""These cases are not a result of one single failure, one missed opportunity," attorney Laura Mangini told Boston.com, "but instead really demonstrate a chilling pattern and culture that enabled the abuser, Robert Gayle, and where the safety of children was minimized.""
""took into account the facts of the cases, the alleged harm perpetrated on the victims, and the liability the City would face at trial.""
""Families across the City entrust the school system to provide a safe environment for their children to learn and grow and that obligation remains a central focus," City Solicitor Steve Buoniconti said."
The City of Springfield settled two federal lawsuits for more than $14 million after allegations that STEM Middle Academy teacher Robert Gayle sexually groomed and assaulted middle school students, including repeated rapes in empty classrooms. One settlement totaled $13 million for a seventh grader allegedly raped over nearly two years, the largest reported child sex abuse settlement in the state. A second settlement totaled $1.8 million for alleged sexual grooming and assault. Gayle was arrested in May 2023 and faces multiple charges, with related criminal and civil cases ongoing in Hampden Superior Court. City officials said the settlements considered the facts, alleged harm to victims, and potential liability, and emphasized the obligation to maintain safe school environments.
Read at Boston.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]