WORCESTER (MA)
Telegram & Gazette
By Elaine Thompson
Telegram & Gazette Staff
WORCESTER — A local Catholic school teacher has been fired after allegations of sexual abuse that reportedly occurred in the early 1990s.
The alleged sexual abuse occurred before Derek P. Sylvester became a part-time music and theater arts teacher at St. Mary Elementary School in Shrewsbury and St. Joseph Elementary School in Webster, Raymond Delisle, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Worcester, said in a press release Saturday morning. He said that no information has come to the attention of either school of any inappropriate behavior by Mr. Sylvester while employed at any parish or diocesan school or toward any students of the schools.
Mr. Sylvester, who is from Worcester, has taught at the schools for about three years.
The allegations came to light Nov. 7, when the alleged victim, now an adult, made a report to Judith Audette, the Diocese’s Victim Assistance Coordinator for the Office of Healing and Prevention. The alleged victim said the incidents had taken place in the early 1990s.
Mr. Sylvester was placed on paid administrative leave on Nov. 10, after the allegations were reported to the Worcester District Attorney’s office. He denied the accusations during an internal investigation and was subsequently terminated Friday, Dec. 2.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.