They also mention their "working students." 
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I wasn’t trying to minimize the DUI, in fact I was pointing out that traffic violations can still be serious offenses. But the charge of the 3rd DUI was 10 years ago. Most of the more recent entries in the past few years appeared to be speeding tickets, vehicle inspection failures, and minor traffic violations. Managing an addiction is hard, but some people are able to get the help they need and turn their lives around. I have no idea if this woman is one of them or not, but for her sake, I hope so.
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But most of us don’t even rack up multiple speeding and traffic violations. Even if you tend to speed and push the envelope on turning left on a yellow light. In order to get multiples it suggests you are driving recklessly most of the time. Coupled with the earlier charges it’s a red flag that things aren’t completely OK even now.
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Yup.
It’s all ALARMING.
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LexInVASchoolmaster
She is claiming that I shared info about Sarah to somehow distract from my own supposed problems - she claims I am poor and female, neither of which are true - and complains that I’m being “stalkerish”, when it’s all a matter of public record and there for anyone to look at, if they put in a few minutes of effort. It didn’t even take me five minutes to find those many charges against her.
La-LaPopRider is the same woman (Lauren Kanarek) who has had many complaints made against her for being “stalkerish” and it has been said many times that she has restraining orders against her and that she has harassed and threatened both adults and children, hence why she is not well-regarded by anyone. As revealed on the Barisone thread that is now locked down, she has sent threatening messages to members of this forum for referencing what she has said and done and what has been disclosed about her colorful personal history. None of those messages had the desired effect and only made her look more crazy, after some were posted for others to read.[quote]
If you’re referring to the “Court Date for Michael Barisone,” (which you are) thread- well, anyone here is welcome to read that recently closed thread - to the very end. Any person making false claims were called out by numerous people. So, case in point- I guess it seems I’m very well “regarded,” by many more people than you would like to accept as F A C T.
While your entirely fictional backstory (& current story, ie, “there are no family pictures of LK, at least until recently …. and that is very telling,”) of my life was great material for a fantasy novel, the facts simply do not align. Therefore, you will have to excuse any skepticisms of any posts made by you, against any other people where failure to post dispositions seem intentional to a fault.
Any messages I sent were sent through flagging/moderators & specifically referenced a post made by another user. If you’re attempting to make THIS thread a continuation of a thread moderators have just closed, that is on you & will be reported to moderators and the principles of this publication. Accusing me of threatening and harassing children (something never been alleged by anyone, other than clueless posters who seem unable to properly read a civil suit, having nothing to do with me) I suggest you post it, as you claim locating what would certainly be on a public legal record- “only takes 5 minutes,” right?
I stand by my statement that you do, in fact struggle with the issues I mentioned previously. And, I stand by my invitation for anyone to read that recently closed thread to the end- and draw their own conclusions. Of course, as mentioned by @Inigo-montoya and several others, all things falsely alleged as fact, such as “restraining orders,” & “threatening children,” just as two examples (aside from pure speculation made by rando’s I’ve never met) of things which would certainly have made it to a law enforcement agency, just might be challenged yet again, and you didn’t seem able to keep up. Seems as though my comment wrt your (alleged) personal history and current issues re poverty and inability to pay for services (& other) got your tightie whites in a bunch. To me, that is very telling.
Back to the regularly scheduled program “People Attempting to Undermine SafeSport.”
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Please… let’s not continue arguments from the MB threads on this one. It won’t end well for anyone. This one is for SafeSport related issues…
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Lack of a conviction, acquittals, voluntary & involuntary dismissals (with or without “prejudice,”) is exactly what paints the picture. So…. Yes. Dispositions of any charge, interpersonal or not, are THE only pieces of information where a full picture can be seen, analyzed and “judged,” by persons who are not, in fact, the judges who already made those decisions in a court of law.
The only 2 things with which I absolutely agree- are these: 3 DUI’s (or even 1) are difficult to explain away. In most states, 3 DUI’s is a mandatory permanent loss of driving privileges. As it should be. Further, any definitive cases of a trainer keeping a known pedophile with a permanent SS ban, in close proximity to themselves and/or children is also completely unacceptable.
Which reminds me, RMD was accused & banned. The ban was later lifted. There is one thing I know for sure, the ban was NOT lifted Bc RMD was “proven innocent.” Maybe he is, maybe he’s not. I have read the statements by Howard Jacobs- RMD’s attorney. (Also, incidentally, the attorney for numerous USEF “higher ups,” & buddies in all matters re SS.) I have also read SS response to those statements, which I’m admittedly too lazy to relocate. However, the two do not align.
In lieu of this information, I have one question for everyone here regarding that matter. Would you allow your children to enter a training program wherein RMD is head coach?
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I can’t see the posts (ETA I can see them if I choose to , but I don’t choose to) that you are responding to ( I’ve blocked the poster) and I suggest people use the ignore function as I have done, if you are interested in the topic of Safe Sport and not in personal agendas. 
