Headmaster at RI School Marred by Sex Abuse Scandal to Leave in 2017

MIDDLETOWN, RI—The embattled headmaster of St. George's School in Middletown will leave the school in 2017.

The school's board said that it has accepted Headmaster Eric Peterson's decision "with appreciation for his many contributions to our school," according to a press release.

“I am enormously grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of St. George’s. It is a place our family loves dearly and in which we take great pride.” Peterson said. “I am hopeful that announcing this decision now will allow for a thorough, national search for a successor, a process that requires substantial lead time and significant effort. In the meantime, I remain committed to seeing St. George’s through its continued growth over the next 13 months.”

Peterson has been facing pressure from many former students who are unhappy with the way he and other school officials handled numerous claims by students that they were sexually abused by former and now-dead athletic trainer Al Gibbs who has proven to be a serial child molester and rapist.

The legacy of sexual abuse at St. George's came to light when a former student reached out to the Boston Globe to tell her story about being cramped legally when she sought a response from the school about being assaulted by Gibbs when she was a student in the 1980s. She said the school was more worried about protecting its illustrious reputation than providing justice and support for victims, of which there were dozens.

That student, Anne Scott, now leads SGS for Healing, a group of alumni and victims who have successfully pressured the school to start taking some steps to address the past, including offering support and counseling services for victims and undergoing a public reckoning.

The Rhode Island State Police recently closed an investigation into dozens of allegations of sex abuse after determining that no charges could be filed against anyone for numerous reasons, most of them rooted in the fact that the alleged crimes were committed years ago.

The major complaint levied by former victims was that the school repeatedly did nothing when approached by students who had been raped or assaulted, beyond trying to get the victims to sign confidentiality agreements.

Peterson did not tell police about the alleged crimes, apparently in violation of state reporting statues, beginning in 2004. The school has apologized for not taking more decisive action.

In a letter to the school community, the chairwoman of the board of trustees, Leslie Bathgate Heaney, said that "Throughout this transition, the school’s commitment to addressing past instances of sexual abuse and to supporting our survivor community will remain steadfast, as will our efforts to advance educational innovation, support our faculty and challenge our students."

Heaney highlighted some of Peterson's accomplishments during his tenure, including the expansion of a library, the creation of a center for teaching and learning, expansion of the global studies program and the creation of the Academic Center, a building "that has transformed the way our students learn science, math and technology, and gather to study."

"The Board of Trustees is profoundly grateful for Eric’s leadership of St. George’s over his past 12 years as Head," Heaney wrote. "The contributions Eric and his family have made to the life and future of our school are immeasurable."

In his letter to the board, Peterson said that "Even though recent months have been challenging ones for St. George’s, I’m confident that the next head of school will arrive at an important juncture in our history and will be well positioned to carry the school forward in continued positive ways."

The board has hired Spencer Stuart, a national search firm, to find a new headmaster.

St. George's has been mired by the sex abuse scandal since December. Along with Gibbs, victims said they were raped and assaulted by other students and former chaplain Rev. Howard W. White Jr., in the 1970s and '80s, along with about five other former employees of the school.

A total of about 40 victims have since come forward reporting abuse dating back to the 1960s.

"I have told my story to several 'investigators' over the years, and the response was silence," said Kim Erskine. "Except for two others, I thought I was alone. I hope that as a group we feel empowered and can continue to heal."