The Montgomery County Board of Education on Thursday appointed Kevin Yates as the new principal of Damascus High School.
Yates, who was named interim principal when Casey Crouse resigned in May, will take over a school that has received national attention after four junior varsity high school football players allegedly raped their teammates with a broomstick in a team locker room in October.
Four football players, all 15 years old, were charged with first-degree rape, attempted rape and conspiracy and will be tried in juvenile court. One suspect reportedly pleaded guilty to lesser charges of second-degree rape and three counts of attempted rape last month.
In a letter to community members announcing her resignation, Crouse said she was stepping down because the school needs new leadership “to move forward” after the Oct. 31 incident.
She was reassigned as an “administrator on special assignment” in the school system’s central office in Rockville, working with the human resources department.
Before taking over as interim principal at Damascus, Yates was the principal intern at Julius West Middle School. He has been employed with the school system for 25 years.
“Mr. Yates very much is looking forward to continuing his work at Damascus … to support the learning of all students,” Superintendent Jack Smith said at the school board meeting.
