UPDATE: Prosecutor Charles Greenwood says the dismissals came after both chaperones participated in a mediation program overseen by DA’s Office. The chaperones agreed to make a “substantial donation” to the Manitou Springs High School prom fund as well as private and public apologies, Greenwood said. Still no reponse from Farmer and Rockey or their attorneys as of 5 p.m. Friday. — LB
Two parent chaperones accused spraying Lysol on dirty dancers at a Manitou Springs prom won’t be facing a jury after all.
Prosecutors on Friday dismissed all counts against Jennifer Farmer and Hannah Rockey – letting the air out of an episode that drew condemnation from parents and attracted notice from the New York Daily News, thesmokinggun.com and other national outlets that leaped to put a comical spin on the tale.
Rockey and Farmer, both 42, were due to face jury trials soon on misdemeanor charges of harassment and using profane language.
The basis for the dismissals wasn’t immediately clear.
The prosecutor assigned to the case declined to comment. Telephone messages weren’t immediately returned by Farmer’s attorney, David Webster, or Rockey’s attorney, Josh McDowell. Both were in court on other cases, their offices said.
Rockey and Farmer were cited after a parent, Cory Archuleta, reported the teachers sprayed disinfectant and derided female students as “sluts and whores” because of concerns over dirty dancing at the Manitou Springs High School prom, held April 21 at the Manitou Springs City Hall.
Eight students were hit by the Lysol, which “got on their clothing, mouth and eyes,” Manitou Springs police said in a police report posted to the smokinggun.com.
According to the police report, both teachers admitted to a school official they had sprayed the substance.
Farmer, however, denied the allegations in a May interview with KRDO, the news station reported. She is reportedly a former Manitou Springs school board member
District Attorney’s Office spokeswoman Lee Richards couldn’t immediately provide additional details about the case.
Common sense is not so common anymore.
I wonder if either of these two would be as amenable if somebody decided to assault them in a humorous way to express displeasure with their mode of thinking…say, by hitting them each on the head with a box of Sugar Smacks to smack some sense into them….
What a nasty combination of overly theatrical kids, entitled parents, small town politics and media sensationalism.
Most of these accusations against the chaperones are known to be false by other chaperones and students. But most of the other chaperones won’t talk because it’ll cost them their job (back to small town politics).