An attorney tasked by Duxbury Public Schools with investigating sexual assault allegations against a former hockey coach said she was left with serious concerns about his credibility, particularly when he was asked about his relationship with the middle-school-aged student in question, as well as about a sexual relationship with another teacher. Their son was about 12 at the time. Scott Nichol. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The attorney said he will file a countersuit against the Foleys alleging malicious prosecution, slander and libel. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. While not reporting, he enjoys long-distance running. View John Blake's business profile as Boys Hockey Coach at Duxbury High School. But the reports existence and the underlying allegations only became public knowledge after the Foleys sued Blake and the Duxbury schools later that month. All rights reserved. Metro Elite Hockey League. Leads by Industry . The Duxbury Police Department was contacted in November by Parkers parents about the alleged sexual abuse, according to Chief Stephen McDonald. Antonucci said in a letterTuesday that the districttwice investigated allegations of abuse against Blake. Foley's mental torment from the assaults pushed him into a life of drug abuse, the lawsuit alleges. Sign up for Joe's weekly Watchdog and From the Archives newsletters on our newsletter page for the latest investigative and enterprise reports. The lawsuit alleges that Blake sexually assaulted Foley in the school in 2006, and that the school didn't do enough to keep the student safe. Blake has not been criminally charged and,in a press release,Duxbury Police Chief Stephen McDonald said his department investigated the claims against Blake and consulted with the Plymouth County district attorney's office. We have been informed that none of the tips are actionable from a legal standpoint, the superintendent said. The second investigation, which started after the Foleys went to the school district and police department in 2020, concluded that Blake violated thedistrict's sexual harassment policy and code of conduct. Blake has been on leave from the school district since November, pending the completion of a comprehensive external investigation and termination proceedings.. The report, a copy of which was obtained by The Boston Globe, alleges that John Blake didnt tell the truth when it came to discussing a sexual relationship with another teacher, and when he said he didnt remember the student he was accused of raping. More: Investigation: Duxbury gym teacher John Blake denied knowing alleged rape victim, having affair Prew is facing similar charges in Middlesex County and in Vermont. The lawsuit alleges that Blake sexually assaulted Foley in the school in 2006, and that the school didn't do enough to keep the student safe. Follow her on Twitter @hannaskrueger. Prew is facing similar charges in Middlesex County and in Vermont. This case is absolutely malicious and not based on any factual evidence whatsoever, Reddington told the newspaper. They let their boys down.. Police are now investigating more than a dozen anonymous tips related to the case, according to The Boston Globe. Kevin Reddington, Blakes lawyer, declined to comment Tuesday. He was 59. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. "Both in the locker room, as well as an empty classroom that was just down the hall from the locker room itself," Morgan said. "Parker was a shining star in our life," said his mother Melissa Foley. Boys Hockey Coach. Shortly before Blake was placed on leave, the Foleys lawyer revealed their identity to the school district and confirmed specific information related to the alleged sexual assault that took place in 2006. The findings in the report, which concluded in March, prompted the district to begin termination proceedings against Blake. SALEM A former Massachusetts youth hockey coach was sentenced to 13 to 15 years in state prison after pleading guilty to 16 child sexual assault charges. }Customer Service. Jason Wayne Blake (born September 2, 1973) is an American former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League . Blake was the head coach of the Duxbury High School boys hockey team.Blake has not been . Police said criminal charges couldn't be filed because Parker was dead. Morgan said the family previously requested a copy of the school district's investigation into Blake but was denied. John Blake, a current gym teacher and hockey coach at Duxbury Middle School, has been placed on leave. The superintendent said police have received over a dozen anonymous tips in relation to this case, and have followed up on every one of them. With a Premium subscription, you'll get access to over 30 tools, features and benefits. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. We only use official stats. We have been informed that none of the tips are actionable from a legal standpoint.. The Foleys are seeking $1 million in a lawsuit filed in Plymouth Superior Court in March against Blake and the Duxbury Public Schools. Joseph Parker Foley was 27 at the time of his death. Throughout these interviews, colleagues of Blake reported that he had a sexual relationship with another teacher at the school in the early 2000s. 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Morgan said another person contacted him and said Blake would have boys remove their shirts while he touched their backs under the guise of performing ascoliosis test. Rick is a Massachusetts native and graduated from Boston University. 