Elite New York school apologizes for decades of sexual abuse

The Horace Mann School in New York City

Horace Mann, one the most prestigious schools in New York City, apologizes for more than 30 years of sexual abuse perpetrated by some of its former staff.

“We sincerely apologize for the harm that was caused by the teachers and administrators who abused anyone during their years at Horace Mann School,” Board Chairman Steven Friedman and Head of School Thomas Kelly said in a letter posted on the school’s website on Friday.

The three-page letter added that “These unconscionable betrayals of trust never should have happened. But they did, and now we, as a school, must fully accept this reality.”

The school also said that it would eliminate the board position of trustee emeritus in a move to set up an advisory board on student safety.

On April 26, the Bronx District Attorney's office said a pattern of sexual abuse of students by school employees was uncovered.

The Bronx District Attorney's office and the New York Police Department launched a probe into the allegations of abuse after New York Times Magazine published an article in 2012, accusing some former instructors of the school of sexually abusing students in 1970s.

Following the investigation, Bronx District Attorney Robert Johnson issued a statement, saying, “The reported abuse ranges from what may be characterized as inappropriate behavior to child endangerment, actual instances of sexual contact, sexual intercourse and criminal sexual acts.”

He pointed out that the majority of the sexual abuses were reported to have occurred in the 1970s and some school authorities were aware of the abuse, but they did not inform the police.

Friday's letter apologized for the sexual abuse conducted between 1962 and 1996.