RHODE ISLAND
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests
For immediate release: Thursday, Feb. 5
Statement by David Clohessy of St. Louis, Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 566 9790, SNAPclohessy@aol.com , davidgclohessy@gmail.com )
A man now in prison for child sex crimes was quietly ousted by a Minnesota Episcopal school before he moved to Rhode Island where he taught seven year olds. We’re both sad and worried that Rhode Island kids were put in harm’s way by callous, selfish Episcopal school staffers.
Depositions and court records paint a disturbing picture of how Episcopal officials shielded Lynn Seibel.
Minnesota Public Radio reports “The head of Shattuck-St. Mary’s School agreed to pay a teacher who had child pornography on his work computer $12,500 as part of a confidential separation agreement in 2003. The agreement came two years after an internal investigation was unable to substantiate claims that the teacher had sexually abused students.
The school official, who didn’t report the illegal images to police, also agreed to pay for temporary health insurance for the teacher, provide free tuition for his son and keep the reason for the resignation secret.”
Seibel’s resume says he worked at the Community College of Rhode Island (starting in 2010), founded the Lancaster Actors Studio in Providence (2009), directed acting at the International Talent Showcase in Providence (from 2005-2009), was an acting instructor at the Rhode Island Modeling Agency in East Providence (from 2005-2009) and was in marketing and sales at Trinity Repertory Theatre in Providence (2005-2008).
This is another example of how church officials often make secret payments to proven, admitted or credibly accused sex offenders to make or help them quietly “go away” without warning parents, parishioners, police, prosecutors or the public about these dangerous men and women.
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