WASHINGTON -- Angry parents told WUSA9 what was supposed to be a routine PTA meeting turned into a contentious gathering with the Shepherd Elementary School’s principal.
The principal and other school leaders took-on questions from concerned parents over the replacement of music teacher, 47-year-old Rudy Gonzalez.
Last week, Montgomery County Police charged Gonzalez with rape and sexual assault. Parents received an email essentially saying he was replaced. The email did not say why.
“I’m totally shocked because he was such a good person. He worked so hard for the kids, the productions that come in – that would come on at the school,” said Demetrious Woods.
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She’s a grandmother who said her 4th grade grandson loves Gonzalez.
News cameras were not allowed inside the Northwest, D.C. school for the 6:30 p.m. meeting. It was supposed to last an hour. It went longer.
Some of the parents who came out were frustrated with the meeting, calling it “B.S.” and “ugly.”
“I think that was the biggest challenge in there, is just…the parents did not know. They don’t feel like they knew enough information as soon as there should’ve been,” said Shepherd Park neighborhood ANC Commissioner, Stacey Lincoln.
Principal Jade Brawley came out after to answer questions.
“I want to be clear that this is a very delicate situation,” said Principal Brawley, “…there are children involved and this is just something that we wanted to be very sensitive to. Our community is grieving.”
She took an emotional pause as she continued speaking. Brawley said she was first made aware of the arrest last Tuesday, October 10, 2018.
Brawley said in the original communication, “… there was an employment verification, followed by information of an arrest with no other details beyond that.”
A Montgomery County police report from the same day showed charges against Gonzalez for rape and sexual assault.
Police say he brought a woman to his Silver Spring home last week and had drinks. Court documents say she blacked-out, woke up naked with severe pains and was later found unconscious, laying in bushes by the Wheaton Mall.
Police say the woman had surgery, the injuries were so severe.
News stations reported the serious charges on Tuesday, October 16th. That’s when the school sent-out a second email that doesn’t provide any more background other than the word, “investigation.”
When asked about the second email, Principal Brawley responded saying, “Tuesday is when we had learned of the extent of the situation.”
Principal Brawley told WUSA9 this is Gonzalez’s seventh year at Shepherd Elementary. DCPS will not say what other schools he may have worked in.
DCPS Spokesperson Shayne Wells said the system is bound by law from disclosing personnel details. That’s the case even in an investigation like this.
Principal Brawley did say there have been no complaints against Gonzalez during his time there. Gonzalez denies the charges.
Gonzales is due to appear in court again on November 9th, according to court documents.
