Sex Offenders Unwelcome In MD Schools: Baltimore County Lawmakers

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — County Executive Johnny Olszewski and Sen. Kathy Klausmeier are advocating for a change in state laws to ensure sex offenders cannot attend Baltimore County Public Schools or any schools in Maryland for that matter.

During a joint press conference Monday, Olszewski and Klausmeier shared their support for new legislation focused on school safety that would prevent sex offenders from being in schools in Maryland.

"Sex offenders have no place in our schools, period," Olszewski said.

The push came after WBFF ran a story about a 21-year-old Parkville High School student who was a convicted sex offender and is now back in jail facing new charges.

Santino Sudano, 21, has been held without bail since Dec. 6 on charges including second-degree rape, second-degree assault, third-degree sex offense and fourth-degree sex offense, court records show.

The victim was another student in Baltimore County, according to WBFF, which said Sudano was not removed from the school until three sexual assault victims came forward, including at least two of whom were Parkville students.

"When I first learned of the recent situation at Parkville High School in which a 21-year-old convicted sex offender was re-enrolled in Baltimore County Public Schools, I, like you, was shocked, dismayed, furious and frustrated," Olszewski said.

The principal at Parkville High School had the authority to allow the student to attend, and she "followed all proper policies and procedures," school officials told WBFF.

Olszewski said his administration immediately contacted Baltimore County Public Schools and urged a comprehensive review of policies and procedures. He said the superintendent is supportive of the "much-needed change" in state law.

"It quickly became clear to all of us — in the school system, at the county, state elected officials — that in order to make the changes necessary, we would need the support of state lawmakers," Olszewski said. "When we identify gaps in our laws, we have a responsibility to close them. And when the county is limited in our ability to act, we come together to do whatever is necessary to prevent the next tragedy."

He thanked Klausmeier for stepping up to draft legislation that would address the problem.

"I was appalled to hear what happened at Parkville High School. I regret that this ever happened, but I along with the delegates and other state senators and delegates in Maryland will stop this from ever occurring again," Klausmeier said at a press conference.

"The bill will say that no sex offender is allowed in a school, period. If you are 20, 19, 16, 14, 21, you, as a sex offender, are not going to be allowed in a school. And this is not just for Baltimore County, but it will be for the whole state, and some folks say well how about their education?" she said. "There are other ways to get an education besides sitting next to a student in a high school, a student in a middle school. This should not happen again."

She thanked delegates and other legislators in Annapolis who worked on the bill.

"We do not want this to happen again," Klausmeier said. "There will be no sex offenders in our schools in Maryland."