Education

Teacher resigns after allegations of inappropriate contact at Mass. Catholic school

This isn’t the first time an Arlington Catholic High School staff member has been accused of inappropriate conduct.

Arlington Catholic High School. Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe Staff, File

December 20, 2023

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A teacher at Arlington Catholic High School has resigned amid allegations of “inappropriate contact” toward students, according to school officials.

Writing to families and staff Tuesday, school administrators said the allegations came to light last week, according to a copy of the letter obtained by WCVB.

“On Thursday, December 14, allegations were brought forward before school regarding inappropriate contact from a member of the teaching staff towards students,” the letter read. “The students had reported the activity to a teacher/teachers after school the previous day, and, as mandated reporters, they notified the administration.”

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The school alerted Arlington police and the legal department at the Archdiocese of Boston, according to the letter. School leaders also launched an internal investigation, which remains ongoing.

The teacher was placed on administrative leave Thursday morning and escorted from the building, and they submitted their resignation later that day, school officials said.

“Our priority is to ensure a safe learning environment for the entire ACHS/SAS community,” the letter read. “We are proud of our faculty members who promptly and without hesitation brought this incident to the Administration. All members of our community take seriously their role to protect our students and the school community as a whole.”

A spokesperson for the Arlington Police Department said the law enforcement agency is aware of the allegations.

“The investigation is active and ongoing at this time and as such no further information is available,” the police spokesperson said.

This isn’t the first time an Arlington Catholic High School staff member has been accused of inappropriate conduct; in February, The Boston Globe reported that the school fired a part-time employee following an “inappropriate interaction” with a student in the hallway.

In May, three people who said they were sexually abused by a former Arlington Catholic High School administrator filed a lawsuit against the leader of the Archdiocese of Boston and two bishops. That lawsuit is still pending.