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I don’t know who RMD is, so I cannot really answer that.
However, I can say without doubt that I would not allow my children (or a grown adult who asked my opinion) anywhere near a program with which Sarah Willson is involved. I have no qualms about saying that, no matter what the dispositions say, having THAT many charges does tell a story, and it’s not a good one. If you have that many charges - in only one state, as Lex points out - it means that whatever you are doing in this life is not working; you are not right with the universe; you are failing to adult with even a passing grade. If you cannot get your act together any better than that, you have no business teaching children.
I assume I don’t even need to mention my thoughts re: my children riding in a program associated in Tom Navarro. That’s a hard pass + a report in my book.
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Robert “Bob” McDonald was not exonerated, despite what he and his wife claim. The two complainants against him refused to participate in the process after the sanction had been put on him, which made SafeSport close the case, before an Arbitrator could rule on it. SafeSport has the option to reopen it at any time and will do so, if the complainants decide to participate or additional complainants come forward. You can read all about the case and SafeSports official position, in this (already posted) follow-up article in the OC Register, the local paper that had been reporting on the case.
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The McDonald case is really troubling to me. Something clearly went wrong with the SafeSport investigation in that one.
The article linked about it was written by Scott Reid. He’s been an incredible journalist reporting on these abuse issues across multiple sports, and done groundbreaking reporting on everything involved with USA gymnastics. He’s also tackled some of the corruption and abuse issues happening at the University level. His reporting on the McDonald case shouldn’t be taken lightly.
In other news, Sarah W has announced on social media that Wulf Crest Stables will be hosting a winter show series. I’m sure it’s local and unrecognized… but still… after the last week of commenting on this thread… it was jarring to see that news posted elsewhere.
In a sad way, the whole thing is pretty informative and interesting in terms of learning how people can try snd get around bans and sanctions, etc.
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Parents just don’t want to believe unpopular or hard facts.
Tonight I had a parent ask for riding instructor recommendations. I told them to avoid RCF / Tom Navarro and explained why (sodomy conviction with a minor, former sex offender registration, safesport ban). Another parent asked for proof because they just signed their kids up there… then came back shortly thereafter and said “I just asked and it was an unwarranted allegation”. And that’s that. No amount of proof I provide mattered because people will believe bullsh*t when it’s packaged up in a charming little bow.
This is how he still maintains a business with minor students.
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the only thing you can do is provide them with the search engine information and allow them to do their own due diligence.
SO tragic
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Sigh. A conviction for sexual activity with a minor, a sex offender listing, and a Safe Sport ban is a much higher bar than an “unwarranted allegation.” that makes it sound like it was dismissed or gossip.
You can’t fix stupid.
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Exactly this.
I’ve lived in Northern Virginia awhile… and am a parent. I also think there is a parents-following-other-parents dynamic at play. Some kid starts riding there, the kid and parents are happy, then 2 or 3 friends of that kid and their respective parents all do lessons at the same place… and on and on it goes. And everyone in the chain assumes that the person who recommended the place to them did due diligence… so they themselves don’t really need to.
Plus, the barn is a social outlet for the kids. And it’s stressful as a parent to think about informing your kid that you will need to pull them away from an activity they love doing, at a barn with their friends. And you can’t really get into the details of why… Making that decision to quit bringing your kid there for lessons with friends? It’s likely harder still if you think that the other parents won’t be pulling their kids, and your kid will be confused and sad and feel like they are missing out.
But at the end of the day… the reality is that there was a teenager back in 2000 who lived in New York, who made an allegation that something pretty awful happened to her. And he plead guilty. That’s a matter of public record. And SafeSport looked at it all again in 2017 or 2018… and concluded he should be banned for life.
It’s just sad to me people so easily discount what happened to this other child. He had a criminal record… the burden of proof was quite high…
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I expect also parents truly can’t believe no one is doing due diligence, because only in horses is there no back ground check by a club or employer or institution.
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If the witnesses gave testimony but refused to do so in arbitration, that’s not necessarily anything wrong with the investigation. There are a lot of reasons that can happen, some in the cause of justice and some not, and while it’s frustrating to us I imagine it’s even more frustrating to the people who put that case together. The statements by SafeSport and the article from the OC Register seem pretty solid as to the particular alleged incidents. I hope there are no other victims but if there are I hope they find a path to come forward.
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If you have an Audible subscription, there is a free audiobook called “Twisted” about the Larry Nassar case. Be warned: listening to one mum describe her daughter’s abuse and subsequent suicide, and later her testimony at Nassar’s trial absolutely broke me. I have no kids, but I could hear my own mum in the lady’s voice, and her pain. It was tormenting. Not an easy listen, BUT… very, very worthwhile. Lots of interviews with survivors, and a thorough outline of Nassar’s abuse / capture timeline.
I absolutely believe in Safe Sport.
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