FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2014

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE POTOMAC SCHOOL

DearParents,Alumni,andFriendsofPotomac,
WewritetoreportonthefindingsoftheindependentinvestigationconductedbythelawfirmofDebevoise&
PlimptonintotheabuseofPotomacstudentsbyformerteacherandadministratorChristopherKloman.Almostseven
monthsago,ThePotomacSchoolBoardofTrusteesauthorizedthisinvestigationfollowingthesentencingofKloman
to43yearsinprisonforthesexualabuseoffivePotomacstudentsinthe1960sand1970s.Theheartwrenchingand
courageoustestimonyofthevictimsduringthatlegalproceedingraisedquestionsofwhetherKlomanhadabused
morechildren,andwhetherSchoolofficialshadlearnedoftheabuse.Weaskedtheinvestigatorstofocusnotonly
onwhethertherewereadditionalvictimsbutalsoonwhatschooladministrators,teachers,trustees,orparentsknew
aboutKlomansactionsatthetimeandwhat,ifany,actionsweretakeninresponse.Wehopedthatbyfindingthe
truth,theSchoolcouldprovidethevictimssomemeasureofhealingandalsolearnfromthepast.
SinceDecember,DebevoisehasconductedanextensiveinvestigationofKlomanstenureatPotomac.They
reviewedschoolrecordsandarchives,andinterviewed240individuals,includingvictimsofKlomansabuseand
otherformerstudentscurrentandformerfacultymembers,administrators,staff,andmembersoftheBoardof
Trusteesandotherwitnesses.Debevoisealsocontactedover700individualsviaemail,phone,andUSmailasking
themtopleasecomeforwardiftheyhadanyknowledgethatmightassisttheinvestigation.Weacknowledgeherethe
greatdebtowedtothosewhohelpedtheinvestigators.Giventhesensitiveandhighlypersonalnatureofthematters
discussedbymanyaspartofthisprocess,weandtheinvestigatorshaveendeavoredtopreservetheprivacyof
individualswheneverpossible.
Ultimately,theinvestigationfoundthatKlomansabuseofPotomacstudents,whilevaryingindegree,extendedto
morevictimsthanthoseidentifiedduringthelegalproceedings.ItalsoseemsclearthattheSchoollearnedofsome
credibleallegationsofsexualmisconductatthetimeanddirectedKlomantoattendcounseling,buttheseactionsdid
notsucceedinstoppingtheabuseorprotectingitsstudents.Additionally,theinvestigatorsheardreportsalleging
misconductofvaryingkindsbyotherformeremployeesattheSchool.Althoughtheinvestigatorswereableto
corroborateonlysomeofthesereports,wewillsharealloftheinformationwithlawenforcementofficials.
Wearedeeplydisturbedbywhatwasfound.Parentsandsocietyasawholeplacetheirfaithineducatorstocarefor
studentsandkeepthemsafe,yetthesechildrenwerehurtandtheirtrustwasbetrayed.Theinvestigationleaveslittle
doubt:cherishedPotomacvalueswereignored,andtheSchoolfailedinitsdutytosafeguardthehealthandwell
beingofthesestudents.ThekeyfindingsoftheDebevoiseinvestigationandtheBoardofTrustees
recommendationsfornextstepsarebelow.
OnbehalfofThePotomacSchoolBoardofTrusteesandtheentirecommunity,weofferasincereandheartfelt
apologytothevictimsaswellastheirfamiliesandfriends.Ourheartsareheavywiththeknowledgethattheycame
toharmatPotomac.Werecognizethatthepassingoftimehasdonelittletoeasetheirpain.Wehavespoken
personallywithmanyvictimstoheartheirstoriesandoffersupport.Thoughwecannotcorrectthewrongsofthepast,
wepledgetodoourutmosttoprotectthesafetyofourstudents.Potomachasabsolutelynotolerancefor
inappropriatestudentteacherrelationsrestassuredthatifwelearnofmisconduct,wewillactimmediately.Tothat
end,pleaseknowthatanyabuseormisconductcanbereportedtotheinvestigatorsandPotomacatanytime.
