Ex-Foxborough HS Principal Arrested Over School 'Fight Club'

The former principal of Foxborough High School was arrested Thursday over what police are calling a "fight club" operated in school.

Jeffrey Theodoss, the current principal of Montville High School, Montville Superintendent Brian Levesque and high school Assistant Principal Tatiana Patten surrendered themselves to Connecticut State Police Thursday morning and were charged with failure for a mandated reporter to report abuse. They were released on written promises to appear in Norwich Superior Court on May 3.

The case broke open in December after a state Department of Children and Families social worker notified authorities that one of the victims had turned up in juvenile court on another matter "showing real and identifiable symptoms of having been traumatized" by the fight club.

Police say that a substitute teacher was allowed to run a one-on-one fight club in a math class. That teacher, Ryan Fish, faces four counts of second-degree reckless endangerment, two counts risk of injury to a minor and a single count of breach of peace.

The three administrators were all aware of the classroom fights in October - even viewing some of the cell phone videos - but none reported it to police or the Department of Children and Families, according to state police.

Theodoss even told state police that he asked Levesque whether he should report it to police, and the superintendent allegedly told him "no."

Levesque also allegedly told state police investigators that he did not deem the matter to be of a criminal nature that warranted notification of authorities, but that that "was maybe a mistake."

Lauren Pallin, assistant superintendent of schools, said Thursday that all three school administrators have been placed on paid leave pending the outcome of the school investigation and criminal probe.

Theodoss was the Foxborough High School principal from 2005 to 2012.

Reporting from Alfred Branch was used in this story.

Image via Connecticut State Police