40 years ago today - USA defeats Finland 4-2 in 1980 Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid, N.Y. to capture the . It is absolutely untrue that the district failed to take reasonable steps and/or implement reasonable safeguards to avoid such acts from occurring in our schools, as is alleged in the lawsuit, the superintendent claimed. He has held positions in arena management, director of hockey, and coaching education coordinator roles. But it is like peeling back layers of an onion. A lawyer hired by Duxbury Public Schools to investigate allegations of sexual assault found that longtime hockey coach John Blake was not credible after he allegedly lied about a sexual relationship with another teacher and said he didnt remember the student he is accused of repeatedly molesting several years ago. However, red flags surrounding Blake didnt just crop up in 2020. On Tuesday, John Blake, who is also the Duxbury High School hockey coach, completely denied the accusations. Jim Davis/Globe Staff/file The coach of Boston College High School's varsity hockey team was placed on leave after he was arrested and. The school district says it conducted its own independent investigation in 2020, though, and concluded Blake violated its sexual harassment policy and code of conduct. The district is accused of failing to check on a student who was repeatedly missing from class which proved to be tragic for Parker, the suit adds. "John Blake, in raping Parker, absolutely crushed his heart," Joe Foley said. If you have a news tip, email joed@bostonherald.com. Toe Blake won eight Stanley Cup championships in 13 years coaching the Canadiens. The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Associations executive director, William Gaine, said he has known Blake professionally as the hockey coach. Elizabeth Koh can be reached at elizabeth.koh@globe.com. "At the same time, I need to reiterate that the district took all appropriate steps to investigate this matter and obtain relevant facts and then took proper, legal action in this case.". A three-time graduate of the University of Minnesota, Hamre brings more than 25 years of hockey experience to the Gophers coaching staff. Stevens . A new investigation was launched with an outside firm while the district remained in close contact with the Duxbury Police Department and the Plymouth County District Attorneys Office.. The district attorney's office did not respond to requests for information. The move was announced in a two-paragraph statement at 1:45 p. Blake had a career in football few can replicate, which included a four-year career at OU under Barry Switzer, becoming the first Black head coach in any OU sport and multiple assistant coaching roles in the NFL. Blake and a co-teacher for the gym class took turns teaching the students while another stayed in an office alone, the report said. NCAA Tournament. People being heroic and brave has been lacking with this football team. Email CoaCH Maley. Even though there was not enough evidence to warrant criminal charges be filed against Blake, the Districts independent investigation concluded that Blake had violated the Districts sexual harassment policy and code of conduct, the officials said. After accusations about Blakes conduct surfaced in 2018 and again in 2020, the public school system immediately launched investigations into his behavior and placed him on administrative leave, Antonucci said. The family received a summary report that omitted all the names, including their own, and other information they provided to the investigators. Blake is accused of raping a middle schooler, which led that student to a fatal drug addiction, the lawsuit states. Christopher Prew, 34, of Marblehead, pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated rape of a child with an age difference greater than 10 years; 14 counts of indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14; and one count of attempted indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14. The parents of 27-year-old Joseph Parker Foley, who died from a drug overdose last year, are accusing his Duxbury Middle School gym teacher of raping him, the lawsuit alleges. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. The complaint alleges Blake repeatedly molested and raped Foley during gym classes in 2006. Breck Athletics. School Superintendent John Antonucci said in a letter Wednesday that the school district investigated complaints over several years against gym teacher and former hockey coach John Blake. However, they felt they needed to report the accusations, claiming Blake created a life of torment for their son. The school district denies the allegations. Blake's defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, had him take a polygraph test, which he allegedly passed with flying colors. Hanna Krueger can be reached at hanna.krueger@globe.com. After Parker Foley died, his parents notified the school district of his allegations that Blake repeatedly raped and molested him in gym class when he was a student at Duxbury Middle School in the mid-2000s, the Foleys'lawsuit said. Antonucci said officials are understandably disturbed by what has been alleged but claimed the district took the proper actions once notified of the complaint against Blake. According to Foleys parents, the abuse only ended after their son brought a knife to school and threatened to kill Blake. He also asked them to keep it quiet. NBC10 Boston repeatedly tried to contact Blake at his home and on the phone, but attempts so far have been unsuccessful. Antonucci said in the letter that nothing came of the district'sinvestigations. The first investigation in 2018 was based on accusations made in an anonymous letter and phone call that didnt detail the students age, name or any other identifying information. John Hamre is in his second season as Minnesota's director of hockey operations for men's hockey after joining the Gophers in 2017. The victim's father says he wrote an anonymous letter to the district in 2018 identifying Blake as an alleged sexual predator. In the lawsuit, Morgan said Parker Foley turned to drug abuse to deal with the mental anguish of Blake's alleged abuse, which led to his overdose death. The setup of the boys locker room at the Duxbury Middle School allowed Blake to act as a gatekeeper for boys attending gym class, and Blake used his power and authority to hold boys back from gym class at his whim and discretion, the parents lawyer wrote in a complaint filed in Plymouth County Superior Court. The high schools athletic director, Thom Holdgate, didnt have his contract renewed at the end of the current school year amid this and another scandal at the high school involving the football team using anti-Semitic language. John Blake, a longtime gym teacher and hockey coach at Duxbury Middle School, was placed on leave in the fall. Though the other teacher confirmed that the relationship occurred, Blake denied any involvement, according to the report. Blake has been on temporary leave from the school district since November pending the completion of a comprehensive external investigation and termination proceedings. