reporting this story. As it unfurls before us, we certainly will keep you informed every step of the way. Sunday, April18, 2021 Dear Editor, Many of us who are former students of the Louisiana Center for the Blind have recently been sad to hear that allegations have been made regarding misconduct that has reportedly occurred during their training. Anyone who has been a victim in any situation, regardless if it has been a training center, a university, a place of employment, church, a doctor's office, or even in their own home, should know there is help. You can contact RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization, for help at 800-656-4673, or DART at 251-2255.All of us have become far too aware of issues dealing with misconduct in almost every aspect of our culture, and the blind community is no different as we are a cross-section of society. The accusations being made in this particular situation have now put these issues front and center for the Louisiana Center for the Blind, and we hope that this will lead to very thorough protections being adopted. Many of us believe that after all this scrutiny, there will be no safer place for blind people to go for training. Blind people are just like the sighted - some are highly intelligent, some have intellectual disabilities, but most of us are just average. Some of us have emotional issues, and some have mental health problems just like some of your family members. Some of us are compassionate, and some are rude and obnoxious. Again, just like some of your family members. Unfortunately, even blind people can engage in conduct that victimizes others. Most of us, though, are just trying to live the best lives that we can. Just like you. Thousands of us from throughout Louisiana and the country who have received services over the past 35 years at the Louisiana Center for the Blind could not have gone on to live independently, be successful in our classrooms, have families, earned college degrees, have rewarding careers, and to live full and meaningful lives without the extraordinary training we received in Ruston. Although we recognize and are saddened that a small minority of our fellow students may have been victimized, the vast majority of us had tremendously positive life-changing training, and we are looking forward to when the media will only have inspiring stories to report about our successes. Sincerely, Maria Morais Maria