CALIFORNIA
Monterey County Herald
By DAVID L. BECK
San Jose Mercury News
Two former Monterey Bay Academy teachers The Seventh-day Adventist Church has agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle lawsuits brought by five men who say they were molested by teachers at the church's Monterey Bay Academy near Watsonville during the 1980s.
The church has also agreed to alter school policies to become more responsive to reports of sexual abuse.
"I refused to discuss money with them," said victim Michael Weston, "until they could prove to me that radical changes in policy have been made, and that they would provide free counseling to victims of sexual abuse in their churches and schools."
Victor Elliott, the church's Maryland attorney, confirms that has happened.
"What you had here," said Elliott, "was something that went back 20 years. The circumstances of screening of teachers and supervision are not up to current-day standards."
Posted by kshaw at June 4, 2005 09:19 AM