Thursday, December 29, 2011
Former high school principal plans to take office, despite being named defendant in sexual abuse lawsuit.
With just days until the new School Committee term begins, John Graceffa, who is named as a defendant in a sexual abuse lawsuit, said he plans to take his seat. “At this point, in time I believe I am,” Graceffa told Waltham Patch by phone on Thursday, Dec. 29. When asked whether he plans on attending a Jan. 1 swearing-in ceremony, he said “I’m assuming yes.” Graceffa declined to answer whether he had considered not taking his seat. He was elected to the School Committee in November. The ceremony is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the John F. Kennedy Middle School, according to City Clerk Russ Malone. A former Waltham Public Schools student has filed a lawsuit against Graceffa and the city, claiming Graceffa failed to act on reports of sexual abuse…
42.396781
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Waltham High School
617 Lexington St, Waltham, MA
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Thursday, December 22, 2011
City has not yet been served the lawsuit.
Waltham Mayor Jeanette McCarthy last night said that the city will investigate allegations of sexual abuse in the school district in connection with a recent lawsuit. First, however, the city must review the lawsuit documents, which the city has not yet been served, according to McCarthy. “It will be investigated fully,” McCarthy said. Once the investigation is complete, she said, “certain decisions will be made.” McCarthy spoke to reporters immediately following last night’s School Committee meeting at Waltham High School. The matter was not raised during the meeting. Also, McCarthy told reporters she had “no knowledge” of whether the allegations will affect whether former High School Principal John Graceffa, a defendant in the lawsuit, …
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Waltham High School
617 Lexington St, Waltham, MA
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/locations/6055208
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Arlington Catholic headmaster declines comment about lawsuit claiming dean of students failed to report abuse of 14-year-old student in Waltham.
The principal of Arlington Catholic High School said school officials aren’t taking any action against the school’s dean of students, also a former Waltham High School principal, following allegations in a sexual abuse lawsuit. In an email, Arlington Catholic High School Principal Steve Biagioni said he had no comment about recent claims by a former Waltham High School student that, while working as the principal there, Dean of Students John Graceffa failed to act on prior reports of sexual abuse by a teacher. The former student and alleged victim, Michael Phillips Jr., 20, filed a lawsuit in Middlesex Superior Court on Friday. He claims that Graceffa could have stopped a former drama teacher at John W. McDevitt Middle School, Waltham, …
Waltham case similar to other high-profile sex abuse cases, attorney says.
Attorney Carmen Durso, who represents a former Waltham public schools student who has filed a lawsuit claiming a former high school principal failed to act on prior reports of sexual abuse by a teacher, is making comparisons to other high-profile sexual abuse cases such as the Penn State, Syracuse University and Boston's Horbor Pilot School.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
An overview of yesterday's news about the case.
A former Waltham Public Schools student has filed a lawsuit alleging that a former Waltham High School principal failed to act on prior reports of sexual abuse by a teacher that could have prevented the teacher from abusing him. The former student and alleged victim, Michael Phillips Jr., in the lawsuit filed in Middlesex Superior Court on Friday, Dec. 16, claims that former Waltham High School Principal and School Committee member-elect John Graceffa failed to act on prior reports of sexual abuse against students by Robert Dacey a former drama teacher at John W. McDevitt Middle School, who died in 2007 while he was awaiting trial on sexual abuse charges. Graceffa currently works as the dean of students at Arlington Catholic High School in…
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John W. McDevitt Middle School
75 Church St, Waltham, MA
/articles/waltham-school-sex-abuse-lawsuit-a-roundup
1831984
/locations/6042505
42.396781
-71.235516
Waltham High School
617 Lexington St, Waltham, MA
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1831982
/locations/6042506
Monday, December 19, 2011
Attorney Carmen Durso comments on the sexual abuse lawsuit his client filed Friday.
Attorney Carmen Durso, who represents Michael Phillips Jr., comments on how the sexual abuse case that led to the lawsuit his client filed against the City of Waltham and former High School Principal John Graceffa, unfolded.
Alleged abuse victim speaks out on the lawsuit he filed against a former Waltham High School principal.
Michael Phillips Jr., who has filed a lawsuit against the city of Waltham and a former high school principal claiming they failed to take action against a now deceased teacher that would have stopped the teacher from abusing him, speaks out on why filed the lawsuit. He spoke from his attorney's office downtown Boston on Monday, Dec. 19.
Former Waltham middle school student files sex abuse suit against former high school principal and city.
UPDATED, 4:05 p.m.: Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy just told Waltham Patch she could not comment on the lawsuit and has not yet been served documents regarding it. McCarthy, who also serves as the chairman of the school committee, declined to comment on whether Graceffa would be taking his seat on the committee early next year. __________________________________ UPDATED, 2:38 p.m.: John Graceffa just told Waltham Patch, “I had no idea [about the suit], totally caught me by surprise." When asked whether he planned to take his seat on the School Comittee early next year, he said, "yes." _________________________ A former Waltham Public Schools student has filed a lawsuit claiming that a now deceased teacher sexually abused him in 2005 and …
42.379048
-71.233604
McDevitt Middle School
75 Church St, Waltham, MA
/articles/former-waltham-principal-accused-of-neglecting-sex-abuse-claims
197975
/locations/6039221
MissMattie
11:28 pm on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
DMD...there is no alleged. It is a very well known fact Dacey was infact guilty. more ›