Washington, D.C. – The conclusions of a 2018 independent investigation into the sexual abuse scandal at Phillips Exeter Academy where Tom Hassan, husband of Senator Maggie Hassan, was serving as Assistant Principal and then Principal were released.
The disturbing allegations were found to be met with an “ineffective” and “incomplete” response from Tom Hassan’s administration, according to the report. Read more:
Dem swing-state Senate candidate’s husband mishandled school sex abuse allegations: Report
By Thomas Catenacci and Houston Keene
The husband of Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., who is currently running in a tight race to keep her seat, played a role in the mishandling of a sexual abuse scandal at an elite secondary school in New Hampshire, according to an independent investigation.
Tom Hassan failed to properly handle allegations of misconduct at Phillips Exeter Academy (PEA) while serving in leadership at the elite boarding and day school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, independent law firm Holland & Knight concluded in a report published in August 2018. The investigation stated that school leadership failed to establish an effective protocol for students, faculty, and employees to raise complaints.
Hassan served as PEA’s assistant principal between 2001-2008 and principal between 2008-2014. Throughout his tenure as principal, the report said his administration’s response to complaints of inappropriate conduct by staff members was “ineffective” and “incomplete.”
“Reflective of this absence of protocol was that some individuals who experienced different forms of sexual misconduct at various points were not able to seek assistance or, when they sought assistance, were not treated consistently or fairly,” the Holland & Knight report stated.
“Emerging from these systemic deficiencies was a pattern of PEA failing to respond to, investigate, and communicate internally regarding reported misconduct in an effective and appropriate manner and, in certain circumstances, failing to report misconduct to the appropriate authorities,” it continued.
In one case, after PEA history professor Richard Schubart admitted to having a sexual relationship with a student in 2011, Hassan forced him to resign from his position. However, Hassan allowed him to retain “emeritus status,” attend school events and continue to participate in student life.
Read more at Fox News
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