Sex abuse in Connecticut is one of the worst acts that can be committed. Often, it is a person who is in a position of power over a younger person. It can cause long-term psychological, emotional and personal problems for the victim. Legal filings seek to take those who have been alleged to have committed sexual abuse to task and garner compensation for the victims. One recent series of settlements negotiated by Tremont Sheldon P.C., PC, helped gain closure for victims of a substitute teacher.
The victims, two males, reached settlements with the Newington Board of Education after the substitute physical education teacher was alleged to have sexually abused children in 1989 and 1990. The victims stated that the man watched them as they showered. If they refused, he threatened to fail them.
In other instances, the man showered with the boys. They said that he tried to touch them and showed his genitals as he demonstrated the proper method of using a jockstrap.
The teacher’s behavior was reported to his supervisor and the principal, but he kept teaching. The school did not report the behavior to law enforcement or any other authorities. There were other complaints that he took boys in the fifth grade to a whirlpool naked and lifted one up so the boy’s genitals were close to the teacher’s face.
Even after there was an investigation, a member of the schoolboard wrote a letter of recommendation for the teacher. In 1995, he was threatened with being dismissed, but they let him resign. He taught at another school and, in 1999, was arrested for improper conduct with students.
It is unfortunate that this case is not unusual. Sexual abuse happens in schools, and those who are supposed to be in authority fail to take proper steps to put a stop to it. Although, it is difficult to come forward, those who have been abused have the right to be compensated and to report what occurred, so it does not happen again. Discussing the case with an attorney experienced in sex crimes can help to file a case and pursue compensation and justice.
