Statements ABC News received regarding 'Nightline's' 'Passing the Trash' report
Statements ABC News received regarding 'Nightline's' 'Passing the Trash' report
— -- The following are full statements ABC News received regarding "Nightline's" April 6, 2017, "Passing the Trash" report.
FULL STATEMENT FROM MARLBOROUGH SCHOOL:
Thank you for reaching out. We appreciate your efforts to include all involved parties and hope that the sharing of this story will benefit your viewers and other survivors of sexual assault. We respectfully decline your offer to participate on camera, as it is not our practice to grant interviews during active litigation, but we have provided the following statement from Marlborough that we hope you will share with your viewers.
Marlborough’s most important priority is the safety and well-being of all our students. The school offers heartfelt sympathy to our alumnae who suffered abuse at the hands of Joseph Koetters, and we are tremendously grateful for their bravery in coming forward. While it is Marlborough’s policy not to discuss confidential student matters publicly, it is important for our community, especially our alumnae, to know that Marlborough was not aware of any misconduct by Koetters when the school hired him in 1999. To the contrary, Koetters received positive recommendations from his prior employer. Those recommendations were also supported in conversations Marlborough had with Koetters’s direct superior and the Headmaster of Koetters’s prior school.
We would also like to make it clear that Marlborough had no knowledge of Koetters’s sexual abuse of the two former students who have brought claims against Marlborough until our alumna courageously reported her abuse to the school in 2014, at which time Marlborough officials immediately notified the Los Angeles Police Department. The school has since implemented enhanced employee training and student education, strengthened its policies and procedures, increased reporting avenues—including an anonymous alert system—and improved student support. As a result, Marlborough is a safer and more open community today.
FULL STATEMENT FROM VIEWPOINT SCHOOL:
Viewpoint School’s first priority is the wellbeing of students entrusted to its care. We have denied the allegations made against the school in litigation, and we offer this factual narrative of events in connection with the employment and termination of Joseph Koetters:
Joseph Koetters was terminated from his position as a teacher and coach effective at the end of the 1998-1999 school year, which was his only year of employment by the school. Koetters shoved a male student during an altercation, in violation of school policy. His actions, his discipline, and his termination were documented thoroughly by the head of school at that time. There was no sexual misconduct of any kind that came to the attention of the school. Having already determined that Koetters’ employment at Viewpoint would end, the school had no incentive to shield him, or facilitate his future employment. While Koetters did obtain a recommendation letter from his department chair, he did so by assuring that teacher that he had disclosed the shoving incident to the school where he was applying for a position. The recommendation letter was neither reviewed nor approved by Viewpoint administration.
The tragic and criminal series of events connected with Joseph Koetters are heartbreaking, and his victims and their families have our deepest sympathy for all they have endured. It is with them in mind that we renew our commitment daily to provide a safe learning environment for every child.
FULL STATEMENT FROM RUBY E. MONTOYA'S ATTORNEY:
Ms. Ruby Montoya has dedicated herself to public education for over 25 years. During this time, Ms. Montoya has been very effective in her work as a classroom teacher and principal to provide a sound and safe education to elementary students. Regarding the allegations made against her in the present lawsuit, those allegations have been absolutely denied, and are not supported by the case facts. Because this matter is in litigation in United States District Court, it would be highly inappropriate to discuss the case specifics and Ms. Montoya has faith that all claims against her will be dismissed in the court proceeding.
