Choate Rosemary Hall, a private boarding school in Wallingford, Conn., has disclosed that at least 12 former teachers had sexually molested — and, in at least one case, raped — students in a pattern of abuse dating back more than 50 years.
The New York Times reports that the allegations have been detailed in a report prepared by an investigator for the school's board of trustees.
None of the teachers’ actions were reported to the police. In some cases, teachers were allowed to resign after being confronted with evidence of misconduct, and administrators wrote letters of recommendations for teachers who were fired.
The report names 12 former faculty members who it says abused students, both male and female, between 1963 and 2010. In some cases, faculty members had sexual relationships with students for months, some of which continued after the students left the school.
Choate said it had been compelled in 2013 to examine its past after two alumni alerted the school to sexual misconduct they had experienced as students.
In a letter to members of the school community that accompanied the report, Michael J. Carr, the chairman of the board of trustees, and Alex D. Curtis, the headmaster, apologized and thanked the victims who came forward.
"The detailed content of this report is devastating to read," the letter says. "One can only have the greatest sympathy and deepest concern for the survivors. The conduct of these adults violated the foundation of our community: the sacred trust between students and the adults charged with their care."
Last year, Choate established an independent therapy fund to assist alumni who experienced adult sexual misconduct at Choate. They are given access to immediate crisis counseling and funds are provided to help pay for current therapy needs.
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