March has been an unkind month for two prestigious Heights institutions. The Heights Casino last week was reported to have investigated allegations that squash coaches there engaged in inappropriate conduct in the presence of students they were coaching. This past week, ICYMI, the The New York Times reported that
[a] yearlong investigation has found allegations of sexual misconduct, including male teachers having sex with students, at Saint Ann’s School, a Brooklyn private school known for its experimental educational approach and artistic culture.
According to the Times story the school sent a letter last Monday to “parents, employees, and alumni” in which it disclosed that the investigation “identified 19 former Saint Ann’s faculty and staff members who had potentially engaged in sexual misconduct or inappropriate behavior with students over the span of three decades.” Of these, there were
six male faculty members whose alleged misconduct included having sexual contact with a high school senior and then sexual intercourse after graduation, engaging in sexual contact with a student at an off-campus party, unwanted kissing and inappropriate physical contact.
These six were not identified because, according to the letter, the evidence in all cases wasn’t “clear and convincing.” None of the six are still at the school.
The Times quotes St. Ann’s headmaster Vincent Tompkins as saying the letter is “a reflection of our commitment to transparency and accountability as part of the process.” He also said “Saint Ann’s had changed its protocols to better respond to inappropriate sexual behavior, including consent workshops and background checks on new faculty.”
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