Yeshiva University Investigates Past Abuse Charges

WNYC
December 14, 2012

http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/wnyc-news-blog/2012/dec/13/yeshiva-university-investigates-past-abuse-charges/

[with audio]

In recent months, allegations of sexual abuse by faculty or staff have emerged from Penn State to Horace Mann. And another local institution is dealing with these charges: Yeshiva University.

An investigation by the Jewish Daily Forward has uncovered allegations that two staff members at the Yeshiva University High School for Boys in Northern Manhattan, sexually abused students during the late 1970s and early ‘80s.

The report says several boys during this time period went to leaders of the school and reported the abuse, and the university kept the staff members on.

“And when they finally did get rid of [the staff members], they didn’t report them to the police. They just allowed them to quietly leave," Berger told WNYC’s Amy Eddings.

The school’s chancellor, Dr. Norman Lamm, who was President from 1976-2003, told Berger that he knew about some of the allegations and chose to deal with them privately.

The school’s current president, Richard Joel, says he is looking into the allegations and encouraging students who may have been abused to contact the school. Joel said “While we cannot change the past, I can say with absolute certainty that Yeshiva University has implemented, and will continue to maintain and enforce the policies and procedures necessary to assure a safe environment.”

The school’s policy regarding abuse is that they should be reported, but “notification to the NYPD is solely the option of the victim, and the University will support that decision to the extent permitted by applicable laws.”

Listen to Amy Edding’s full interview with Paul Berger above.