Outdoor School worker indicted for abuse

Catholic Sentinel
February 16, 2016

http://www.catholicsentinel.org/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=35&ArticleID=30970

Jared White

An employee working with the outdoor education program that is a rite of passage for Portland sixth graders has been indicted on 54 counts of child sex abuse.

Jared White worked in the Outdoor School program from March 2014 through Oct. 22, 2015. He was a volunteer at Namanu, Sandy River and Arrah Wanna Outdoor School sites between September 2011 and April 2013. In addition, he was a student leader at the Adams Outdoor School site between September 2008 and May 2011.

He never worked at Camp Howard, the Catholic camp that also hosts Outdoor School.

Sixth graders from Catholic schools are part of the Outdoor School program.

The victims in the indictment were acquaintances and not students who attended Outdoor School. But authorities think there may be more victims.

The Multnomah ESD says officials performed a full background and fingerprint check before White began work. Those investigations revealed no history of abuse.

ESD is notifying parents of students who attended outdoor school at the Sandy River, Namanu, Arrah Wanna and Adams sites when White was a student leader, volunteer and employee.

“This situation is very frustrating and upsetting and we know it will cause angst for parents, partners and the community,” says Dan Prince, coordinator of Outdoor School.