AttherequestoftheBoardofTrustees,wearecurrentlyworkingwithprofessionalconsultantswhoevaluateriskin
schoolstoconductasafetyauditofallourprogramsandpolicies.Inthepastyear,wehavestrengthenedoursystem
ofcriminalbackgroundchecksofstaff,faculty,tutors,andcontractors.Lastfall,officialswiththestatesChild
ProtectiveServicesdivisiontrainedemployeesonsignsofabuseandneglectandhowtoreportdisclosuresof
abuse.Laterthissummer,facultyandstaffwillbetrainedonappropriateadultstudentboundariesinpersonal
contactsandsocialmedia.
Thisworkdoesnothaveanendpoint,aswearecommittedtodoingwhatisrightandjustbyourstudents,whether
past,present,orfuture.
Sincerely,
H.LawrenceCulp,Jr.
Chair,BoardofTrustees
JohnKowalik
HeadofSchool
KEY FINDINGS
OverallFindings
TheinvestigationfocusedondeterminingthescopeandextentofKlomansmisconductwhileemployedatPotomac
whattheSchoolknew,andwhatstepsittookinresponseandanyotherallegationsofmisconductbroughttothe
investigatorsattention.Thissummaryisbasedonthefactsgatheredandofferswhatconclusionscanbesupported
bythosefacts.
Asnotedabove,theinvestigatorsspoketo240individuals,includingvictimsofKlomansabuseandotherformer
studentscurrentandformerteachers,administrators,staff,andmembersoftheBoardofTrusteesandwitnesses
believedtohaverelevantinformation.Intotal,investigatorscontactedover700individualsviaemail,phone,andUS
mailaskingthemtocomeforwardiftheyhadanyknowledgethatmightassisttheinvestigation.Investigatorsalso
reviewedallavailabledocumentationrelatingtoKlomanpersonnelanddisciplinaryfilesforotherteachersBoardof
TrusteesmeetingminutesalumnidevelopmentfilesyearbooksandothermaterialsfromtheSchoolarchivesand
publiclyavailablematerialsfromthepress,thecriminalproceedings,andtheinternet.
TheinvestigatorsfoundstrongevidencethattwentysixformerPotomacstudentswerevictimsofsexualabuseby
Kloman,inadditiontothefivevictimswhowerethesubjectofKlomansguiltypleaandcriminalconviction.Klomans
abuserangedfrominappropriatetouchingtorape.Theinvestigationfoundthatovermanyyears,variousmembersof
thePotomacSchoolcommunityincludingHeadsofSchool,highlevelSchooladministrators,teachers,andBoard
Chairswereaware,eitherdirectlyorindirectly,ofatleastsomeinformationconcerninginappropriateconductby
Kloman.Theinvestigatorsdidnot,however,findevidencethatanyparent,Potomacemployee,ormemberofthe
BoardofTrusteeshadanysensewhatsoeverofthebreadthorseverityofKlomansmisconduct.Themajorityofthe
victimsnevertoldanyoneaboutthemisconductuntilyearslater,andthoseindividualswithknowledgedidnotshare
widelywhattheyknew.
TheinvestigatorsalsoreceivedreportsconcerningotherformerPotomacemployeeswhowereallegedtohave
engagedinmisconductofvaryingkinds.Theywereabletocorroborateonlysomeofthesereports.Regardless,the
Schoolwillshareallofthisinformationwithlawenforcement.
ChristopherKloman
ChristopherKlomanwasemployedbyPotomacfrom1965until1994,fromages26to55.WhileatPotomac,he
taughthistory,geography,andmathandwasaseventhgradehomeroomteacher.Klomanheldadministrator
positionsfrom1974untilhewasterminatedin1994.HeservedasHeadoftheUpperSchool(thengrades79)from
19761987.Whenthetenththroughtwelfthgradeswereaddedin1987,KlomanbecameHeadoftheIntermediate
School(grades78),hispositionuntilhisterminationin1994.
