Update on Mark Morris Basketball Rape Case—Classic Hits 100.7 KLOG News

Longview Superintendent Dr. Karen Cloninger gave an update on the investigation into the two Mark Morris basketball players who are facing charges, including rape, at last night’s school board meeting.

Dr. Cloninger says the third-party investigator they hired earlier this month is currently in the process of collecting all the artifacts and other information to review the district’s policies, procedures, and practices. They are investigating three areas, including athlete supervision, staff training, and reporting.

The next step is reviewing all documents for high school athletics and scheduling interviews.

Dr. Cloninger said they are doing everything in their power to keep students safe. She also addressed continued frustration from the community due to a lack of details, reiterating that investigations like this must be completed with care and there are limits on what can be shared until it is finished.

Another issue addressed was that school board members were not responding to public comments at meetings. Dr. Cloninger said that is because their board policy does not allow them to, in order to ensure each commenter gets their full time.

Because of concerns about that, school board chair Don Wiitala also spoke on the matter last evening on behalf of the board. He said they are listening and care deeply about the children of Longview. However, he said the board is committed to doing what is right, which currently means ensuring the investigation is conducted thoroughly and carefully. After completion, Wiitala said they will use that information to strengthen their systems to better protect students.

The two defendants in the case are 16- and 17- year old boys. Earlier this month, they pleaded not guilty to all charges. A pretrial hearing is set for today.