Family of Girl Who Accused Former GOP Official of Groping Her Says Catholic School Kept Her out
By Lauren Stanforth
Albany Times Union
February 8, 2008
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=662127&category=REGION&newsdate=2/8/2008
SCHENECTADY -- The teenage girl who accused a former county politician of sex abuse says Bishop Gibbons High School kept her from attending last fall because of the case, according to a lawsuit.
John A. Aretakis, an attorney who has repeatedly filed lawsuits against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany on behalf of alleged victims of priest sex abuse, filed the complaint in state Supreme Court in Schenectady County in November.
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| Armando Tebano |
The lawsuit, which seeks $2 million, names the high school, the Catholic diocese and former Schenectady County Republican Chairman Armando Tebano.
The girl accused Tebano of fondling her in 2005 while they watched a movie at Tebano's home. She was 14 at the time.
Tebano faced misdemeanor third-degree sexual abuse, forcible touching and child endangerment charges. He eventually pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment. He was fined $250, plus court-related costs, and ordered to complete 250 hours of community service.
In the suit, the girl's mother says her daughter began to have behavioral and emotional problems at the Catholic high school because of the case. Her daughter left school for home tutoring for some months, but was behind academically when she returned, the suit says.
Aretakis said the dismissal was done the day before the 2007-08 school year began. The girl's mother said in the lawsuit that she didn't learn of the school's decision until her daughter went to retrieve books from the school on Sept. 6. The mother said she called the school and was told by the principal that the school had reviewed the situation and decided not to enroll her daughter. The girl then enrolled in the Schenectady city school system.
"The timing of it being done before school is especially mean," said Aretakis.
"While we have vehemently denied all the wrongful allegations in this matter, we look forward to a trial where the truth will come to light," said Tebano's lawyer, Joshua Farrell.
Diocese spokesman Ken Goldfarb said, "we'll let the courts handle the matter."
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