A yearlong investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct at an all-boys private school in Bethesda uncovered several years of abuse by a former teacher, school leaders announced Thursday in a letter to parents.
In December 2017, the Landon School hired a private firm to investigate allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior by Ward Bates, a teacher who was employed with the school from 1946 to 1962 after two alumni came forward with claims of abuse.
Bates died in 2011.
Investigators spoke to 26 people regarding the the allegations, and seven alumni who opted to remain anonymous reported credible accounts of abuse, according to the letter to Landon families from Headmaster Jim Neill and Board of Trustees Chairman Scott Harris.
Alumni reported that Bates repeatedly engaged in “direct sexual touching of students and/or leading students to do the same to him,” the letter said. Most of the abuse occurred in classrooms.
Landon, on Wilson Lane in Bethesda, is a private school founded in 1929 with 670 students from third to 12th grade.
“Words do not suffice to describe the great sorrow and anger we feel in learning of this abuse,” Neill and Harris wrote. “Parents place their faith in educators to keep their children safe, but these boys — now men in their 60s and 70s — have lived with these memories for decades. No child here or anywhere should experience this kind of horrific mistreatment, and we again extend to these men our sincerest remorse and apologies.”
One of the victims alleged he reported Ward’s behavior to school staff in 2007, but no evidence of to whom the report was made was found during the investigation, school officials said. Regardless, Neill and Harris said school administration should have responded to the report and did not.
Additionally, one victim detailed abuse that occurred off campus by a separate now-deceased staff member in the 1970s. The staff member’s name was not released by administration because it was a single allegation. No reports of sexual misconduct were brought against any current staff members.
Others allegations of misconduct included corporal punishment in the 1950s and 1960s and that one teacher “crossed professional boundaries” in the early 2000s.
Despite the conclusion of the firm’s investigation, Landon School officials remain open to receiving any additional allegations of sexual misconduct or abuse.
Since the reports of sexual abuse surfaced in 2017, Landon staff and counselors have met with all 670 students to explain the investigation in age appropriate ways and remind them how to respond if they feel they are in an unsafe situation with an adult. The school also formed a safety committee to update schoolwide safety procedures and training.
Faculty and staff have undergone training about avoiding compromising situations, identifying signs of sexual abuse and harassment and avoiding unacceptable behaviors, according to the school. Training was available with counselors, outside consultants or online.
The school has also expanded staff background checks to occur on an ongoing basis, as opposed to only prior to being hired. Background checks include criminal history and social media activity.
“While this effort has shed light on some terrible behaviors of the past, it has also led us to evaluate what we do currently to ensure that none of these kinds of things ever happens here again,” the community letter said.
Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@moco360.media
