RHODE ISLAND
Providence Journal
Posted Aug. 28, 2016
There were cries of relief this month after St. George’s School, in Middletown, agreed to a settlement with as many as 30 alumni who claimed they had been sexually abused. Finally, after decades, the victims’ claims had been acknowledged, and validated.
But even if the settlement, which was not made public, eases some of the pain felt by the victims, the story of abuse at this elite Episcopal prep school and the decades-long trail that followed one of the alleged perpetrators presents a clear warning.
Adults in any setting who are entrusted to care for children must be vigilant and do everything in their power to protect these innocent lives. Loyalty to friends or employees, or fear of scandal or disgrace, have no place in any decision-making process. Children must be protected. And people who hurt them or present a threat to them should be removed and reported to the authorities.
Sadly, that did not happen at St. George’s, where it appears that dozens of students were sexually abused by teachers and staff during a period from the 1970s into the 1980s. That these acts could have taken place over such a long period is almost as stunning as the number of children who may have been assaulted.
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