Harvey’s Mom Responds

Dear President Dye:

As you may remember, I am the mother of [senior] Jeffrey Harvey, the student who was viciously attacked by three members of the football team –– [seniors] Ryan Catignani, Richard Kocher and [junior] Nicholas Walker.
This is a request that the names of the members of the appeal board that overturned the expulsion of the attackers be released to Jeffrey, along with the full outcome of the proceedings. Given the speed and secrecy with which Dean [of Students Peter] Goldsmith handled the proceedings, we are left with many unanswered questions. 
During a telephone conversation with Goldsmith last week, he very bluntly and repeatedly indicated to me he does not believe this attack on Jeffrey is severe enough to warrant expulsion. He clearly handled these proceedings with his own predetermined bias and therefore could not be objective as a coordinator of the appeal. If there is to be any pretense of fairness by the school, it is imperative that the victim (or has everyone there completely forgotten that Jeffrey is, indeed, the victim) be apprised of these procedures. And given the obvious conflict of interest of Goldsmith, the decision of the appeal hearing should be overturned.
Ever since the felonious assault occurred, the school has been more concerned about protecting the criminals and ensuring that they remain on campus to complete their classes than it has been about the severity of the crime perpetrated against Jeffrey.

–Barbara T. Harvey
Washington, D.C.