Inthecourseoftheirwork,theinvestigatorslearnedthatthereweremorevictimsthanhadbeenpubliclyidentifiedin
thecriminalinvestigation.ThereportsofabusewereprimarilyfromstudentswhowereatPotomacbetweentheyears
of1966andtheearly1980s.Therewasonlyonereportfromthe1990s,buttheinvestigatorswerenotableto
corroborateitandalsoreceivedinformationinconsistentwiththatreport.
Theinvestigatorsreceivedreportsofactsrangingfrominappropriatetouchingtorape.Somefemalestudents,
includingthosewhodidnotexperienceanyinappropriateconductbyKloman,saidthattheywereuncomfortable
aroundKlomanandconsideredhimsomeonetoavoid.SeveralmalestudentsfromthattimereportedthatKloman
usedbullyingtacticsandwasaharshdisciplinarian.Incontrast,otherformerfemalestudentswithwhomthe
investigatorsspokesaidtheyhadadmiredandlikedKlomanasateacherandadministratorandwereunawareof
anysexualabuse.AlthoughKlomanabusedmanystudents,themajorityofpeoplewithwhomtheinvestigators
spokeexpressedshockatthenewsofKlomansarrestandsubsequentconviction.
PotomacAdministrationKnowledgeofKlomansAbuseofStudents
Themajorityofthevictimswithwhomtheinvestigatorsspokereportedthat,atthetimeoftheabuse,theydidnottell
anyonewhathappened.Manystudentssaidtheyneverevenconsideredtellingtheirparents,letaloneany
individualsattheSchool.
KlomanworkedundersixdifferentHeadsofSchoolatPotomac.Theweightoftheevidenceincludingwitness
statements,Klomansownadmissionsasrevealedthroughtheprosecutorathispleahearing,andtheavailable
documentationindicatesthatKlomansabuseofPotomacstudentswasdirectlyreportedtotwoHeadsofSchoolin
the1970s.Theevidencegatheredsuggeststhattwo,andperhapsthree,subsequentHeadsofSchoolhada
concernorwereawareofrumorsthatKlomanmayhaveinthepastbehavedinappropriately.Overtheyears,it
appearsthatotheradultsattheSchool,includingseveraltrusteesandemployees,learnedoftherumors,andafew
weretoldfirsthandoftheabusebyavictim.
ItappearsthattheSchoolfirstreceivedareportofKlomanssexualmisconductaround1970,afteratleasttwo
students,andpossiblyathird,wereabusedbyKloman.Thereisstrongevidencethattheparentsofatleastoneof
thestudents,andpossiblytwo,reportedtheincidenttotheHeadofSchool,whodirectedKlomantoattend
counseling.Withthebenefitofhindsight,thisstepwasgrosslyinadequate,eventhoughatthetimeitwasapparently
consideredaneffectivecourseofactionanddiscipline.ThisHeadofSchoolisdeceasedandtheinvestigatorswere
notabletoconfirmwhetherthisincidentorincidentswerereportedtothesubsequentHeadofSchoolorother
administrators.
ThereisalsostrongevidencethataseparateincidentofmisconductwasreportedtoadifferentHeadofSchoolbya
victimsparentslaterinthe1970sandthatKlomanwasoncemoredirectedtoattendcounselinginresponse.Details
ofwhatwasreportedtotheHeadofSchoolarenotknown,butitseemsfairlyclearthattheHeadofSchoolshould
haveunderstoodfromthereportthatKlomanengagedininappropriatesexualconductwithafemalestudent.The
investigatorsheardsecondhandreportsthatKlomanwasapologeticandremorsefulwhenconfrontedwiththese
allegations.TheyspokewiththisHeadofSchool,whodeniedhavinglearnedthatKlomanengagedinsexual
misconductwithastudent.However,severalothersourcesconfirmedthattheincidentwasreportedtotheHeadof
SchoolandthatKlomanwasagaindirectedtoattendcounseling.
