NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. An investigators report released by the North Kingstown School Committee late Monday night shows that former high school coach Aaron Thomas naked fat tests of teenage student-athletes was far more intense and invasive than previously acknowledged and had a sexual component. Could North Kingstown have done something to entice Dempsey to stay? Try plastic surgery for autographs, Fan brings Olympian Mary Lou Retton to tears, RISPCA has nearly 30 guinea pigs up for adoption, February vacation events around Southern New England, How you can help those affected by Station fire, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. The former high school athletic director accused last month in a lawsuit of fostering a culture that allowed basketball coach Aaron Thomas to conduct naked fat tests of boys has resigned as principal of a middle school on Cape Cod. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. A former North Kingstown High School student-athlete and his father are accusing former school administrators and athletic directors of fostering a culture that allowed coaches to behave inappropriately with students and brushed off or buried complaints. 1 North Kingstown lost to No. Then, on Feb. 12, 2021, another former student emailed deputy superintendent Denise Mancieri, saying the fat testing had started when he was about 13. School District Chief Operating Officer Mary King told the Town Council during Fridays budget meeting that she moved up her retirement to June, instead of December. Whether it happened in a narrow equipment closet off the locker room in the old high school, or a small windowless office with CCTV video screens in the new high school, the celebrated boys basketball coach, Aaron Thomas, was asking male student athletes to strip naked, alone in a room with him, so he could conduct fat tests on their teenage bodies. If you have more information about this story, contact Target12@wpri.com. Among other things, those tests included getting into various positions naked and during the course of some of them, Thomas was pressing on the inside of my groin with his thumbs, a former student-athlete, identified only as John Doe #22 said in a statement included in the report. Our school takes great pride in the quality of education and the safety of your children and we go to great lengths to ensure our school upholds these standards. MacDonald said he returned them himself, but declined to say when. Bethany Caromile Lynda Thibeault Well, it was my kid. Former North Kingstown High School head boys' basketball coach Aaron Thomas appeared on a Feb. 21, 2021, Roundtable episode of The Rhody Runback podcast. Council Chairman Greg Mancini said Thursday the report will be posted on the town website on Monday at 5 p.m. Cumberland High School. (401) 268-6246 A spokesman for the Diocese told the Globe on Saturday that the principal at North Kingstown High School had given longtime teacher and basketball coach Aaron Thomas a positive, professional reference and he wouldnt have been hired if theyd known he was under investigation. Within days of the Boston Globes exclusive story about the teenage boys database, the young woman came forward with allegations of harassment and bullying by the same teacher at Davisville Middle School. (401) 268-6267 NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. An explosive investigative report to be discussed during a North Kingstown School Committee meeting Wednesday evening shows that multiple school officials administrators, athletic directors, and coaches were aware for years that former North Kingstown High School Basketball Coach Aaron Thomas was conducting fat tests alone on male student-athletes, but didnt stop him. Read more. (401) 268-6237 A spokesman for the Diocese told the Globe on Saturday that the principal at North Kingstown High School had given longtime teacher and basketball coach Aaron Thomas a positive, professional reference and he wouldnt have been hired if theyd known he was under investigation. 4 Ponaganset, 62-57, in the 2022 semifinals.No. In June 2017, according to the report, former athletic director Howie Hague described coming across Thomas alone in his classroom with a male student, who was standing in front of Thomas with only his shorts on. The first time I fat tested was 13 years old, he wrote in another email. PHOTO: File. Within days of the Boston Globes exclusive story about the teenage boys database, the young woman came forward with allegations of harassment and bullying by the same teacher at Davisville Middle School. Principal of Teaching and Learning Tim White(twhite@wpri.com) is theTarget 12managing editor and chief investigative reporter at 12 News, and the host ofNewsmakers. Thomas was a teacher and a coach in the North Kingstown School Department But, MacDonald said, the records in question have already been returned to the North Kingstown School Department, at the request of a laywer for the North Kingstown schools, who said they were the departments property. The Skippers head coach for more than 20 years and a teacher at the high school, Thomas No. Hed give them an out, one that few of the students felt they could actually take: Hed ask them, . For my response to Mr. Thomas, I remain steadfast in the knowledge that I acted appropriately and immediately in the best interest of students past and present, with the information I had at the time. Read more. Rhode Concerned residents protest outside the North Kingstown school district central administration building as the School Committee holds a closed door session Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, in North Kingstown, R.I. Assistant Superintendent Denise Mancieri announced in a letter that she was retiring Thursday, instead of at the end of the school year, saying she was doing it to support the district in healing.. The lawyer for several former student-athletes at North Kingstown High School disputed the School Committees statement that school officials didnt know until last February that basketball coach Aaron Thomas had been conducting naked fat tests on teenage boys for more than 20 years. In the case in 2018, the former student said he was not naked at the time, but felt the tests were unusual, Auger said. Read more. The new allegations are separate from the ongoing criminal investigation of Aaron Thomas, a former North Kingstown high school boys basketball coach who Hear more by downloading the latest episode of Rhode Island Report, available on. Department Head You have 20 years of history of people being uncomfortable with and seeing behaviors that anyone should be uncomfortable with, in the open, in the school, and the behaviors were not addressed, because the students were not comfortable in the environment they were in, Conlon said Wednesday. And most of all, how no students ever reported Thomas to any teachers, administrators, coaches, or parents because his behavior was considered a rite of passage to play ball, the school culture discouraged reporting, and, for boys, its difficult to come forward about sexual misconduct. Read more. He adamantly denies any criminal conduct whatsoever, MacDonald said to reporters. Thomas was a teacher and a coach in the North Kingstown School Department until he resigned in June 2021. