The American School for the Deaf apologizes for decades of alleged sexual, physical abuse

The oldest permanent school for the deaf in the U.S. is apologizing to dozens of survivors of sexual abuse and physical abuse at the hands of former faculty and staff members from the 1950s through the 1980s. 

The American School for the Deaf, founded in 1817 in West Hartford, Conn., released the findings of an investigation into the abuse a year after learning about allegations by school alumni. 

“On behalf of ASD and its Board of Directors, we apologize to the survivors of this abuse — this should not have happened to you — and we promise to continue to devote ourselves to protecting the current and future generations of children who rely on us and this community to enrich their lives,” they said in a statement. 

After contacting the West Hartford Police Department, the Connecticut Department of Education and the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, ASD hired an attorney to conduct the investigation. Edward Health, the attorney, and his team interviewed 81 alumni, former faculty staff and other witnesses.  

The investigation found instances of sexual abuse and physical abuse as well as a pattern of corporal punishment perpetrated by faculty and staff members at the school and its summer program at Camp Isola Bella. 

Richard Powers, Bernard Boucher, Thomas Vintinner, Albert Couthen, Umberto DeStefano, Mary Messener and Edmund Boatner are accused of sexual abuse by alumni, the report found. The alleged abuse ranged from sexual contact to grooming, with victims as young as 8 years old. 

The report said individual perpetrators were named based on the number and seriousness of the allegations and whether they could be corroborated.

Of those names, Boatner’s stands out. The executive director of ASD from 1935 to 1970 is accused of engaging in grooming and sexual contact from the late 1950’s through the early 1960’s.

“While Dr. Boatner is unable to respond to the allegations, and we recognize his otherwise unprecedented contributions to ASD and the deaf community, we found our alum to be highly credible and corroborated by the constancy of accusation witnesses,” the report said. 

Boatner and two others, Powers and Messener, are dead. Of those who are still living, Boucher and Couthen declined to be interviewed. Investigators spoke to Vintinner, who expressed surprise at the allegations and said he had only good relationships with students before refusing further interviews. 

At the same time as the alleged sexual abuse, close to 40 alumni reported persistent corporal punishment and physical abuse through the 1980s.  

“They described abuse and/or punishments by multiple staff such as being forced to kneel on broomsticks, kneeling for extended periods of time, being forced to walk on their knees, being slapped and punched, being struck with sticks, belts, paddles and/or rulers, and being restrained with belts, sheets and/or straightjackets,” the report said. “Students also reported being forced to eat until vomiting and being confined in a clothes hamper and closets or isolated in dark rooms as punishment.”

Patricia Potwine and Kenneth Bland, who are both dead, were named as perpetrators along with Couthen.

Along with the results of the investigation, ASD released their current hiring procedures, which require every applicant and former employer to answer in writing whether the applicant has been the subject of an abuse, neglect or sexual assault investigation. The school also listed additional reviews of their reporting procedures, suspected child abuse and neglect policy, professional training and security. 

“Though we cannot erase the pain from the past, we are committed to ensuring that the actions detailed in this report are never repeated, and we will continue to work diligently to ensure our students are treated with the care and respect they are entitled to,” the report read.