[Vision2020] Status Hearing Steven Sitler

[Rosemary Huskey]

This morning I sat in a nearly empty courtroom and listened to arguments
regarding the June 11th marriage of Steven Sitler and Katie Travis. The
Department of Corrections unambiguously stated that they did not support
this marriage.   In late March Mr. Sitler told his probation officer that in
a year or so (predicated, apparently, on Miss Travis' graduation from a
college program) they want to start a family.  Following that conversation,
and because of the potential risk to any children Mr. Sitler might father,
the DOC (Department of Corrections) requested further psychological
evaluation of Mr. Sitler.  The results of his AASI = Abel Assessment for
Sexual Interest <http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/82/4/457.full>
raised concerns.


Mr. Wallenwaber, representing Steven Sitler, challenged the appropriateness
of the test in Mr. Sitler's case, as well as the academic credentials of the
evaluator.  (The evaluator has a clinical practice in Coeur d'Alene
"specializing in the treatment and evaluation of sexual offenders" and sits
on the Sexual Offender Classification Board; his credentials seem pretty
solid to me.) This tiresome old rhetorical device of Christ Church members
and leadership, i.e., ad hominem attacks fell, I believe, on deaf ears.  Mr.
Wallenwaber also argued that the issue in front of the court today was
marriage, not potential children, which seemed to me to be a accurate
statement.


The discussion amongst  Latah County Prosecutor , Bill Thompson; Judge
Stegner; and Mr. Wallenwaber, focused, in part,  on the legal consequence
if/when Steven Sitler and Katie Travis have children.  It may be the case
that Mr. Sitler will not be allowed to share a home with his wife and child
or children.  This remedy may be utilized in Idaho when the father is a
convicted pedophile.  Judge Stegner ruled that the wedding could go forward
and issues regarding the protection of children will be addressed if and
children are a factor in the marriage.


I am troubled that the marriage is going to take place, but I understand
that there is no law that prevents the marriage of convicted pedophiles - I
wish that there were.  I learned in court today (courtesy of Mr.
Wallenwaber's argument) that Mr. Sitler molested young children related to
him and that in 2009 with the blessing of some of his therapists, he
apparently "reestablished contact" with the adult family members of those
children.  It is unclear (to me) if he is allowed to also be around the
family members he victimized. How nauseating is that mental picture? 


What, if anything, have we learned about this whole awful situation?  We
know that Steven Sitler spent (approximately) nine months in custody (with
time out to drive himself to his therapy sessions in Lewiston).
<http://www.tomandrodna.com/CR_2005_02027/Order_SuspSent_Prob.pdf>     We
know that he avoided a prison sentence by agreeing to release some of the
names of his victims
<http://www.tomandrodna.com/CR_2005_02027/plea_agreement.pdf> .  We know he
has a little home on Main Street that was (and may still be) owned by
members of Christ Church.  We know that Mr. Sitler has "graduated"
(according to Mr. Wallenwaber) from the sexual offenders Valley Treatment
Program in Lewiston/Clarkston. We know that prior to attending NSA he was
homeschooled, by his mother, Roxanne Sitler. 


"As a Christian, I am more than just a little burdened for our children and
have myself been very involved in the civil sphere.
<http://www.learn-usa.com/relevant_to_et/ss&s004.htm>   Even though I
homeschooled my children, I continued to be involved in instructional
materials committees, sex ed committees, restructuring committees, etc. and
that was just at the local level.  I am still involved today, but over the
last six-seven years of intense researching to uncover what is wrong with
public schools and fighting to change it, God has been gracious enough to
simultaneously show me what a Christian philosophy of education is. "


Sadly, her crusade to demolish public schools did little to protect this
little Colville girl
<http://www.tomandrodna.com/CR_2005_02027/Private_Letter.htm> .  We know
that Mr. Sitler attends the University of Idaho and has completed three
years of a Chemical Engineering degree.  We know that on August 18th, 2010
at the insistence of Mr. and Mrs. Iverson <http://june11eleven.com/>  ( Mr.
Ed Iverson is NSA's librarian, and a Christ Church elder)  Steven Sitler
attended a dinner to meet Katie Travis.  Click on the "Our Story" tab to
read "Steven's Rendition" (how odd a word choice is that????) to read Ed
Iverson's  description of Katie was that, though NSA was tough for her, she
persevered through and she was,  <http://june11eleven.com/?page_id=116>
"pretty good looking, too".  Now we know for sure what I have strongly
suspected for several years, Ed Iverson is a patronizing, lickspittle,
jackass.  


The questions that I can't answer are the ones that are haunt me.  Why isn't
Steven Sitler, a dog's dinner of a scum bag, sitting in prison right now?
Why was a deal ever cut with this piece of nastiness?  Do any of you think
that he revealed all the names of the children he molested - all dozens and
dozens and dozens of them?  What led Katie Travis to want to marry this kind
of man?  What led Ed Iverson, Doug Wilson, Tim Tucker, and all the elders of
Christ Church, to choose Katie Travis to be their local trash collector?
What could she possibly have done to them to deserve what she is going to
get in the years ahead?  They are keenly aware of Steven Sitler's long
history of molesting young children, and yet they acted as a trio of
grotesque matchmakers (the witches of Macbeth and a bedraggled Greek chorus
comes to mind) in giving their blessing to this match.  


What impression will parents of perspective students at Logos or NSA have of
these wicked men if/when they learn about the role these church leaders and
school administrators had in facilitating this marriage?   And, what in the
name of everything that is loving, nurturing, protective, and responsible
possessed Don and Betsy Travis (the bride's parents) to approve this tragic
union?  There are no answers to these questions because in the world that
most of us live in these issues would never arise.  In Christ Church and
other CREC affiliates <http://www.crechurches.org/>  patriarchy is exalted,
"decent" women are submissive
<http://www.feminagirls.com/2011/06/01/submission-when-its-easy/>  (and
clearly disposable),  and leadership decisions are absolute and
unchallenged.  It is no wonder that appalling events take place.  


In spite of the discouraging outcome of the status hearing today, two people
shone a bright light into the gloomy atmosphere that surrounds a discussion
of pedophilia. Representatives from the Department of Correction, District 2
are honorable, straightforward, fair, professional and vigilant.  I am
grateful to them for their efforts to protect our community, and I am
confident that they will continue to carefully monitor the behavior of
Steven Sitler.


Rose Huskey


 


 

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