Editorial
Sex-Abuse Charge Not Simply a School Matter
Cheverus High was wrong in failing to notify law enforcers

Portland Press Herald
March 11, 2000

[See other articles about Charles Malia.]

Schools are often capable of resolving internal issues such as disciplinary problems on their own, but no one should believe that a serious accusation of child abuse is simply a school matter. By failing to notify either Portland police or the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office about allegations made against former teacher and coach Charles Malia, Cheverus High School administrators placed other students squarely at risk.

In 1997, a school alumnus (and a parent of an incoming Cheverus freshman) told officials that he had been sexually abused by Malia, a revered track coach who had been at the school for three decades. Cheverus was required by law to immediately contact the Department of Human Services and the DA's office. It didn't.

Administrators finally reported the case to DHS two months later, after a second abuse case surfaced involving a different teacher. Meanwhile, Malia was allowed to continue teaching and coaching.

Rev. John Keegan, Cheverus' president, says the school did its best to handle the situation properly. The case was com- plicated because the charges were two decades old and Malia denied them.

It's hard to accept Keegan's assurances. The law on reporting sexual abuse charges requires the school to "immediately report" the allegations to the DA -- a law with which every school administrator ought to be familiar. It's also common practice for school employees to be placed on administrative leave during such an investigation.

Finally, Keegan should know that incidents of sexual abuse aren't isolated occurrences. If a credible charge is leveled, everything known about abusers suggests that there have been, and may continue to be, other unreported instances.

There's more than enough blame to go around. DHS didn't pursue an investigation because it focuses on allegations of in-home child abuse. It referred the case to the Department of Education, which didn't follow up because Malia, an uncertified teacher at a private school, fell outside of its jurisdiction. The DA didn't act because the statute of limitations had expired.

The buck started and should have stopped at Cheverus. Officials should not have placed students at risk by allowing Malia to continue working there.