Dr. Mel Levine Accused of sexually abusing young boys
Sunday, March 22nd, 2009
Pediatrician Agrees to Stop Practicing After Abuse Charges
Dr. Melvin D. Levine, the North Carolina pediatrician who faces a lawsuit accusing him of molesting young boys during physical examinations, has signed a consent order agreeing that he will never again practice medicine in North Carolina or anywhere else.
Good riddance.
Sean: I think we have to be careful here. He’s just been accused, not convicted, and, even if he is guilty it doesn’t necessarily undermine his good ideas about dealing with learning issues in schools.
While I’ve never been a huge fan of the later, media massaged Mel Levine, his earlier books and lectures were right on the money to me.
I really must agree with the post above, yes it’s far to easy to say string him up, yes if he is found guilty then he should be but many lives and livelihoods have been torn apart by the media getting their facts wrong.
Give the man his day in court and then judge him on the result, not on the accusation.
Robin.
Amen Robin.
Dear readers,
Accusing Dr. mel Levine is just unfair. He changes the lives of millions of kids through out the world, now the same person who is doing his best to save kids is accused of this non sense? I am an Ethiopian who lives in Ethiopia . His book helps lots of kids. I want to thank him for saving our kids.
God bless you!
25 August 2009
Betty: There is no doubt that Mel Levine’s ideas and books are right on the money and have helped millions of people. That will be a fact whether or not these accusations about him are true.
But, it is possible for someone who has helped so many to have also hurt some, the two things can coexist.
I would venture to guess that none of those in support of Levine have had members of their own family suffer sexual abuse. Any person who deals with kids who have special needs know that they are the most vulnerable when it comes to abuse. If Levine was above board, he would have never taken young children into examining rooms without their parents. Additionally, doctors don’t willingly give up their right to practice if they’re innocent.
I do believe these accusations do taint the work that he has done. It’s the very victims that gave him the material to do his work. Should be overlook the priests who molested children because they also fed/clothed/guided those children?
Juliet: Be careful. Dr. Levine has been accused of sexual abuse, he has not been convicted that I know of. Here in the United States we consider people innocent until they are proven guilty.
I realize that the web makes virtual lynch mobs a lot easier to form but I would hate it if my post which was meant simply to inform the LD community became a gathering point for those who have already tried and convicted Dr. Levine in their minds.
That aside, I stand by my assertion that the work Dr. Levine has done, the books he’s written and the speeches he’s made have changed millions of lives for the better. Those lives won’t revert to some less than wonderful state if he’s convicted.
That’s not to diminish the seriousness of what he’s accused of, just to underscore the importance of the work he’s done. Those ideas stand on their own.
I support his work and I also support his presumption of innocence before trial as I would hope anyone would do for me if I were accused of a crime.
Richard: Huh? The guy gave up his license because 50 – count em- 50 victims who did not know each other – came forward with identical stories. Even the board of directors on the foudation that he created kicked him out because of the sex abuse. I have spoken to many pediatricians around this country, and they all say he’s guilty.
A doctor who is not guilty does not give up his license. He did so because he is terrified of all that is going to come out.
Really, you have to stop being in denial.
Sam: I’m not in denial at all. I just don’t think it’s fair or right or even legal to convict him before he’s had his day in court. And, he may very well be guilty and that would be a terrible shame, not only for his victims but because it will undermine all the great work he’s done over the years which will be thrown out because he did it.
His books and ideas have changed thousands of lives, whether or not he’s guilty.
Mel Levine is 69 years old and according to the NY Times, has not been practicing medicine for quite some time, so signing this consent will not have a big impact for him. Whether guility or not, I’m sure he is just trying to put this behind him as quickly as possilbe.
LEvine can’t put it behind him. There are a number of civil suits filed against him by the boys he molested. Have you any you READ any of the stories about what the boys said he did to them? My husband is a pediatrician and he like other pediatricians we know, say that Levine is guilty.
If you know anything about sex abuse, you will see that the majority of boys are so ashamed about the abuse that only a tiny fraction of them ever come forward.
Bravo to the boys who did. They are the heroes.
Mercy,
Personally I have no idea whether he’s guilty or not. Does the fact that your husband’s a pediatrician help him know if Dr. Levine’s guilty?
Sex abuse is a horrible crime.
I agree with Tami that his consenting to give up his medical practice sounds harsher than it really is.
Sandy said what I was about to say. The fact that your husband is a doctor has no bearing on his ability to know if Levine is guilty or not. And, in this country, we allow judges and juries to determine guilt, not lynch mobs from the sidelines.
The real issue for this particular web site is that Levine’s research and books continue to be some of the best around and if he’s found guilty it would be a shame if people associated his guilt with the legitimacy of the work that he and others did.
Sam: Posted on 16 Sep 2009 at 3:39 PM
“A doctor who is not guilty does not give up his license. He did so because he is terrified of all that is going to come out.”
While it is quite possible that Dr Levine your explanation is accurate, it is also quite possible that it is not. It is not reasonable to assume that only guilt could cause a doctor to give up his license. Possible other explanations? -concern for the institute’s reputation -peer pressure -wrongful accusations disillusioned him with the industry – court encouraged the action – to curry better negotiating stance -it’s a PR move on his part – lawyer recommendation to show good faith – sick of the drama -prefers authorship to medical practice so no incentive to continue w licensing -to protect his patients from being humiliated – to gain privacy ……
I have no opinion on Dr Levine’s guilt or innocence, but I do have an opinion on the way we all process and evaluate information. It is important to recognize that there are alternative possible explanations (at least I’d like to think all persons interested in LD issues would see that truth).
Be careful of believing there is only one right answer, and be very, very careful of believing that you are the one who knows that answer. Even if you are factually correct, basing your opinion on partial or faulty information makes you wrong.
Amen Sue.
The other issue which should not be overlooked is whether Mel Levine is guilty or innocent the information he provided during the years he was speaking, writing, and consulting has helped thousands and maybe millions of people. He certainly helped me by shedding new light on the overuse of both drugs and labels.
Well-said Sue.
Dear Richard, Please you have to be care full when it comes to a person who made differences like Dr.Mel Levine. As long as he is not convicted, I believe that he is an innocent victim of the media.One day the truth will come out.
Betty: That’s exactly what I’ve been saying in this comment thread. Have you read my comments?