‘Deeply Disturbing.’ Choate Rosemary Hall Says 12 Teachers Sexually Abused Students

A dozen former teachers at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut sexually abused students and were part of a decades-old pattern of misconduct, officials at the elite boarding school said Thursday.

Choate officials released a report detailing the “deeply disturbing” incidents, including one in which a now-deceased faculty member allegedly fondled at least one of his male student’s genitalia and asked for the student to touch his.

“On behalf of Choate Rosemary Hall, we profoundly apologize,” the school said in a statement. “The conduct of these adults violated the foundation of our community: the sacred trust between students and the adults charged with their care.”

As part of its goal to increase transparency amid reports of sex abuse at other schools, Choate asked alumni in 2014 to step forward with any incidents of inappropriate behavior they may have experienced from teachers. The school was flooded with responses. At least 24 people came forward to report troubling encounters that dated as far back as 1977. Choate’s Thursday report named all 12 accused former teachers — five of whom are no longer alive, according to the New York Times.

“The detailed content of this report is devastating to read,” Choate’s statement said. “One can only have the greatest sympathy and deepest concern for the survivors.”