A scathing report reveals administrators at a prep school in Boca Raton failed to protect students from a teacher who had developed a pattern of having students over for secret sleepovers and other late-night activity.
According to the report commissioned by the school, administrators at St. Andrew's School in Boca Raton looked the other way last year as one teacher seemed to have inappropriate relationships with four students despite repeated warnings.
School officials released a statement Monday morning that said "it is evident that the school had inadequate policies and procedures in place to protect students."
The statement goes on to say that the school will undergo a "comprehensive overhaul" of their policies and procedures.
The report said that after conducting its own inadequate investigation, the school hired an outside firm to conduct an independent investigation.
The findings of the report were released to parents on Friday.
The report is critical of the school for failing to investigate evidence of misconduct by the former teacher, who has not been charged with a crime.
Below is a statement released Monday by the school:
In addition to the fact that a faculty member violated student/faculty boundaries, it is evident that the school had inadequate policies and procedures in place to protect students. It is also painfully clear that, regardless of the fact that there are no reports to suggest that sexual abuse occurred, senior school administrators took insufficient action to protect students from potential abuse.
Our expectation is that these reports will make Saint Andrew’s stronger than ever before, and that starts with a comprehensive overhaul of our policies and procedures as they stand today.
As our Interim Head of School, Dr. Jim Byer will be presenting his plan of action to the Board for approval based on the findings in these reports. Dr. Byer has already taken steps to institute mandatory child abuse annual training for all faculty and staff in accordance with Florida Department of Education training curriculum and hold accountable all who interact and engage with students on a daily basis, across every position at the School.
Dr. Byer is also underway to engage qualified, trained professionals to thoroughly examine and closely supervise the Residential Life Program, including an expert to oversee the restructuring of all aspects of risk in the School who will report to both Dr. Byer and the Board of Trustees.
We are committed to rebuilding Saint Andrew’s as a stronger, safer, and more open community.
