Revere school worker cleared

REVERE – Law enforcement officials will not be seeking charges after investigating a report of an alleged indecent exposure by an adult at the Immaculate Conception School.”No child reported that the adult engaged in physical contact with them. No child reported that the adult used sexual language around them. No child reported any action by the adult that would support criminal charges,” Revere Police and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said in a joint press release Thursday.The Archdiocese of Boston did not comment directly on whether the school’s former pastor, principal, and a teacher who resigned “due to their failure to report these possible incidents in a timely manner,” according to the archdiocese, would return. But it defended the resignations.”We are relieved that no child was harmed,” Archdiocese of Boston Spokesman Terrence Donilon said Thursday. “Even if not later found to be criminal, the failure to recognize that unacceptable situation coupled with the failure to report the matter as it had been communicated to supervisors led to the resignation of those who were in positions to ensure the protection of children.”The archdiocese learned last week of a potential indecent exposure that allegedly occurred while a worker was using the boys’ bathroom, which is intended to be used only by students. The archdiocese said it was told of three potential incidents over the past month and a half.Revere Police detectives and Suffolk County prosecutors determined through an investigation that a 64-year-old man on the custodial staff used the boys’ restroom, which was across the hall from his office, several times in December and early January, police said. A boy reported to a parent that he had seen the adult using the urinal during this time, according to police. No physical contact or sexual language was alleged to have occurred.The adult met voluntarily with investigators and detectives.”The interview likewise did not yield any evidence to support charges,” police said.Police said investigators spoke with a parent of the boy involved about their findings, and the parent “supported those findings, expressed relief, and did not wish to proceed with any criminal case against the adult.”The archdiocese maintained the worker’s conduct in using the boys’ room with children present was “highly inappropriate and improper.””The decision to follow the law regarding mandated reporting does not rest upon whether the individual’s actions were criminal,” Donilon said. “They rest upon the responsibility to report matters of suspected child neglect or abuse promptly and consistently.”