BishopAccountability.org

Editorial: The horror of St. George's

Providence Journal
August 28, 2016

http://www.providencejournal.com/opinion/20160828/editorial-horror-of-st-georges

There were cries of relief this month after St. George’s School, in Middletown, agreed to a settlement with as many as 30 alumni who claimed they had been sexually abused. Finally, after decades, the victims’ claims had been acknowledged, and validated.

But even if the settlement, which was not made public, eases some of the pain felt by the victims, the story of abuse at this elite Episcopal prep school and the decades-long trail that followed one of the alleged perpetrators presents a clear warning.

Adults in any setting who are entrusted to care for children must be vigilant and do everything in their power to protect these innocent lives. Loyalty to friends or employees, or fear of scandal or disgrace, have no place in any decision-making process. Children must be protected. And people who hurt them or present a threat to them should be removed and reported to the authorities.

Sadly, that did not happen at St. George’s, where it appears that dozens of students were sexually abused by teachers and staff during a period from the 1970s into the 1980s. That these acts could have taken place over such a long period is almost as stunning as the number of children who may have been assaulted.

One of the alleged perpetrators, the Rev. Howard “Howdy” White Jr., has a trail of sex abuse allegations that spans more than four decades and multiple locations, including New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Nova Scotia, West Virginia and North Carolina. He was quietly dismissed from St. George’s in 1974, after admitting to sexual misconduct, according to a report issued last year by the school. Yet he was not reported to law enforcement authorities.

Now that there has been a settlement, the issue is how to go forward. To the extent that the settlement helps the victims heal, that is good. But what is truly important is that St. George’s and other organizations that work with children be vigilant in vetting their employees, establishing and following clear rules for appropriate behavior and acting immediately on allegations that something improper has taken place. There is no excuse for sexual abuse, nor is there any excuse for others not taking every step to protect the children in their care when they know something is wrong.




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