There is no excuse for an alleged rape at Rockville High

THERE CAN be no excuse for the reported rape of a 14-year-old girl at a Montgomery County high school, allegedly by two other students, who are undocumented immigrants. As County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) put it, "This should not happen. Period." If proved, this horrific crime in a school district that is held out as a national model should prompt a clear-eyed review by authorities. But it should not be an excuse for bashing immigrants or questioning the provision of public education to them.

Last Thursday's alleged attack at Rockville High School attracted national attention, including a mention from White House press secretary Sean Spicer at Tuesday's briefing, because of the alleged involvement of two students at the school who are undocumented. Henry Sanchez-Milian, 18, and Jose O. Montano, 17, were arrested on first-degree rape and sex-offense charges after the girl told authorities she was forced into a boys' bathroom during school hours Thursday morning and subjected to a series of vicious sexual assaults. Disclosure of the teens' status - notably of the 18-year-old's encounter in August with a border patrol agent for unlawfully entering the United States - has fueled questions about their enrollment in the public high s...