ACTIONS ARE LOUDER: Ex-CRSD head Triantafillos Parlapanides who smeared Adriana Kuch gave talk on ending school violence
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
BERKELEY, NEW JERSEY: Adriana Kuch, 14, died by suicide after she was allegedly bullied by four students in a New Jersey high school. The ex-superintendent of the school who tried to deflect the blame for her death once reportedly lectured teachers about how to end violence in schools. Triantafillos Parlapanides, the former superintendent of the New Jersey Central Regional School District (CRSD), said in a 2018 TV interview with Jersey Matters about the Parkland school massacre that everyone had a responsibility to look out for warning indicators to stop violence in schools.
However, the CRSD head praised his district's strategy of working with authorities to take swift action when a distressing video is identified and said social media was a terrific tool for locating those who threaten or commit acts of violence. Yet, it was not the case when a video went public showing the New Jersey girl, 14, being beaten by four teenage girls at Central Regional High School, with the victim then dying by suicide two days later. After receiving criticism for claiming Adriana killed herself because of her alleged drug usage and her mother's suicide, CRSD ultimately announced his resignation last week.
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'Good riddance': CRSD head Triantafillos Parlapanides resigns in disgrace after Adriana Kuch's death
What did the ex-CRSD head say about school violence?
Triantafillos Parlapanides confidently said, "I think it starts with the parents, the students, the teachers, the admins, the police, all working together to make sure everybody communicates." He added, "Like I said, a lot of these kids will show signs. We gotta make sure we don’t miss the signs." He continued by saying that since everything is now publicized on social media, finding the signs was not too difficult. "The one good thing about all kids nowadays, they put everything on Instagram, on Snapchat," said the former teacher, reports Daily Mail.
'Authorities were not alerted'
Parlapanides also bragged about how his district had a memorandum of agreement with the local police force to "notify them immediately" when threats or acts of violence are detected. Adriana was beaten by several teenage girls on February 1 and the disgusting video was shared online. The suffering continued until the victim hanged herself in her closet two days later. Despite this, the authorities were not alerted.
'He is still paid his $195,343 salary'
First, Parlapanides attempted to divert the focus away from the school, speculating that Adriana's suicide was motivated by both her alleged drug usage and the death of her mother, which he claimed was caused by an affair that Kuch's father, an Army veteran, allegedly had. The teacher resigned in shame after receiving harsh criticism but the district announced at a board meeting on Thursday that he is still paid his $195,343 salary.