BishopAccountability.org
	Brophy Teacher Fired Amid Sex Allegations By William Hermann Arizona Republic November 29, 2011 http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/2011/11/29/20111129brophy-teacher-fired-over-sex-allegations.html A longtime Brophy College Preparatory instructor has been dismissed amid allegations of sexual abuse, school officials said Tuesday. Dan Whitehead, a Brophy lay faculty member since 1967, was accused by two former Brophy students, now adults, "of inappropriate sexual advances when they were minors,'' the Rev. Edward Reese, the president of the school, said in a letter to the school community. In the letter, Reese, a Jesuit priest, said, "I reported the allegations to the Phoenix Police Department that same day. Brophy then terminated Mr. Whitehead's employment.'' Brophy administrator Adria Renke said school officials went to police about a week before Thanksgiving. A police spokesman, Sgt. Tommy Thompson, said that on Nov. 18, Brophy officials talked to Phoenix investigators "concerning allegations that a member of their staff had engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with two students in the 1980s.'' Brophy officials told police that at the request of the former students, they would not divulge their names to investigators, Thompson said. "There is no known victim information at this time,'' he said. "The information has been documented in a departmental report, but this investigation cannot proceed without further information.'' Reese noted in his letter that Whitehead "has not been charged by the police and must be considered innocent until proven guilty." Whitehead could not be reached by The Arizona Republic for comment. Reese said that "out of concern for the well-being and safety of our students," he was obligated to bring the accusations to the attention of the Brophy community. He then called for "any former or current Brophy student to feel free to approach us and the police if they have suffered abuse." Renke said that sexual-abuse counselors would come to Brophy's campus on North Central Avenue today and help the school's regular counselors in case any students wished to come forward. She said school officials would welcome these students "with open arms.'' She said that anyone who needs help can contact her directly at the school. Whitehead earned a bachelor-of-arts degree from Illinois State University and a master-of-arts degree from Arizona State University. He taught mathematics at Brophy, was a golf coach and was the moderator of the Calc Club. Reese said in his letter, "Our prayers go out to all victims of abuse that they might experience the love of God and the support of the community.''
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.