1980: Dear Brave Young Teacher, Stand up and say what needs to be said

Dear Young Brave Teacher,

Pulled into a last minute, all school assembly on a rainy day with rumors flying about a scary event the night before is unsettling.  However, the pit in my stomach doesn’t even begin to compare to what it must have been like for you to choose to stand before roughly 1,000 high school students, faculty and school administration to share your story about being raped on our campus. 

I’m so so sorry this happened to you and amazed that you were brave enough to not only come forward to hold your assailant accountable, but to try to have something important come from this horrible experience. Sadly, statistically, surely someone if not too many in the audience that day had some kind of violating and abusive experience later in life.  I imagine your bravery helped in some way.

You were a teacher and therefore in my eyes at the time I saw you as a grown up.  However, I’m guessing you were just a few years out college -likely only in your early 20’s.  I hope since then life has brought you justice, peace and happiness.  

Thank you for a remarkable display of courage to stand up and say what needs to be said.

Ann Simonds

Aka Annie Hoagland 

aka Annie Hoagland