CANADA
Toronto Star
By: Jacques Gallant Staff Reporter, Published on Fri Apr 10 2015
A GTA Catholic school board did not disclose to parents recent allegations that a board priest had sexually assaulted a child a decade ago in the United States, while the Archdiocese of Toronto made the allegations public only this week — nearly three months after they surfaced.
Although the Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and the archdiocese were kept informed throughout the investigation into Rev. James Roth by his U.S.-based religious order, they repeatedly chose not to publicly reveal the allegations until Thursday, when the Star began making inquiries. That was almost two months after the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales deemed the allegations credible.
The archdiocese now has a statement on its website. The school board, which briefed staff earlier this week, said it will “make an exception” and post a statement as well, likely on Friday, said spokesman Bruce Campbell.
“It’s not our practice to communicate, on a broad basis, on issues where a staff member may be charged criminally or there are allegations against them,” said Campbell, when asked why the board didn’t speak up sooner.
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