CALIFORNIA
Adventist Today
Adventist Today previously reported that a lawsuit against Monterey Academy alleging molestations involving two teachers and five former students had been settled out of court with a judgment of 3.5 million dollars. However, the church admitted no guilt.
The following is a statement recently released by the Central California Conference:
The Central California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and Monterey Bay Academy, a secondary boarding school operated by the Conference near Watsonville, California, have been investigating allegations contained in lawsuits filed by five male students who attended Monterey Bay Academy from the early to mid 1980s. The five alleged that while they were students at the Academy, they were supplied with alcohol and drugs, and were victims of sexual improprieties by one or both of former Monterey Bay Academy teachers, Lowell Nelson and Ronald Wittlake.
Because of the pending lawsuits, the Academy and Conference were advised by their legal counsel not to discuss the matter. However, both the Academy and the Conference have stated that at the conclusion of the case, they would provide a report on their investigation into the allegations.