Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students

Dear Secretary Kerry:

Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students
March 4, 2013 Via Facsimile: 202-647-3344 The Honorable John Kerry U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520 Dear Secretary Kerry: This is a complaint against ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (ASSE), a U.S. Department of State Designated Sponsor for the Exchange Visitor Program. Abuse of foreign exchange students remains rampant. The continued close relationship between the State Department and its sponsors raise serious doubts as to the ability of the Department to enforce program regulations, protect the health, safety and welfare of exchange students, and safeguard the United States from notoriety and disrepute abroad. On February 4, 2013, Mr. James Alexander, told me the State Department is expanding dramatically and to expect, much more robust oversight. Secretary Kerry, we do not need more people watching these children being abused. We call upon you to send a strong, overdue message. Copy of complaint sent to the Department of State dated 01-31-2013 is attached. In Texas, Ms. Leigh Ann Gregg, Area Representative with ASSE, requests an exchange student write apology letters to those she offended upon complaining about living in a home where she (and her host sister from Norway) were exposed to adult toys and magazines in the home. The Italian father reported to CSFES that one toy was found by his daughter in the host mothers vehicle. Please be advised, Secretary Kerry, that ASSE did not report this to law enforcement, as required by the Federal Regulations, but required the student to write apology letters. PO Box 6496 Oceanside, CA 92052 Tel: 760-583-9593 www.csfes.org

Page Two March 4, 2013 Secretary of State John Kerry Why was the student from Norway allowed to remain in the home? Mr. James Alexander of the State Department must explain: Tel: 202-203-7794 or email: AlexanderJT@state.gov. Rock Center with Brian Williams released an investigation less than a year ago where Department of State Spokesperson Victoria Nuland said, "Our standard has to be zero tolerance. So to the degree that which we still have cases reported we are not there yet. Are the reforms that we've put in place sufficient? I think we need to watch that over the next couple of months and see where it goes. But we are absolutely committed to continuing to tighten these regulations and improve this program until we get to zero." This was stated in Anna Schecter's well-written article dated 03-13- 2012: Foreign exchange students sexually abused in program overseen by State Department With regards to Nuland's statement, "I think we need to watch that over the next couple of months and see where it goes." Secretary Kerry, it has been more than a couple of months. What changes are in place to further protect these visiting teenagers? You will read in the link below dated 01-31- 2013, Teenage boys who came here as exchange students, were the victims of a Vineland, New Jersey man who gave them alcohol, exposed himself, and then tried to take off their pants, according to police. NJ Man Preys on Foreign Exchange Students: Cops Article continues, The man accused is John Kinka, a volunteer for the ASSE student exchange program. An investigation is being performed to learn whether any of the other 30 students Kinka had contact with experienced trouble, per the article. Secretary Kerry, in an effort to bring awareness about the repeated patterns of abuse of foreign exchange students and lack of regard of the Federal Regulations by many of the State Department's Designated Sponsors for the Exchange Visitor Program; all matters involving the health, safety and welfare of exchange students will be sent to your attention and President Barack Obama. PO Box 6496 Oceanside, CA 92052 Tel: 760-583-9593 www.csfes.org

Page Three March 4, 2013 Secretary of State John Kerry This afternoon, I will mail to you the headlines of abuse in the United States since the release of Ms. Nulands commitment, to continuing to tighten these regulations and improve this program until we get to zero. You may also visit our website www.csfes.org and go to Headlines of Abuse. Read the headlines for 2012. Read the headlines for 2011; then for the year 2010 and keep reading. Then do something. Send a strong message and close down student placement agencies that repeatedly ignore the regulations written to protect these children. In advance, I thank you for your time and look forward to speaking with you. Respectfully, Danielle Grijalva, Director Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students PO Box 6496 Oceanside, CA 92052 Tel: 760-583-9593 www.csfes.org

Attachment Page 1 of 6 -------- Original Message -------Subject: Failure to report | Complaint against ASSE Area Rep Leigh Ann Gregg From: <dgrijalva@csfes.org> Date: Mon, February 25, 2013 9:37 am To: "Alexander T" <AlexanderJT@state.gov>, "Robin Lerner" < lernerrj@state.gov> Cc: "Ce" <ce@asse.com>, elliot@asse.com, "Bill Gustafson" < Bill@ASSE.COM>, scuola.washington@esteri.it, lagregg@gmail.com, U.S. Department of State Mr. James Alexander and Ms.Robin Lerner Private Sector Exchanges, Office of Designation Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA/EC/D/PS) Washington, D.C. 20547 Mr. Alexander and Ms. Lerner, This is a complaint against ASSE Area Representative Leigh Ann Gregg of Addison, Texas for failure to report as per the Federal Register: (n) Reporting requirements. Along with the annual report required by regulations set forth at 62.15, sponsors must file with the Department of State the following information: (1) Sponsors must immediately report to the Department any incident or allegation involving the actual or alleged sexual exploitation or any other allegations of abuse or neglect of an exchange student. Sponsors must also report such allegations as required by local or state statute or regulation. Failure to report such incidents to the Department and, as required by state law or regulation, to local law enforcement authorities shall be grounds for the suspension and revocation of the sponsor's Exchange Visitor Program designation; Mr. Alexander and Ms. Lerner, this student was instead instructed to write apology letters. Below find email from Ms. Gregg to student requesting apology letters by February 25, 2013, and states below, "All letters should be put in individual envelopes (not sealed) and addressed to the individual people, then mailed to me: Leigh Ann Gregg . . .

