Investigation finds physical and sexual abuse occurring at CT School of Deaf
Image Courtesy to The Hartford Courant
March 4, 2020
An investigation conducted in West Hartford has determined there to be sexual and physical abuse occurring at the Connecticut School for the Deaf.
According to the students, their teachers slapped and punched them, forced them to eat until they puked and confined them in clothes hampers as punishment for misbehaving.
This report was released a year after the allegation began, with multiple students accusing former and current staff of abuse.
Administrators learned of the “inappropriate conduct” and reported it to the authorities who then pursued an investigation.
The school also stated that they were able to corroborate the accusations of sexual misconduct, the results of which specifically incriminated a longtime executive director. Nearly 40 alumni also reported persistent abuse and corporal punishment beginning as early as the 1960s.
Students said they were forced to kneel on broomsticks, kicked and beaten, and restrained with straitjackets and belts.
In an interview, the school’s spokesperson stated, “the results of this investigation reveal startling and appalling truths.
As a school community, we offer a sincere and heartfelt apology to the survivors of the inexcusable actions identified in this report and for the fact that the school did not stop them.”
On Friday, the board of directors hired an outside attorney to conduct the investigation and interview the victims. Over 80 victims, including former students and staff, have already been interviewed.
The school’s officials stated that one former student credibly accused the late Dr. Edmund Boatner, the previous executive director, of sexual assault.
“While Dr. Boatner is unable to respond to the allegations, and we recognize his otherwise unprecedented contributions to ASD and the deaf community, we found our alum to be highly credible and corroborated by the constancy of accusation witnesses,” the report reads.
The report also details the assault of students as young as ten.
As the legal proceedings continue, all of the accused have been banned from campus and have had the plaques recognizing them removed.
Despite the allegations, nobody has been found guilty yet and some are asserting that the defendants are not being given a fair chance to defend themselves.