Police Investigating Sexual Abuse Claims at Prestigious New England Boarding School

By Chris Harris
People
January 6, 2016

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20977939,00.html

Anne Scott and Katie Wales Lovkay, who both attended St. George's School from 1977-1980

Two New England attorneys are saying they've been in touch with more than 40 alumni of an affluent Rhode Island boarding school that allege staff members or other pupils sexually assaulted them during the 1970s and 1980s.

PEOPLE spoke Wednesday with Eric MacLeish, one of the two lawyers behind a press conference held on Tuesday in which four graduates of the St. George's School in Middletown accused school officials of covering up years of systemic abuse.

"I have never run across anything like this," MacLeish, who has spent his career representing victims of childhood sexual abuse, tells PEOPLE; he's a St. George's alum.

"Officials were not reporting claims from students but instead, imposing gag orders on those victims," MacLeish explains. "There are prosecutable crimes that occurred here and I expect more victims will be coming forward."

At Tuesday's press conference, MacLeish and his co-counsel, attorney Carmen Durso, issued a 36-page response to findings released by St. George's headmaster, Eric Peterson, and the school's Board of Trustees back in December.

The school's own report, which was obtained by PEOPLE, capped a 10-month investigation into sex abuse allegations from 26 staff and students who'd worked at or attended the school during the '70s and '80s.


It concluded there was no evidence to indicate school officials "simply ignored" complaints of sexual misconduct while acknowledging "the school could have done more to keep its students safe." The school's report also included an apology and outlined steps administrators would be taking to get potential victims mental health counseling.

But Tuesday's detailed response alleges school administrators deliberately dropped the ball, failing to report known or suspected abuse to Rhode Island's Department of Children, Youth and Families. Instead, offenders were either terminated or expelled, MacLeish claims.
 

Horrific Allegations

The report issued on Tuesday claims the school's findings leave out critical information about life at the institution that graduated the likes of Modern Family thespian Julie Bowen, politician Howard Dean and writer Ogden Nash.

Other information was withheld from the school's report, MacLeish maintains, including an allegation that one victim was sodomized with a broomstick by a group of students – an incident that, according to Tuesday's response, was mocked in the school's yearbook months later.

The attorneys and their clients are asking for an independent investigation into all allegations of criminal wrongdoing at the school and want Peterson to step down as the institution's head.

Additionally, MacLeish hopes that the alleged abusers who are still alive can be brought to justice for their actions.

A source with the Rhode Island State Police confirms to PEOPLE an investigation into allegations levied against staffers and students at St. George's has been ongoing since Nov. 1, 2015. That source refused to discuss the investigation in any specific detail.

There is no statute of limitations on the crime of rape in Rhode Island.

At least one of the alleged offenders named in Tuesday's response can't face charges. Al Gibbs, the school's longtime athletic director, died in 1996. But the response issued Tuesday accuses him of rape and sexual touching while further claiming he photographed at least three female students, directing them to undress for the illicit shoots.

In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, Rhode Island's episcopal bishop, the Rt. Rev. W. Nicholas Knisely, said he has "been in contact with the state police" and will be "following their direction as the investigation is being carried out" into what happened all those years ago at the school.

Knisely's statement adds: "The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island makes every effort to deal responsibly and responsively with complaints and allegations of misconduct, which includes making reports to the appropriate authorities when child abuse is suspected."

It continues: "All of our clergy, staff and volunteers who work with children are required to go through a program called Safe Church Training. Sexual abuse in any form is repugnant in any community; when that abuse occurs within the church or an affiliated institution, it is especially painful. The church must be a place where people can come with the deepest wounds and vulnerabilities and be safe. Our churches must be places where children are nurtured and respected and cared for and never harmed or abused in any way."

A call to the school seeking comment on Tuesday's press conference was not returned.