Alumni Should Be Told about Allegations against Teacher, Paper Says

Sacramento Bee
September 20, 2012

http://blogs.sacbee.com/report-card/2012/09/alumni-should-be-told-about-allegations-against-teacher-paper-says.html

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: A story about an ex-Jesuit teacher William Farrington - accused of improper conduct with a student - has sparked controversy here and in Los Angeles.

The Bee story outlined how Jesuit High and San Jose's Bellarmine College Preparatory School sent emails to alumni telling them that "credible" accusations had been made against Farrington, who had taught at both schools. It asked anyone who may have been victimized to contact authorities.

The editorial board of the "Los Angeles Loyolan" - Loyola Marymount University's student newspaper - cites the story and asks university officials why they have not issued a similar letter to alumni who may have come in contact with Farrington when he worked in the registrar's office there between 1987 and 2002. The editorial demands "transparency."

The editorial says the case is even "more troubling" because the Jesuit brother reportedly was barred from working with minors in 1987- the year he was removed from Jesuit.

The Loyolan quotes Patrick Wall, a former Benedictine monk, priest and canon lawyer as saying: "We all know that there are students coming to campus for camps and activities that are under 18 years old and we all know that there are a lot of kids who are on accelerated programs taking college courses. There are opportunities to get to minors (at universities like LMU)."

Sacramento area readers - mostly Jesuit graduates - also have expressing concern about the allegations against the former teacher. Many have sent emails or left phone messages asking me to investigate further.