Boston College Theology Chair Accused Of 1980s Sexual Assault

NEWTON, MA — The chair of the Boston College theology department has been accused of sexually assaulting a former classmate at the University of Notre Dame in the late 1980s. The Boston College teacher has stepped away from his post as the college investigates.

The Heights, the Boston College independent newspaper first reported the accusations against Richard Gaillardetz March 1.

Gaillardetz denies the allegations, according to the Heights.

In two YouTube videos— one released last week and the first on Jan. 23— theologian Laura Grimes of Detroit, MI said that Gaillardetz sexually assaulted her on Halloween and in December 1987, while the two were students in a theology doctoral program at Notre Dame.

"Richard R. Gaillardetz, Joseph Professor of Systematic Theology at Boston College; my brother, my colleague, my rapist. Thou art the man," Grimes said in her first video, entitled "Ecclesiastical Rape Culture #1: Introduction."

Grimes said she and Gaillardetz were friends and colleagues, before he "tainted and then destroyed" them with two nonconsensual acts of sexual aggression.

In her second video, Grimes also accused Gaillardetz of having had a relationship with a student during his first job in Texas in the late 1980s that his wife knew about. Grimes said Gaillardetz admitted to them in an email to her calling them a sexually abusive professor-student relationship.

"Boston College takes any allegation of sexual misconduct with the utmost seriousness, and has hired a law firm to conduct an independent investigation to determine the credibility of allegations raised in the social media posts," Boston College said in an emailed statement March 2.

College officials said the university has not received any complaint of sexual misconduct against Gaillardetz during his 10 years at Boston College, nor has Grimes brought her allegation from 1987 to Boston College.

"Gaillardetz has voluntarily agreed to step away from his teaching and administrative duties while the investigation is ongoing," the statement said.