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Perhaps, but theres really no price you can put on spending time with your children, so maybe not. Although the school department ultimately removed that teacher from his coaching job in North Kingstown after the mother threatened to obtain a restraining In a statement to the media, Waterman said that he would report the findings of the investigations to the school committee and the school community. According to both the Boston Globe and a former student who reached out to ABC6, the investigation involves the manner in which fat checks were conducted on student athletes. David Nyblom - a three-time Rhode Island High School Boys Basketball Coach of the Year was arrested on Thursday. He did not identify the two other school employees or the nature of the allegations involving them. Courses are offered at most high schools, CCRI's four campus locations, and various locations throughout the state. He spoke with former North Kingstown coach Joe Gilmartin, whom Dempsey succeeded, about Gilmartin's departure from coaching when his children were young, as well as his neighbor, Shane Lagor, who did the same thing at West Warwick High School. 4 Ponaganset, 62-57, in the 2022 semifinals.No. Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. The School Committee member who told the Globe last month that high school basketball coach Aaron Thomas had performed naked fat tests on her then-teenage son, has decided to recuse herself from any further involvement in the matter. (401) 268-6279, Inspiring Students to Reach Individual Excellence. WebSmithfield High School Barrington Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy Burrillville Central Falls High School Chariho Classical High School Coventry High School Cranston East Cranston West Cumberland High School Davies Career & Technical High School East Greenwich High School East Providence High School Athletics Exeter West And just like that, the Rhode Island high school football community sees another coach leave a high-profile job for reasons that have nothing to do with football. And then, he homed in on one of his former players: There is a kid, and I know who it is, who is out to get me. The Skippers are now 10-1 in league play and own the best record in Division I. Prior to hiring all our teachers, we conduct thorough and legally-mandated background checks and professional references are explored as part of our efforts to hire quality, safe faculty. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. School Superintendent Phil Auger announced Wednesday that he was resigning immediately, referencing the ongoing investigation into We currently have a full-time substitute teacher in the classroom and are working to find a certified social studies teacher. Read more. After hearing concerns from the lawyer representing former and current student athletes, the Town Council voted unanimously to ask the committee about counseling for former students and to demonstrate the school district had put new policies in place. As protesters rallied outside, school committee members met to discuss investigative proceedings, job performance, and potential litigation over allegations that Thomas, had for more than 20 years urged male student athletes to strip naked for body fat tests he conducted on them in a small room off of his office. A former North Kingstown High School boys basketball coach, Aaron Thomas, is accused of telling students to strip naked for fat tests in Rhode Island. Some are still working at the high school or Davis Middle School, others have moved on to other school districts or retired. However, the weight testing agreement he shared with the Globe on Thursday does not detail how the testing would be performed, and does not disclose that the student-athletes would be asked to be fully nude. top 100 high school football players in delaware; is mojave turquoise real; eccup reservoir fishing; ipa installer shortcut; abelardo's nutrition. Safe environment policies for diocesan schools and programs are available on-line at Office of Compliance Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island Providence, RI and Diocesan Child Protection and Outreach Policy Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island Providence, RI and inquiries about those policies may be directed to the Diocesan Office of Compliance at 401-941-0760, or email at compliance@dioceseofprovidence.org. Read more. She had had the same teacher, years earlier. Read more. Some said he would also ask them to do stretches or duck walks while naked. WebProfessional learning, development and growth Collaborate with coach, grade-level chair and school team to improve instructional, culture-building and leadership skills. The Rhode Island Attorney Generals Office confirms that former North Kingstown High Basketball Coach Aaron Thomas is under investigation. Prior to his resignation the school department received an allegation regarding his job performance. Interim Superintendent Michael Waterman announced the actions on Wednesday and said that investigations have begun into allegations that have been received. St. , RI reports $1.6M in back pay recovered since 2020, Prosecutor who charged Alahverdian buys UK castle, Whos in the mix to replace Congressman Cicilline, New NCAA president says NIL rules could protect athletes, Bryant loses at buzzer to Maine, drops to No. The young woman also noted the school administrator, guidance counselor, and teachers who were told or were aware of the teachers behavior. The subpoenas, which were filed in court Wednesday, precede a hearing on Friday on a civil complaint and writ of replevin against