I came to the conclusion that I could not trust adults. Hooper later became addicted to drugs, but he is clean now and runs an online resource for people with substance abuse problems. In comparison, some of its highest paying competitors, like Williston Northampton School, Cushing Academy, and Salisbury School, pay $61,993, $60,963, and . The next thing he knew, Sweeney recalled, he awakened to find Clarridge giving him oral sex while the teacher masturbated. He had died six months earlier. Her work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/author/michelle-r-smith. They named a total of five staffers. If there are incidents of abuse that you think should be reviewed by the Spotlight team, you can submit that information here or email Spotlight@Globe.com. Expelling a student who is the offspring of a trustee, major donor, or good friend of the school. New Hampshires Phillips Exeter Academy, which was founded in 1781 and is the alma mater of Facebooks Mark Zuckerberg and President Franklin Pierce, acknowledged last month that a teacher who was forced into retirement in 2011 had admitted to two cases of sexual misconduct dating back to the 1970s and 80s. You can make the case that every high school in America has bullies, but theyre not living next to them, Johnson said. Next, what might be done with respect to the administrative structure of the school? At St. Pauls in New Hampshire, a rape trial revealed a tradition in which senior boys competed to have sex with younger girls. In 2015, an alumnus had written to say he was molested in the early 1970s by then-Pomfret chaplain and dorm master John Edmonds. At least 67 private schools in New England have faced accusations since 1991 that staffers sexually abused or harassed more than 200 students, the Spotlight Team found through an examination of court cases, as well as interviews with alumni, relatives, school officials, and attorneys. One says he went to Coffin about seven years before the arrests to say Clarridge had molested him. The doctor, who has since died, told him it was rape, Marshall recalled. Thats what led the Exeter and Greensboro police to get involved, and what drew Jenkens to a small windowless conference room, accompanied by his wife and a police detective, where Jenkens talked to Peekel on the phone. When appropriate, the annual goals of the Board, the Head, and the different departments of the school should be shared with the school community by posting them on the schools website. . One week later, Richards apologized again, this time for not acting promptly to investigate an allegation at his own school. Liberating Assessment from Grading led by Jared Colley & Nick Dressler, Small is Beautiful: Vermont Academy Embraces Community | Joel Backon, Improving The Success Rates Of First Generation Admits | Jim Wickenden, Lessons Learned as an Edupreneur, Year 3: Never make a decision alone | Tanya Sheckley, People Will Remember How You Made Them Feel | Carrie Grimes. This story was reported by Spotlight team reporters Jenn Abelson, Bella English, Jonathan Saltzman, and Todd Wallack, with editors Scott Allen and Amanda Katz. So far this year, at least eight New England private schools have launched or disclosed sexual misconduct investigations. Without that, you have kids trying to figure it out on their own, she said. Share information about sexual misconduct at private schools with the Boston Globe Spotlight team by completing. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) A series of sexual abuse scandals is forcing a reckoning at some of New Englands most exclusive boarding schools and sending a shudder through similar institutions around the country that have long been training grounds for members of Americas elite. Baerlein said in April that the board of trustees is standing by Peterson. Peekel allegedly reached under the covers and fondled the boy; he then used the teenagers hand to stimulate himself. Behaviors by any member of the school family that cannot be tolerated need to be defined, communicated, and enforced. Signed by headmaster Eric Peterson and board chair Leslie Heaney, the report cited 26 alumni who had told an investigator they had been abused by one of six employee perpetrators. The most recent case cited was from 1988. It never occurred to me that there would be a group of survivors of sexual abuse or that I would put myself in that place, said Marshall, the St. Georges student who was allegedly molested by the teacher Lydgate. The story made national news on Dec. 9, 1977. Even when schools try to confront decades-old abuse, finding the right course is challenging. For Starr, the schools actions are inadequate, and he has become impatient enough to speak publicly about his experience. Tabor Academy in MA - Niche Tabor Academy (Marion, MA) Varsity Baseball - MaxPreps.com Obviously, if there had been any misconduct given the situation in the world today, I and everyone else involved would be in jail, Lydgate said. Last December, the Globe revealed the ordeal of Anne Scott, who