Theinvestigatorsalsoconcludedthat1)aHeadofSchoolinthe1990slearnedtherewasanallegationofearlier
sexualmisconductbyKloman,and2)Klomansmisconductwaslikelyanunstatedfactorinthedecisiontoterminate
him,alongwiththeviewthatKlomansworkperformancewasinadequate.Theevidencesuggeststhatatleastsome
membersoftheExecutiveCommitteeoftheBoardofTrusteesatthattimeknewofrumorsthatKlomanhadacted
inappropriatelywithstudents.OneofthesetrusteeswrotelettersofrecommendationsupportingKloman,although
theindividualclaimednottohaveknownatthattimethatthemisconductwassexualinnature.Thereisnoevidence
thatSchoolofficialsnotifiedpotentialfutureemployersofthereportsofKlomansmisconduct.Therealsoisno
evidencethatknowledgeofKlomansmisconductwaswidespreadatthetimeinfact,whenKlomanwasterminated,
therewasstrongoppositionfrommanymembersofthePotomaccommunity,includingtheIntermediateSchool
faculty,nearlyallofwhomsignedaletterinsupportofhim.
Furthermore,theevidencesuggeststhatduringandafterKlomansemploymentatPotomacseveralother
administratorsandteacherslearnedofhismisconduct.Theinvestigatorshavereasontobelievetherewere
employeeswhowereaware,attheveryleast,ofrumorsthatKlomanhadengagedininappropriatesexualbehavior
withatleastonefemalestudent.SomemayhaveonlybeenawarethatKlomanengagedinboundarycrossing
physicalbehaviorliketouchingorroughhousing,whichtheydidnotinterpretassexualabuseatthetime.The
investigatorsfoundthatmostwereawareofonlyoneincident,someyearsearlier,inwhichKlomanwasallegedto
havebehavedinappropriatelywithastudent.
TheinvestigatorsconsideredthequestionofhowKlomanssexualmisconductcouldhavecontinuedforaslongasit
didwithoutwidespreadknowledgeamongthecommunityormoreforcefuldisciplinebytheSchoolsHeads.They
haveconcludedthattherewereanumberofcontributingfactors:Veryfewofthevictimstoldanyoneabouttheabuse
theysufferedatthetimetherewasamuchdifferentlevelofunderstandingandcommunicationaboutpedophiliaand
sexualmisconductinthe1960sand1970sKlomanoccupiedapositionofpowerandtrustattheSchoolandheand
hisfamilyweregenerallyverywelllikedandthesetypesofissuesweretypicallyhandleddiscretelybyschools,in
parttoprotectthereputationoftheschool,butalsotoprotecttheidentityofvictims,oftenatthevictimsorparents
requestforconfidentiality.Tobeclear,thesefactorsdonotexcusetheSchoolsinadequateresponsetoreportsand
rumorsofKlomanssexualmisconductofPotomacstudentsovertheyears.
TheinvestigatorsfoundnoevidencethatanyonewhoreceivedreportsaboutKlomancontactedlawenforcement.
OtherFormerPotomacEmployees
TheinvestigatorsreceivedandevaluatedcredibleallegationsofsexualmisconductreportedtopreviousSchool
administrationsconcerningfourotherformeremployeesatPotomac.Theinvestigatorsbelievemostofthesecases
weredealtwithappropriatelybySchoolleadershiptheallegationswereinvestigatedatthetimetheywereraised
andtheemployeesweredismissedinatimelymanner.Inoneinstance,however,theinvestigatorsconcludedthat
additionalactionwouldhavebeenwarranted,includingreferraloftheallegationstoauthorities.Also,theSchool
couldhavedonemoretoinvestigatetheallegationsorcloselymonitorandrestricttheactionsofanemployeein
question.ItistroublingthattheinvestigatorsfoundnoevidencethattheSchoolhadaclear,strictpolicythatitwould
notprovidelettersofrecommendationtoemployeeswhoweredismissedasaresultofsexualorothermisconduct.
