PHILADELPHIA (PA)
Philadelphia Daily News
By MADELEINE DEAN
O, wonder!...
O brave new world,
That has such people in't!
- Miranda,
in Shakespeare's "The Tempest"
PHILADELPHIA and other cities are in the midst of a tempest - a sad storm of sexual abuse of children by adults who children have a right to trust.
Two weeks ago, parents of children at St. Joseph's Preparatory School learned of the abrupt resignation of a longtime teacher.
On Nov. 9, a teacher of 29 years quit in the middle of fourth period. The students were all surprised by the teacher's midday dash - some were under the impression that he walked out in protest over disciplinary treatment of a student. But that was just a rumor.
Instead, a few days later, parents received a letter from the Prep that began: "It is with concern and sadness that I am writing to you today. Last week, Church officials received inquires concerning... incidents of alleged inappropriate [behavior by the teacher] with three students in the mid-1990s."
I make no judgment about the teacher; the facts are few and thin. And it is not for me to judge. It will be up to others to make a clear, full and truthful determination - for us and for our children.
But it is not too early to judge the actions of those in charge at St. Joe's Prep - both now and in the past. In a real way, we parents must judge them, since we employ them for our children's benefit.