St. George’s School Sexual Abuse Investigation Examines Alleged Misconduct by Faculty and Students

An independent investigation into allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct at St. George’s School in Middletown, Rhode Island, revealed more than 60 alleged incidents involving 10 identified alleged perpetrators. The investigation examined allegations spanning 45 years, from 1970 through 2015, and included reports involving former faculty, staff members, and students at the private boarding school. Investigators also reviewed how school officials responded to reports of alleged misconduct and whether appropriate measures were taken to protect students.

Independent Review Followed Earlier St. George’s Investigation

The independent review of sex abuse claims at St. George’s School followed an earlier investigation commissioned by the school in 2015 after former students reported allegations of sexual misconduct. That initial inquiry identified 26 credible accounts of misconduct involving six former employees. Some survivors and their attorneys criticized the scope of the initial inquiry, leading St. George’s to commission a broader independent investigation.

The follow-up investigation was conducted by the law firm Foley Hoag LLP and completed in 2016. Investigators interviewed more than 150 witnesses and reviewed thousands of school records while examining allegations of sexual misconduct dating from 1970 through 2015. Investigators also examined what school officials knew about the alleged misconduct and how administrators responded when concerns were raised.

Report Examined School’s Handling of Alleged Misconduct

Investigators reviewed whether St. George’s officials recognized warning signs of sexual abuse, reported suspected abuse to outside authorities, and took appropriate action after learning about alleged misconduct. The investigation described instances in which allegations were allegedly handled internally instead of being reported to law enforcement or child protection agencies. 

Investigators examined how the school handled the departures of employees accused of misconduct and whether information about those allegations was disclosed after the employees left St. George’s. The report also reviewed the school’s relationships with certain former employees after their employment ended. According to the investigation, some allegedly received recommendations or continued financial support.

Those findings led investigators to examine whether decisions made by former school administrators adequately prioritized the safety of students.

Former Employees Named in Reports of Alleged Sexual Misconduct

Several former faculty and staff members were named in reports of alleged sex abuse at St. George’s School. Among them was former athletic trainer Alphonse “Al” Gibbs, who began working part time at St. George’s in 1965 and became a full-time employee in 1973. According to the investigation, Gibbs allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with female students over multiple years. The 2016 report states that Gibbs was named in firsthand reports from 31 women.

Investigators also reviewed allegations involving former music instructor and choirmaster Franklin Coleman. Coleman taught at St. George’s until 1988, when he was terminated for alleged inappropriate sexual conduct involving a male student. According to the investigation, 10 former students made firsthand reports alleging abuse by Coleman.

Former part-time nurse Susan Goddard was also named in the St. George’s sexual abuse investigation. According to the report, Goddard allegedly engaged in sexual misconduct with a male student in 1979 and 1980, when the student was in his junior and senior years at St. George’s.

Investigation Also Included Student-on-Student Allegations

The St. George’s School investigation was not limited to allegations involving school employees. Former students also reported alleged sexual misconduct involving other students. The reports included allegations of unwanted sexual contact, nighttime intrusions into dormitory rooms, and other alleged sexual violence involving peers. The student-on-student reports added another dimension to the investigation, which examined allegations involving conduct across the St. George’s community over several decades.

Earlier Allegations Had Already Resulted in Legal Action

Legal claims involving alleged sexual abuse at St. George’s predated the investigations conducted in 2015 and 2016. In 1988, a former student filed a lawsuit alleging that Gibbs repeatedly raped her while she attended St. George’s between 1977 and 1979. The school sought to have the lawsuit dismissed based on the statute of limitations. The former student later withdrew her claim under an agreement that included confidentiality provisions.

Nearly three decades later, the investigations brought broader allegations involving former employees and students into public view. Following those investigations, St. George’s entered settlement negotiations involving approximately 30 former students who alleged they had experienced sexual abuse while attending the school. A settlement was reached in August 2016, although the specific financial terms were not publicly disclosed.

St. George’s Investigation Highlights Broader Concerns About Institutional Abuse

The independent investigation provided a broader account of sexual misconduct allegations at St. George’s School, documenting alleged incidents spanning several generations of students and examining how school officials responded when concerns were raised. The findings, along with the earlier investigation, subsequent settlement, and reports from former students, have continued to draw attention to allegations of sexual abuse at educational institutions like St. George’s and the responsibilities these institutions have when allegations of misconduct are reported.