NordoesitappearthattheSchoolhadapolicytonotifysubsequentemployersaboutcrediblereportsofthe
employeesmisconduct,acriticalcommunicationwhenaterminatedemployeecontinuestoworkwithstudentsorin
aschoolsetting.
Theinvestigatorsalsoheardcredibleallegationsthat,basedonavailableevidence,hadneverbeenreportedtothe
School.ThesereportsinvolvedthreeformerPotomacemployeeswhoallegedlyengagedinmisconductthat
includedinappropriatesexualbehaviorwithstudents.Theinvestigatorswerenotabletofullycorroboratethesenew
allegationsforvariousreasons,includingthedeathoftheemployeeinquestion,thepassageoftime,orlackof
firsthandinformationabouttheallegedmisconduct.Inreportingonthesenewallegationshere,theinvestigatorsand
theSchoolaremindfulbothoftheneedtoprotecttheprivacyofthepotentialvictimsaswellastherightsoftheformer
employeesinvolved.Nevertheless,asnotedabove,theSchoolwillshareitsinformationwithlawenforcement
authorities.
Tobeclear:Noallegationswereraisedagainsttodaysfacultyorstaffmembers.
POTOMAC'S RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES
AttherecommendationoftheBoardofTrustees,PotomacisconductingacomprehensivereviewofSchoolpolicies
regardingstudentadultinteractionandanyissuesrelatingtoemployeemisconduct.Whilethisreviewincludes
specificrecommendationsmadebytheinvestigators,theSchoolhasalsoretainedoutsideconsultantstoanalyze
whatitdoestoprotectandsupportourstudents.Throughthiswork,wewanttoenhancesafeguardsforstudentsand
ensurethattheSchoolhandlesmisconductwithintegrityandtheinterestsofstudentsuppermostinmind
Hereisasummaryofstepstakenthispastyearandplannedforthenearfuture:
Virginiastateofficialstrainedstaffandfacultyonsignsofchildabuseandneglectandhowtoreportdisclosuresof
abuse.Potomacmandatesthatitsemployeesreportanydisclosureofphysicalorsexualabuse,inaccordancewith
VirginialawandtheguidelinesofthestatesChildProtectiveServices.
Thissummer,facultyandstaffwillbetrainedonbestpracticestoestablishappropriateboundarieswithstudentsin
termsofpersonalcontactandsocialmedia.
TheSchoolensuredthatallemployeeshavehadcriminalbackgroundchecks,whichincludesearchesofFBI
records,sexoffenderregistries,andcountyandstatecourtrecords.Thesecheckswillberepeatedeverythreeyears.
TheSchoolintroducedcriminalbackgroundchecksfortutorsworkingonsite.Thesecheckswillbeconducted
everythreeyears.Backgroundchecksoncontractworkersareconductedannually.
Beginningthisfall,Potomacwillconductcriminalbackgroundchecksonparentvolunteerswhoseworkregularly
bringsthemintoclosecontactwithachild.
TheSchoolwillformalizeitspoliciesregardingtheterminationofemployeesforsexualorothermisconduct.Itwill
includestrict,clearlanguageprohibitingtheSchoolfromprovidinglettersofrecommendationorreferencesto
potentialemployersinthesesituations
ThereismuchalreadyinplacethatwecandrawfromtostrengthentheSchool.Potomacworkshardtocreatea
learningenvironmentwhereeverystudentiscaredforandwatchedoverbyteachers,administrators,andpeers.Our
extensivesystemofadvisorsandcounselorsaimtomakesureeverystudentistrulyknown.
Finally,Potomacasacommunityiscommittedtovaluesofrespect,integrity,andcaring.Thesemustbethe
guidepostsofeverydecisionwemakeasweassessthepastandlooktothefuture.
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THEPOTOMACSCHOOL
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