as a young woman was pressured into signing a gag order about her alleged rape by St. Georges then-athletic trainer Al Gibbs. It hired an independent investigator in January, and victims lawyers said they are aware of credible reports of rape, fondling or other abuse involving more than 50 victims, with some cases perhaps as recent as 2011. Is there a need for a committee that addresses initiatives that would improve safety? Stay up to date with everything Boston. Bella English can be reached at english@globe.com. The school leadership has come to the realization that this intolerable behavior in past decades may have been broader in scope than we once had reason to believe, Stettler wrote to the school community in October 2011. Schools cannot prevent any of these problems from reoccurring, but they might act on the adage of Hope for the best while planning for the worst. One planning option might use the human resources of the school to create a Safety Committee composed of knowledgeable people (e. g. the CFO, the Director of Buildings and Grounds, the Director of Technology, the school Nurse, a lawyer, and a parent or trustee in the construction business.) It needs to set the tone. He put his pipe down, tapped it in the ashtray real hard, and goes, Come now, Johnny, come now. Tabor Academy founded 1876 is a co-educational private college preparatory boarding school located in Marion, MA United States. Tabor Seawolves Sideline Store. I would certainly file that report today, and would expect the same from all Pomfret employees.. Campus Life A Special Message for the Class of 2022. Tabor is known for its marine science courses. Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of data and reviews. Because my memory of his being relieved of his responsibilities still lingers, that combined with multiple stories during the 2020-21 academic year about the turnover amongst the Heads of several independent schools, prompted me to write an article that would not only describe how challenging the job of a Head of School was and is, but also how a confluence of issues resulted in multiple resignations, retirements, and non-retentions. Box Score; Feb 2, 2023 @ 1:00am. Last year, a new parent at Island School told Siebring about a great visit she had to a local chocolate farm called Steelgrass Farm, where she met a smart, engaging man named Tony Lydgate. . Viewer discretion is advised. Congratulations to Tabor Academy's graduating class of 2022! I want you to know how terribly sorry I am that you were the victim of inappropriate conduct on the part of a former employee of Pomfret, Richards wrote. She said he offered to mentor her teenage son on the chocolate farm, Siebring recalled. The events of that night long ago at Exeter left an indelible mark on Jenkenss life. Trustees of the private boarding school made the announcement on Tuesday, and said headmaster Jonathan Quirk agreed to the arrangement. All these stories, theyre the tip of the iceberg of a history of abuse, of privilege, of secrecy, of broken lives., Nothing ever happened in the school. Here is the full text of the earlier letter: It is our belief that John can continue to help Tabor fulfill its mission, and it is our commitment to you that we continue to monitor, care for, and protect all that we have built as Tabor heads into an extraordinary future. In 1942, my father was appointed Headmaster of Tabor Academy, a school in Marion, MA, with an enrollment of 42 boys. Officials often have no evidence to corroborate abuse alleged to have happened years earlier, and merely naming someone as an alleged abuser can destroy a reputation. No central database exists of allegations against private school employees, who are typically not required to be licensed. Managing a crisis delivered by Mother Nature, be it a hurricane, fire, or flooding. Likes. At the end of the academic year, the administrative leadership of the school should be convened and charged with the responsibility of identifying the problems or crises that were experienced, how they were handled, and in some cases define what should be done to produce a more effective response. Absolutely, there is a period of intense self-examination happening, said Pete Upham, executive director of the Association of Boarding Schools, an organization of 280 college prep schools, mostly in the U.S. and Canada. Lydgate paid some of his male students often those from single-parent homes or low-income families to do odd jobs at his house, according to interviews with several students who worked at his home and school officials Peggy Ellenburg and Adrya Siebring. On one occasion, Lydgate invited the boy to Block Island, where they slept in separate twin beds in the same room. Tabor Today Fall 2019 by Tabor Academy - Issuu After the alleged assault, Marshall struggled with drugs and was kicked out of St. Georges for a semester. For decades, he told no one else what had happened, and he battled alcoholism and depression. We understand that this has been a difficult period for our community, and we apologize for the stress and upset this has caused. Returning calls from angry parents, alumni, or even other Heads of School. Set standards with respect to the students use of social media. Tabor Today Magazine Fall 2020 by Tabor Academy - Issuu Tabor Academy community mourns loss of Travis Roy Large as those numbers of cases and victims are, they almost certainly underestimate the problem. Beijing Pops: Kris Wu's Sexual Scandal Became A Civil Case Small dormitories that look like large homes average . To survivors, that rings hollow. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides support and resources around the clock at 1-800-841-8371 and www.barcc.org . Jenkens, a college professor, shared his story on Facebook in March, one day after seeing some of his Exeter classmates speak out this year about teacher Rick Schubarts sexual misconduct. As Dallmann took pictures and Starrs parents watched in the audience, the boy, in a dress and bonnet, sang words that had secret, painful overtones for him: Im just a girl who caint say no.. I wish there would be a deeper conversation about behavior, about culture, about signs of someone who is being abused and how to respond to that, said Anne Scott, the St. Georges alumna. There was a small cot set up next to Peekels bed, so close that the edges almost touched. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a71c4d30fd8fe95a8236ba88b1c6a06d" );document.getElementById("e003984557").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. With the world adding about 3.5 billion people since then, . For 36 years my father and his colleagues gradually increased the enrollment to 550. I want [Fessenden] to take complete responsibility for what I now know to be a history of lies and deceptions around what was going on there, said the 58-year-old filmmaker, who is writing a book about his ordeal. Through a spokeswoman, Richards said: In hindsight, this particular matter likely should have been reported 10 months earlier than it was. Pomfret, too, has hired an independent investigator. Most declined our request for information. Thats not OK.. . St. Georges had received complaints about athletic trainer, technology officer, and then-dorm parent Charles Thompson by 2003, when one teenage boy told his family that Thompson had touched, harassed, and stalked him. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. And theres an environment of being stoic, I guess, and not talking about personal failings. The school was indicted in June 2004 on a charge of failing to report to the state that a 16-year-old student said he had been sexually assaulted by other students in 1999. I would contend that the turnover has a lot to do with many current heads not having the chops needed to meet a rapidly changing market. }Customer Service, More than 200 alumni of New Englands most elite schools say they were abused. He studied at Beijing Jingshan School and then transferred to Tabor Academy, a private boarding school in Massachusetts. The Head of School at Tabor Academy in Marion has been ordered to take a leave of absence for the rest of the year. tabor academy Admissions Office: 226 Front Street, Marion MA 02738 | Mail: 66 Spring Street, Marion MA 02738 | 508.748.2000 | info@taboracademy.org Employment Founded during the COVID Pandemic by a collaborative of leading voices in K-12 education (see our columnists), we strive to meet the need for greater understanding by our educators and parents of the practices, philosophies, and outcomes driving schooling and learning. The Tabor Academy Board of Trustees, in a Feb. 13 letter to the school community, said that Quirk could stay on the job and issue a public apology. St. Georges declined to comment on the allegations because of ongoing investigations by an independent attorney and by the police. Previously, he was associate head of school affairs at Brooks School in North Andover, where he spent 25 years. Tabor Academy offers a challenging academic program that includes 21 AP and post AP courses and numerous honors level courses across the curriculum. The teacher was a hockey fan and invited Sweeney to watch Bruins games on the TV in his room. And schools often keep the reports confidential, even when payments are made to alleged victims. If there is a stick of dynamite in the form of a predatory child molester and that person gets thrown into another school, or another parish, it should be a crime.. Eric Peterson has been covering this up since 2004, said Harry Groome of Arlington, who says he was raped by an upperclassman in 1979. Watch highlights of Tabor Academy High School Boys' Varsity Basketball from Marion, MA, United States and check out their schedule and roster on Hudl. Alix Coolidge, a St. Georges graduate and current parent, said she sees positive changes in the schools culture. Respond in a meaningful and constructive fashion to the deaths of George Floyd and other Blacks. Siebring said she quickly filled the parent in on what had happened at Island School and offered three words of