Attachment Page 2 of 6 Mr. Alexander and Ms. Lerner, in an effort to bring awareness about the repeated patterns of abuse of foreign exchange students and lack of regard of the Federal Regulations by many of the State Department's Designated Sponsors for the Exchange Visitor Program; all matters involving the health, safety and welfare of exchange students will be sent to the attention of President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry. Respectfully, Danielle Grijalva, Director Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students P.O. Box 6496 / Oceanside, CA 92052 www.csfes.org / 760-583-9593
Laws can embody standards; governments can enforce laws--but the final task is not a task for government. It is a task for each and every one of us. Every time we turn our heads the other way when we see the law flouted--when we tolerate what we know to be wrong--when we close our eyes and ears to the corrupt because we are too busy, or too frightened--when we fail to speak up and speak out--we strike a blow against freedom and decency and justice. -- Robert Francis Kennedy

cc President Barack Obama Secretary of State John Kerry Ms. Lucia Deyhimi, Student Office, Consulate General of Italy, Houston Emeritus Professor Freda Briggs National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC), Ms. Julie Whitman Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation (S.E.S.A.M.E.) Best Interests, Ms. Marcia Hoppers National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Mr. Ray Cruz, Mr. James Samuels and Mr. Russ Johnson International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, Mr. Ernie Allen PROTECT National Association to Protect Children The Innocent Justice Foundation CSIET, Mr. Chris Page

Attachment Page 3 of 6 ----- Messaggio inoltrato ----Da: Leigh Ann Gregg <lagregg@gmail.com> . Cc: Robin Fruia <robin@asse.com> Inviato: Marted 19 Febbraio 2013 22:43 Oggetto: Checking In Hey . Just wanted to check in and see how things are going? Haven't heard from you much the last couple of weeks. I hope things are well. I still need you to change your schedule, and I'd like to see a copy of your new schedule once you've changed it. I'll be calling your counselor this week to confirm this has happened. That was one of the stipulations of you getting to stay with a family in Joshua. YOU MUST get it done. Also, I think enough time has passed and you've had time to settle in and get re-adjusted, so we need to get to work on the apology letters. You need to write an apology letter to the following people: Lisa Ries, ASSE Southern Regional Director Robin, Fruia, ASSE Area Coordinator Leigh Ann Gregg, ASSE Area Representative Vessey Family . All letters should be put in individual envelopes (not sealed) and addressed to the individual people, then mailed to me: Leigh Ann Gregg . . . I will make sure they are given to the appropriate people. I need to receive these letters no later than Monday,February 25. -Leigh Ann Gregg ASSE Area Representative 469-955-0989 lagregg@gmail.com http://www.asse.com/ http://www.assehosts.com/

Attachment Page 4 of 6 Per favore, considerate l'ambiente prima di stampare questa e-mail. Please consider our environment before printing this e-mail. ________________________________________ Questo messaggio di posta elettronica ed i suoi allegati contengono informazioni rivolte esclusivamente al destinatario. vietato luso, la diffusione, distribuzione o riproduzione da parte dogni altra persona. Nel caso aveste ricevuto questo messaggio di posta elettronica per errore, siete pregati di segnalarlo immediatamente al mittente e distruggere quanto ricevuto, inclusi gli allegati, senza farne copia The information in this e-mail and its attachments is privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any copying, disclosure or distribution of this communication is prohibited. If you have received this communication by error, please notify us immediately and delete this e-mail and the attachments without copying

Attachment Page 5 of 6

From: . Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2013 10:11 PM To: pete@asse.com Cc: ce@asse.com; elliot@asse.co; bill@asse.com; DGrijalva@csfes.org; Lerner, Robin J; Alexander, James T; scuola.washington@esteri.it Subject: . Dear ladies and gentlemen I am very concerned about the welfare of . from Italy who is currently under the J1 VISA for the ASSE organization. I was contacted 3 days ago by a third party from the high school reporting that the student was having serious issues and that ASSE was threatening to move her to a new school in Waco, Texas because she complained about the host mother having sex toys in the house which made her very uncomfortable. The current host mother sells the items as a business and the student was notified that while this is not illegal it is not appropriate to expose a 16 year old girl to these items. The student was begging for anyone to listen to hear since she felt that her local coordinator (who is over an hour away) and her organization was not talking to her. According to the student her natural family and her Italian organization said that if she could find a family in the Joshua ISD she could move to a new family and still remain at Joshua High School until the end of school. It is already hard for an exchange student to fit in at an American high school and to yank . out without considering other possibilities is unacceptable. I have worked in the exchange student business for the last 20 years and I am very familiar with acceptable practices. I have a lot of connections in the Joshua community so I made some phone calls and was able to immediately find a family that is very excited to host .. I tried numerous times to contact ms Gregg about this family and was told repeatedly in text messages that it was out of her hands and that there will be no discussion - . will be moving to Waco on Saturday, February 2nd. I heard today that . went and spoke the Joshua High School principal Mick Cochran today and he tried to contact someone at organization and he could not get anyone to take his call. According . - she tried to call Ms. Gregg's supervisor and was yelled out and told that there would be no discussion. I have received

Attachment Page 6 of 6 numerous text messages from . because she is so scared and upset because she does not want to change schools. Tonight I received a message from . stated that Ms. Gregg is picking her up at 10:00 pm tonight and taking her back to her house where she is going to do some work for her until she can be brought to Waco on Saturday. So now . will not be able to say goodbye to her teachers or friends or even clean out her locker. I think that every situation has to be looked at on an individual basis and I even offered to volunteer and work with . to help her complete the program on a successful note. What about the best interest of the student - for whatever reason this student's welfare is not being considered. I can be reached at . The family in Joshua is STILL willing to host . and I am STILL willing to help her in the transition.

Copyright 2013. Committee for Safety of Foreign Exchange Students. All rights reserved.