“This school.” Nah, I don’t think that’s a fair comment re Exeter specifically. It’s all terrible and indefensible, certainly. But the linked coverage re “new” stories surely came in direct response to the letter Exeter purposefully sent out to its community a few days ago. Actually, the letter quite forthrightly laid out all known cases and outlined the investigation and other steps the school has (responsibly and sensitively IMO) been taking to ensure this never happens again and that victims are heard, etc. One can be flip or cynical and say they’re just protecting the brand, but having been a part of the PEA community I genuinely believe they care and are taking this as seriously as they possibly can.
FWIW, we’ve been part of several different boarding communities (as well as public and private schools) and unfortunately know more than we’d like about this brand of insidious abuse. But I did find PEA’s words, tone, and commitment going forward reassuring. No one is defending the schools’ past mistakes or these disgusting adults or the administrators who failed to protect all of those poor students. But let’s not kid ourselves and think it’s just Exeter (or Andover or St. George’s, Horace Mann, or the other private schools or colleges we’ve heard about – or haven’t). I frankly think that my children would enjoy more protections at a place like Exeter going forward.
I am Catholic, BTW. These schools have nothing on the Catholic Church.