A campaign to support a career abuser

The emails:

In 2018, a girls swim coach was accused of sexual harassment be several current and former athletes under his control. Although the Orono School District had received complaints concerning this particular coach in the past, these complaints were finally reviewed as they should be under the districts commitment to Title IX.

In line with numerous narratives that are recounted pertaining to this specific period in our lives, this account exemplifies the inclination of those who were groomed to uncritically and willingly comply with the actions of a serial abuser. These individuals, who were initially targeted for grooming, unwittingly generated substantiated evidence of the perpetrator’s contravention of Title IX privacy and retaliation regulations.

The support network created by this coach exhibited a familiar pattern of being aggressive in their defense, as often observed in similar situations. These individuals readily believed the abuser’s fabrications, which had been carefully cultivated over a prolonged period of grooming. Despite readily available evidence to the contrary, they adamantly clung to these falsehoods as absolute truths. This distressing scenario starkly exemplified the malicious dynamics of power at play, where the abuser’s manipulation had impaired the judgment of his supporters, perpetuating a cycle of deception and denial. The tragic consequences of this unwavering loyalty were deeply troubling and served to highlight the profound impact of the abuse. An example:

“Now, to address the elephant in the room. It is public record that in 2002*, a similar complaint was made in another district. It was fully investigated, unlike what is happening in Orono. Pete sued, and won. Case done.”

Brandy Lulling, email to undisclosed recipients, subject line “Regarding Coach Pete Buecher”, Dated 2/25/2018 @6:40pm

For those who seek to verify the facts, it is important to note that this coach was TERMINATED by Roseville based on well-documented and proven abusive behaviors. Furthermore, I urge you to conduct a simple Google search of “Peter Buecher lawsuit” and review the contents of the lawsuit in its entirety. The truth is that Mr. Buecher LOST the lawsuit unequivocally. In fact, the case did not even proceed to trial, as Judge Doty ruled in favor of the defense and issued a summary judgment for a full dismissal with prejudice. This outcome, though it may come as a surprise to some, unequivocally refutes the baseless claims made by Mr. Buecher’s ardent supporters that he sued Roseville and emerged victorious.

This falsehood was shamelessly repeated multiple times, evident in the seven emails and 32 social media postings that I am in possession of. Shockingly, not a single supporter challenged or questioned this lie. They actively seized every opportunity to magnify the false outcome that was originally propagated by Buecher to his staunchest supporters.

It is my sincere hope that upon reading this now, they would feel a deep sense of shame for their misguided behavior. However, I fully acknowledge that outcome is unlikely at best. These type of attacks are repeated in too many similar cases. They are used to further vilify the victim and it underscores the need for factual accuracy and integrity in all discussions and actions.

(* – this is an error in dates by Brandy Lullying as the actual year is 2000)

The Board Meetings:

In each case below, the video supporting the statements quoted is public record and available through the Orono School District. I am in possession of the full and complete versions of each of the 3 meetings where parents, students, coaches, and the general public were permitted to attack my daughter and our family without any constraint for over 45 cummulative minutes. (note, public comment is constrained to 5 minutes per individual and at the time, 30 minutes per meeting… those constraints were ignored by the Orono School Board at each meeting)

The following is an example of a parent, affluent (at one point making the argument that his donations to the district should afford him an amplified voice in this situation) parent of a swimmer that had swam with this coach for several years.

“Accuser was not following the rules, not wanting to swim, difficulty with academics, etc.” – Joe Eichelberger, School Board Meeting, March 12th, 2018 (Video time stamp 16:25)

This is a striking example, among truly hundreds of others in this case, of an individual who, despite lacking any firsthand knowledge of the accusations, publicly divulges his name and home address, while audaciously attacking a 15-year-old girl. This behavior stems from being meticulously groomed by Mr. Buecher, leading to a baseless and uninformed response driven by unwarranted hubris. (I’m not posting the video at this time as it contains Mr. Eichelberger’s image and home address)

As mentioned in a previous post, it is important to clarify that the situation of “not following rules” was actually created by the coach, not the athlete. The coach then attempts to use this as justification for why the athlete “might” be accusing him of inappropriate behavior. It is crucial to note that this athlete had a strong track record as a top 8 swimmer in the state for her age group, and had maintained multiple exemplary relationships with coaches for years prior to this traumatic experience.

Perhaps the most incredulous comment in this example was regarding her “difficulty with academics”. In reality, she was the sole 8th grade student who attended high school on a daily basis, three years ahead of most of her peers in all disciplines, all while maintaining a flawless 4.0 GPA. Her unwavering academic excellence persisted throughout high school, resulting in nearly a quarter of a million dollars in scholarship offers from eight different esteemed colleges and universities.

Mr. Eichelberger’s interpretation of “difficulty with academics” is beyond comprehension. I extend my heartfelt sympathy to his children if this is indeed the standard he holds. This serves as a stark warning to others who may find themselves in similar circumstances. Anonymity is not guaranteed, and the onslaught of baseless attacks against you or your child will likely abound, regardless of truth. It is a sobering reminder that facts may not always carry weight in such situations.