Thomas before Judge Sarah Taft-Carter in Washington County Superior Court. Buying Spree Continues: Paolino Purchases Former Peoples Savings Bank Building at 70 Kennedy PlazaBuying Spree Continues: Paolino, Brown Med School Prof Told to Prostitute Himself To Secure Additional Funding, Says Fed LawsuitBrown Med School Prof, RIDOT Director Alvitis Reconfirmation Opposed by Advocacy Groups at State House HearingRIDOT Director Alvitis Reconfirmation, Artist to Know: S.W. Aaron Thomas, 54, had been a teacher and coach at North Kingstown High School since the 1990s before he resigned in June, when the reports came to light. Dempseys announcement comes two days after the surprise announcement that Stanley Dunbar was departing Westerly, leaving the state with two high-profile vacancies. Children as young as 14 cannot consent to sexual activity with those in authority, de la Cruz said. He served as an assistant under Gilmartin for eight years and, with Gilmartin knowing that he wanted to stop coaching once his son graduated, was groomed to be the programs next head coach. The North Kingstown school district has been under fire for its handling of a former high school basketball coach. (401) 268-6261, Clinic Main Line: (401) 268-6278 In both of these instances, I recognized the seriousness of the matter, and I acted appropriately and immediately in the best interest of students, past and present, with the information I had at the time, Auger said at the meeting, held at the North Kingstown High School auditorium. This information again relates to practices that are reported to have gone on for years, and indeed decades, but that only underscores how important it is that these problems get fully and finally flushed out, Conlon wrote in statement. Some residents at the meeting accused them of failing to take action against the school officials who failed to take action against Thomas. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) The longtime former boys basketball coach at North Kingstown High School has been placed on leave at his new job as the attorney general investigates allegations of inappropriate interactions with former underage student athletes. Read the statement released by Monsignor Clarke: Dear MCS Community, Those are memories Ill have the rest of my life. This isnt true, high school principal Barbara Morse recalled Thomas saying at the time, according to an independent investigative report by lawyer Matthew Oliverio. Whos next at North Kingstown? The school committee had voted to terminate Thomas at the end of the school year. #ada-button-frame { I didnt want to stay and half-[expletive] it and not give my full time, Dempsey said. For over twenty years, the Department allowed Mr. Thomas to remain in his coaching and teaching positions while he used those positions to groom students into the widespread acceptance of his practices, portraying the fat tests, and various other practices that involved naked inspection and touching of children as necessary and useful to the athletic evaluation and performance of the young students and student athletes under his supervision, when in fact they were neither, according to the complaint. Read more. A championship coach, a top fundraiser for school athletics, the face of the North Kingstown basketball program -- no one questioned what he was doing with student-athletes or why he was conducting his fat tests on them. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. A six-month-old investigation by the North Kingstown School Committee has just been released and adds more dramatic details to the swirling controversy of fired Coach Aaron Thomas and his "fat tests" on naked male high school students. Lunar time zone push begins, Hate your signature? WebThis program is designed for high school students, ages 15 years and 10 months through 21 years. Updated: Mar 1, 2023 / 02:17 PM EST. The decision wasnt easy, but Fran Dempseys decision to step down as head coach of the North Kingstown football team was made with the future in mind. display: none; Addressing the public directly for the first time since revelations that high school basketball coach Aaron Thomas conducted naked fat tests on athletes, the embattled superintendent of schools on Tuesday defended his actions as questions continued to swirl about who knew what, when. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. A week after a damning investigative report found school officials had turned a blind eye to high school basketball coach Aaron Thomas and his naked fat tests of teen boys, the School Committee pleaded for patience on March 22 as they decided how to move forward. Heres what they had to say. Her 80-page investigative report, released in June, looked at the systemic failures of the North Kingstown School Department that allowed Thomas to have the teens undress for purported body fat tests that involved him touching close to their groin and having them do stretches naked. I love coaching football and its probably the hardest decision Ive made, but I want to be a good father and be there for my kids.. NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. When he left North Kingstown High School in February 2021 while under investigation for performing naked fat tests on teenage boys, basketball coach Aaron Thomas took with him reams of documents with information about students hed coached during his more than 30 years at the school, according to court filings late Wednesday. We are investigating the claim, and in keeping with our policies, Mr. Thomas was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. In a statement to the media, Waterman said that he would report the findings of the investigations to the school committee and the school community. Superior Court Judge Sarah Taft-Carter signed a consent order, after the schools lawyer, Mary Ann Carroll, and lawyer Timothy J. Conlon reached an agreement, according to documents filed in court Friday. SOUTH KINGSTOWN Aaron Thomas, accused of conducting naked fat tests on teen athletes for decades, was arraigned on Aug. 26 in Washington County Superior Court on felony charges of second-degree child molestation and second-degree sexual assault. Target 12 has independently verified that the investigation into Thomas is focused on skinfold caliper tests of body fat that he performed on some student athletes in North Kingstown over multiple decades. Nyblom was the varsity coach in North Kingstown in the 1980s. 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