advice: Call the police. Julie Salit, Associate Head of School for Faculty and School Affairs, will assume the role as Acting Head of School. The opinions of the columnists and contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the editor and publisher. Why the Increase in Head Of School Turnover? | James Wickenden Despite Tabor's commitment to health and safety protocols such as social distancing and mask-wearing, learning continues as though little has changed. He was arraigned later that day in Falmouth District Court on charges of DUI, speeding, and negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Instead, Phillips Exeter quietly forced Schubart out in 2011 and barred him from campus in 2015. He learned that Fessenden had received another complaint in 2008 and had settled three claims in the 1990s, including one by the former student who told the Globe he was abused by four people at the school. Deerfield officials said they couldnt substantiate the allegations, but last August the school settled for almost $100,000 with Reeds estate. Not mentioned were a series of more recent abuse allegations that came during the tenure of the current school administration, an omission whose consequences are still ricocheting among three schools. Peekel, however, told the Globe that he apologized to Jenkens but not for any wrongdoing. The school placed Thompson on leave the next year after 10 more boys told school officials that he had touched them inappropriately or made them uncomfortable. Getting past the schools reticence is a challenge; because these are private institutions, they are exempt from public records laws. Jenn Abelson can be reached at jenn.abelson@globe.com. She said her daughter has had repeated opportunities to talk about relationships and there are several counselors on campus. Upham said many boarding schools across the U.S. have actually been working for years to address the problem, especially after the Penn State furor. While no school will be able to defeat Mother Nature if she decides to vent her wrath, those on a Safety Committee might be able to minimize damage. The opinions of the columnists and contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the editor and publisher. Most declined our request for information. Should it have been an annual letter? The detective from time to time passed notes across the gray table about what to ask. In the wake of media coverage of abuse allegations at St. Georges, the Thompson case and others are being investigated by Rhode Island State Police. But she had met Clarridge and was charmed by his Harvard University credentials; she didnt believe her son. And Dallmann wasnt his only molester, he said. Reached by phone in Hawaii, he would not answer questions about the terms of his departure, and he denied Marshalls accusations. We decided that it would benefit both the school and John for him to take time away from his responsibilities at Tabor. Some of these responsibilities require a fair amount of attention; many, however, could be delegated. I felt like a really special person, Marshall said. Produced by Emily Zendt, Anush Elbakyan, and the Globe Spotlight team. Read more and find photos using the link below. For nearly half a century, Starr kept his feelings of betrayal and humiliation inside, sharing his story only with therapists and a few confidants. At Cornell, its a hard no., Report details 'staggering' church sex abuse in Maryland, GOP sets vote on parents' rights in clash over schools. Julies robust involvement in managing school affairs at Tabor as Associate Head, combined with her knowledge and experience as a career independent boarding school educator and administrator will allow the school to move forward in Johns absence. On Thursday, in anticipation of the publication of this article, he sent a letter updating the Fessenden community on the ballooning allegations but named no additional alleged abusers. More than 200 students have been victims of sexual abuse and harassment at New England private schools since the 1950s. At least four students later confided to school officials that he made sexual advances to them. well, things have changed and heads of school are now facing similar challenges as heads of other business and social enterprises .. thus placing a premium on culture. Having served on nine different Boards of independent schools, I readily admit that I failed to argue successfully about the need to recruit men or women who, for example, are health care professionals, have an expertise in the arts, a knowledge of technology, or experience as a teacher or former Head of school. Police said the suspects arranged a drug transaction with a 21-year-old Sandwich woman in the Tabor Academy parking lot on Dec. 5. Follow Michelle R. Smith at https://twitter.com/MRSmithAP . What is not necessary is a committee structure that duplicates the administrative structure of the school. Police declined to share the transcript of Jenkenss conversation with former Exeter admissions officer Arthur Peekel, but