Broadway High School students participate in walkout against sexual misconduct in the school

BROADWAY, Va. (WHSV) - A group of students from Broadway High School participated in a walkout on Friday.

The students were protesting how the school has handled recent sexual assault allegations on school grounds.

On Monday, allegations of a sexual assault involving two students was reported.

The students at Friday’s walkout were voicing their concerns about how the school handled the situation. They feel not enough was done to prevent the alleged assault and not much has been done since to help students cope with the matter.

Students expressed feeling unsafe on school property and unable to have their voices heard by school officials.

They said they don’t believe much is being done to prevent sexual assault and harassment at the school.

The students said they feel like the school is sweeping the situation under the rug and claim there have been other instances of sexual misconduct at Broadway High School that have gone unpunished.

“I think BHS needs to work harder on keeping their students safe. At the moment many of us are not even going to prom because we feel unsafe,” Balmaceda Mendoza, a student at Broadway High School, said.

One student said the school’s staff has barely discussed what happened with students.

“Nobody has really talked about it or at least teachers. They avoid questions, they avoid talking about it and I think we need to talk about it more because it happens,” Mendoza said.

The investigation into the allegations is ongoing by local law enforcement. The school cannot provide further details while the investigation is active, however, Broadway High School’s principal released a statement on Tuesday saying, in part, that student safety is a top priority.

Rockingham County Schools Superintendent Dr. Oskar Scheikl spoke briefly with WHSV on Friday. He dispelled two rumors about the incident that have been making the rounds on social media.

Scheikl confirmed that law enforcement was contacted by the school exactly three minutes after the student made the allegation.

He also said the rumor claiming the alleged perpetrator of the assault was only suspended for two days is false.

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