Front Page  »  

Old Mission School vice principal let go

August 1, 2016
Jason Robert Porter

Jason Robert Porter

By KAREN VELIE

In an apparent response to threats from several parents to unregister their children, Old Mission School in San Luis Obispo announced Tuesday that Vice Principal Margaret Porter will no longer be employed by the school. Old Mission School is a part of the Monterey Diocese.

“As a result of the unfortunate legal proceedings involving the adult son of Margaret Porter, it has been decided that, in the best interests of Old Mission School, Mrs. Porter will no longer be employed at OMS,” said Old Mission School Principal Tina Ballantyne in a July 26 email to parents.

At the end of June and again in mid July, Paso Robles police officers arrested Jason Robert Porter twice for sexually molesting children and creating child porn. He is being held in the San Luis Obispo County Jail in lieu of $7 million bail.

After the first arrest, police served a search warrant on the home Jason Porter shares with his parents, Lyle and Margaret Porter. Lyle Porter is a former principal at Mission College Preparatory Catholic High School and Margaret Porter is the vice principal at Old Mission School.

Detectives seized computers and storage devices from the Porter home and discovered thousands of images and videos that were believed to be child pornography. At this time, nine local children have been identified as molestation victims, by authorities.

More than a decade ago, Tina Swithin began battling to keep Jason Porter, her former brother-in-law, away from her children. Swithin reported that Porter beat puppies, made out with a 14-year-old girl at a wedding and spoke of murdering and raping women.

However, while Swithin continued to voice her concerns, a San Luis Obispo County Social Services evaluator dismissed her claims and asked the court to force Swithin to send her children to the Porter home for holidays, according to Swithin.

In the end, officials listened to Margaret Porter and ordered Swithin to let her children spend three holidays a year at the home that Jason Porter shared with his parents, Swithin wrote.

“While I hold my ex-husband, his brother and his father accountable for their evil ways, I find the most fault with their mother who was conscious enough and able to prevent the destruction caused by these men,” Swithin wrote. “Instead, she lied over and over for her family – even under oath when it came time to protect my daughters, her granddaughters.

“Had she not worked so hard to keep the family image perfect and shiny, many lives would have been spared pain and heartache,” Swithin wrote.

Following Jason Porter’s arrest, several families threatened to pull their children from Old Mission School if changes were not made, sources said.

Requests for interviews to the Diocese of Monterey were not returned.


Loading...
Subjects:             
Related:


59 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

There is nothing UNFORTUNATE about the legal proceedings against Jason Porter son of Lyle and Margaret Porter. What is” unfortunate’ is the innocent children who have been victimized

AND will need years and years to heal.


0

“As a result of the unfortunate legal proceedings involving the adult son of Margaret Porter”…


Huh? How about, “Because the son of Margaret Porter is an unspeakable pervert and predator and she was implicit in covering up his criminal behavior she has been fired.”?


What a weak statement put out by the school.


0

For MCP, it’s too little, too late. Trying to close the barn door, after the cows are in the pasture, seems the story line. It’s obvious that children suffered, just to keep up appearances, looks like a lot of “second collections” will be conducted, to pay for these crimes. I don’t support the bishop in any way, we have to do better!!!


0

Thank you Tina Swithin for continuing to speak out. Your dedication and tenacity is amazing.


As for the Porter family–shame on you. You can sell your house to pay for legal bills but the truth is being revealed one person at a time. Jason…check. Margaret…check. Next, Lyle…??


0

There is NOTHING “UNFORTUNATE” about the legal proceedings involving Margaret and Lyle Porter’s adult son Jason Porter. What is “UNFORTUNATE and unforgiveable is the damage and emotional and physical trauma inflicted on these innocent children and the years it will take as they try to go forward and attempt to heal.


0

The reality is, the innocent children may, through God’s grace, eventually give the appearance of healing and try to move on with their lives; however, just as with a severe physical injury, the scars NEVER GO AWAY. So so sad and so so unnecessary for this to have ever happened!


0

That’s simply not true. With God’s grace the scars DO go away — but in doing so they in no way lesson the hideousness of the act(s) that caused the pain.


Many cannot forgive. Many never seek God’s grace. They feed on the negatively and hatred that is spawned the hideousness of the act(s) and the pain never goes away.


-1

Just another terrible incident in SLO that people knew about and hid it.

Still the nicest city?


0

Why would anyone send their kids to either OMS or MCP? It’s not as if they’re authentic Catholic institutions of learning. It’s not as if their students get a deep and orthodox exposure to God and His Son Jesus Christ through the teachings of Their Catholic Church. It’s not as if their academics are significantly better than other local schools.


What’s the attraction? Is it a prestige thing for some parents?


In the end, helluva job Bishop Rich Garcia! Maybe you should allow the Catholics-in-name-only and the non-Catholics to remove the “Catholic High School ” lettering from the side of Mission College Preparatory as some no doubt crave to do.


0

The Roman Catholic church is the largest cult in the world.


0

Mr/Mrs Perp, organized religions, regardless of faiths, are problematic. I do not deny the issues as a Catholic of the failures in the Roman Catholic Church. The church is made up of people, failures in Christ’s teachings, but people none the less.

But, we as Catholics, believe in something greater than ourselves. ALL organizations have failures in the ranks, but as you have stated many times, we can’t dismiss all members of a group as responsible for the representatives of that group.

We as Catholics must stand up and do what is right and just….


0

And you are an ignorant individual.


I always shake my head when someone who does not know uses the word “cult” to attack that which they do not like and/or understand. Just what is a “cult”? The dictionary defines a “cult” as:


1. a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.


2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers:


3. the object of such devotion.


4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.


5. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.


So yes, the Catholic Church is “the largest cult in the world”, but it’s not what you think it is, you ignorant and prejudiced individual.


0

I read your rebuttal several times, I’m comfortable with my understanding and definition of the term “cult”. My response to you means nothing. Your opinions are yours, I’m glad I fought for this country to give your ability to speak out, this editorial is about the Porters. There are many institions with disgusting incidents that are detrimental to individuals. But don’t speak about what you don’t understand. ….


0

You bring shame to the great Saint Thomas Aquinas when you use his name and prattle on as you do.


My comments about “cult” were directed at “Perspicacious.” You understood that, right? Or are you both one in the same?


I laugh out loud at those who use the term “cult” as an invective. It does nothing but telegraph their ignorance — or perhaps in same cases, their stupidity.


0

Mr. Sam, my name is that, born with it quite along time ago. What your thoughts are, explains quite a bit for me. We disagree, fine.


0

I hope she can somehow be held as accountable as her pond scum son is about to be!


0

Add her creepy husband to the list.

These parents knew what what happening under their roof.


0
1 2