Jenkens remembered it vividly. Lydgate apparently left St. Georges in the middle of the year. For 36 years my father and his colleagues gradually increased the enrollment to 550. If you think you need financial aid, you should apply. Admissions School by the Sea Academics Athletics Unique Programs Arts All-A-Taut-O! I was raging, recalled Hooper, 64, who says he trudged several miles along the highway to the Boston University gymnasium, where he took refuge in the boys locker room and fell asleep on a pile of wet towels. I dont remember an occasion, but if that happened and somebody is offended and there is a problem, I apologize for that.. Its like a talisman or a grim reminder, he said, holding the dusty Minolta Autocord in his Los Angeles apartment. Tweets. If I did something that somebody inferred was inappropriate, Im sorry about that, Edmonds told the Globe. St. Georges, an Episcopal school near Newport, recently apologized for decades of abuse and for failing to report it to the proper authorities. The small school welcomed the gregarious, Yale-educated teacher, who asked people to call him by his middle name, Tony. GoLocalProv News Team. Confidential messages can be left at 617-929-7483. Go to bed at 10:00 p.m. after hearing from the dorm masters that everything (presumably) was under control. Tabor Academy's Tweets. Trustees of the private boarding school made the announcement on Tuesday, and said headmaster Jonathan Quirk agreed to the arrangement. "Therefore, John will be on a leave of absence from his role, effective immediately until the end of the school year," the letter reads. At St. Georges, some alumni recalled an environment where the weak were ridiculed and preyed upon. David Wolowitz, a New Hampshire lawyer who has represented private schools facing sexual abuse allegations, said its understandable that alleged victims want the fullest possible disclosure and also that schools want to proceed with caution. Unfortunately, Stettler said, he didnt know that when he wrote the letter, because hardly anyone from that period still worked at the school. The announcement represents a pivot from the board's previous statement that Quirk would stay on the job. In the wake of charges brought against Tabor Academy Head of School John Quirk on January 31 in Bourne for driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and driving at excessive speed, Tabor Academy's Board of Trustees deliberated and came to a decision to retain Quirk as Head of School based on the institution's "two-strike" policy and Stettler felt he had set an example for how schools should confront past sexual abuse. Tabor Academy (Marion, MA) Boys Varsity Ice Hockey - MaxPreps.com The full text of the most recent letter is as follows: Since our letter last Thursday concerning our Head of School John Quirk, we have continued to consider this incident and its aftermath. And when the Globe sent surveys to 224 private schools on their experience with sexual misconduct allegations, only 23 about 10 percent chose to reply. And worst of all, serving as the leader of the school following the death of a student, faculty member, trustee, or parent. He felt he was either about to vomit or burst into tears. While being a Head of School can be rewarding, Im nonetheless convinced that leading a school is incredibly challenging and at times woefully difficult. The Boston Globe attempted to survey more than 200 private schools in New England about allegations of sexual abuse. For all the investigations, some survivors feel there still needs to be a more comprehensive look at how independent schools operate. Quirk has served as head of school at Tabor, known as the "School by the Sea," since October 2011. In Rhode Island, the attorney generals office told the Globe that schools must report every allegation of sexual or physical child abuse, including by school employees, to the states Department of Children, Youth and Families within 24 hours. Lydgate declined to comment on the encounter. Todd Wallack can be reached at twallack@globe.com. Clampit, who left Fessenden in 1976 and whose license to practice psychology in Massachusetts expired in 1996, could not be reached for comment at any of his known addresses or through his family. The next day, Hooper said, he put on his warmest clothes and ran away in a snowstorm. Posted by Tabor Academy on Thursday, June 11, 2020 Tabor Academy also posted on Instagram , saying the school is "working to make Tabor a more inclusive community." He needs to have a public accounting for what he did, Jenkens said. She said he offered to mentor her teenage son on the chocolate farm, Siebring recalled. And when. On 2/1, the Tabor Academy varsity ice hockey team lost their home conference game against Governor's Academy (Byfield, MA) by a score of 3-1. The Globe also found 11 cases in which private school employees who were accused of sexual misconduct went on to work at other schools an echo of the Catholic church scandal in which abusive priests were often moved to other parishes.