Follow-up to St. George's Prep School Abuse Story

Morning Edition, National Public Radio
January 7, 2016

http://www.npr.org/2016/01/07/462230455/follow-up-to-st-georges-prep-school-abuse-story

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Yesterday on the show, we told you about recent accusations of sexual abuse by former students of St. George's, a prestigious prep school in Rhode Island. The former students allege they were abused, beginning as early as the 1970s, by members of the school staff. The school has since apologized to the former students and said it will pay for counseling.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Among several former students coming forward to make the accusations is Katie Wales. She says she was abused by a staff member, Al Gibbs, who is now dead. Katie Wales says Gibbs abused her repeatedly in 1979, and that she told the head of school at the time, a man by the name of Tony Zane.

MONTAGNE: Katie Wells says Zane did not believe her and called her mentally unstable. Our reporter left a message for Zane seeking a response, and we now have that response, which contradicts Wales' account.

GREENE: Zane's written statement says, quote, "the very first time I learned of allegations regarding Al Gibbs was around the first of the year in 1980. I fired Gibbs on February 5, 1980. At no time did I ever tell any student that she was mentally unstable."