RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Public Radio
[with audio]
Alumni from St. George’s School in Middletown have accused the school of breaking the law by failing to report allegations of sexual abuse spanning decades. But as Rhode Island Public Radio’s Elisabeth Harrison reports, there’s more ambiguity in state law than you might think, and it may have contributed to the school’s failure to report the abuse.
It sounds obvious that a school should report allegations of sexual abuse right away. But when the alleged abuser is a teacher or another school employee, the reality is that doesn’t always happen.
“Most instances where these allegations come to light, the perpetrator is in denial or fabricating excuses. It’s rare that an administrator is given a clear-cut case,” said Tim Conlon, an attorney who has handled many cases of sexual abuse involving schools and the Catholic Church.
According to Conlon, institutions like a church or a school generally want to avoid controversy, and parents may seek to shield their children from further trauma.
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