Teachers Named In South Bay Sex Probe Continued Working: Report
SAN JOSE, CA — Several teachers named in a sexual abuse report at an elite South Bay Catholic high school have continued to work as educators in the Bay Area, The San Jose Mercury News reports.
The Mercury News report names three former Presentation High School instructors who have worked or currently work as educators in the Bay Area listed in a report commissioned by the school alleging a pattern of abuse spanning four decades.
Former Presentation teachers Dave Garbo, Jeff House and Kris White are named in a probe the school commissioned a Sacramento law firm to conduct.
Van Dermyden Maddux's investigative report revealed a pattern of abuse from the early 1980s through 2013.
Garbo, who until recently has been employed at Jefferson High School, a Daly City public school, had a non-consensual encounter with a student soon after her graduation, the report alleges.
House, who the report alleges cultivated relationships with two students and sexually assaulted one of them at his home when she was a freshman in college, currently works as a tutor and is employed as a consultant in San Jose, according to the report.
White, who the report alleges told a student he loved her, is listed as Fusion Academy's Palo Alto campus as head of school, the report said.
The Van Dermyden Maddux report alleges top school administrators Mary Miller and Marian Stuckey failed to take action when they were aware of the alleged misconduct, The Mercury News reports. Presentation's entire board of trustees announced their resignations Thursday in the aftermath of the report's public release.
Presentation issued a public apology that appears on its website's homepage acknowledging the "hurt" sexual abuse survivors experience, and that "the stark truth is that our school did not live up to its commitment to protect you."
The investigation didn't include the 2004 allegation of a former student because the case involved pending litigation, an NBC Bay Area report said.
The teacher involved in the 2004 case has since been required to register as a sex offender after police found child pornography on his computer when he was at another school, the report said.
The results of the Van Dermyden Maddux investigation are detailed in a 37-page report.
"We know that the findings are difficult to read and to digest, however, this investigation was necessary to examine our past to build and maintain a safe and thriving environment for all students past, present, and future, and to ensure we do not repeat any mistakes," the school's statement read.
"To the survivors of abuse, we deeply and sincerely apologize. The stark truth is that our school did not live up to its commitment to protect you. We added further harm when we responded defensively when reports of past abuse began to surface in 2017. We understand that words cannot m...
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director