Broadway community holds protest against sexual assault

BROADWAY, Va. (WHSV) - Students, parents, and community members of Broadway gathered Sunday afternoon for a protest after recent allegations of sexual misconduct at Broadway High School.

“Once I heard what happened and how people were sweeping it under the rug, I’m like, I’ve got to be a part of this because I know how this school is and how the people there are,” April Kirby, former Broadway High School student said.

People brought signs, shirts, and their stories to Heritage Park.

”This is for the awareness of sexual assault happening at Broadway High School,” one person said in their speech to the crowd.

Not only were they protesting the recent allegations of what happened at Broadway High School, but many spoke out about sexual misconduct in their own lives.

“That shouldn’t happen at school, that shouldn’t happen anywhere,” one person said in their speech to the crowd.

Rockingham County School’s superintendent Dr. Oskar Scheikl said last week that law enforcement was notified immediately and there is an active investigation into the incident.

People at Sunday’s protest said they hope this allows their voices to be heard and changes to be made to prevent something like this from happening in the future.

“We need more teachers like that, who pay attention to their students that are clearly not doing well and take time to ask them how they’re doing outside of school and how they’re doing inside of school, just really care about their students,” Kirby said.

Community members said they found a safe place to share their stories with one another today.

“I hope people can learn that it can happen anywhere, it can happen to anybody - age, gender, race, and that we should always believe the victim,” Kirby said.

Copyright 2022 WHSV. All rights reserved.