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The idea that a member of our staff would have hurt a student is an educators worst nightmare," Antonucci said. GM, Alt. Submit changes (incorrect DOB, missing stats, incorrect stats, social media links etc) using a web form and we will review your update request within 24 hours and update accordingly. Former Whitman Boy Scouts leader gets 33 years in prison for sexually exploiting children, Former Norwell youth football coach agrees to plead guilty to child exploitation charges, Investigation: Duxbury gym teacher John Blake denied knowing alleged rape victim, having affair, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. On Tuesday, John Blake, who is also the Duxbury High School hockey coach, completely denied the accusations. - EP Contact Book listing of your profile (optional) The lawsuit hits as Duxbury is dealing with its varsity football team accused of using anti-Semitic audibles, including the word Auschwitz. Games continue to be called off. He was 59 years old. School officials said they conducted an independent investigation in 2020 and concluded Blake violated its sexual harassment policy and code of conduct. "Over the last 25 years, I have proudly taught and coached thousands upon thousands of students and athletes, from the youth to the high school level, with respect and professionalism," he said. Related Content: Parents allege Duxbury middle school gym teacher raped their now-deceased son. Facebook (opens in new window/tab) Instagram (opens in new window/tab) - Premium Design on your profile page (optional) Joseph and Melissa Foley's attorney, Jason Morgan, said in a phone interview Wednesday that Antonucci's statement was the first time the family heard that any allegations against Blake had been sustained. The scandals have left residents in the seaside town upset and heartbroken and asking questions. "Over the last 25 years, I have proudly taught and coached thousands upon. 1:38. A gym teacher at Duxbury Middle School has been accused of sexually assaulting a now-deceased former student 15 years ago. When reached by phoneThursday, Antonucci said he would not be making any more comments about the situation. More: Former Whitman Boy Scouts leader gets 33 years in prison for sexually exploiting children, More: Former Norwell youth football coach agrees to plead guilty to child exploitation charges. Lawyer Regina Ryan, hired by the school district to lead the investigation, didnt find explicit evidence of sexual abuse, but did say that Blake was not credible, the Globe reported. Former Oklahoma head coach John Blake has died, the university confirmed. Head Coach, Boys Varsity Ice Hockey Nicole Uliasz Head Coach, Girls Varsity Ice Hockey Rob Krizek Head Coach, Boys and Girls Varsity Squash Stefanie Harrison Program Head, Boys and Girls Swimming and Diving John Clore H'02 Head Coach, Boys Varsity Wrestling Spring Sports Stephen LaRochelle Head Coach, Boys Varsity Baseball Bernadette Teeley P'24 An investigation was launched with an outside firm, and the district remained in close contact with Duxbury police and the Plymouth County District Attorneys Office. Prior to his firing last week, Blake had been on leave pending the completion of the comprehensive external investigation and termination proceedings. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. That, the parents claim, is why their son became an addict. "It is absolutely untrue that the District failed to take reasonable steps and/or implement reasonable safeguards to avoid such acts from occurring in our schools, as is alleged in the lawsuit," Duxbury Public Schools said in a statement. As part of their suit, filed in Plymouth Superior Court, theyre seeking $1 million. Blake was again placed on leave. Varsity BOys Hockey SCores. A middle school teacher in Duxbury, Massachusetts, is accused of sexually assaulting a student 15 years ago. While not reporting, he enjoys long-distance running. People are making assumptions about John Blake that are way off-base," Reddington told the Globe. Click here to sign up for our weekly coronavirus newsletter. 2023 www.patriotledger.com. Unfortunately, it is not that simple, as I have serious concerns regarding Mr. Blakes credibility.. Boston College High School coach John Flaherty. He saidthe departmentcould not bring charges against Blake because the alleged victim is dead. John Blake Overview. Blakes employment with the District terminated on April 1, 2021, Superintendent John Antonucci wrote in a letter on Wednesday, in which he said Duxbury has been rocked to its foundation by the rape allegation and anti-Semitic audibles. Varsity BOys Hockey Schedule. The kids made a mistake, but the adults made a bigger mistake by not calling this out., During Holocaust Remembrance Day, we remember and acknowledge the heroes who stood up against the Holocaust, he added. LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Kings sent the message that they believe only a short reset is needed to compete for championships again by hiring John Stevens as coach on Sunday . . "Blake has been on leave from the school district since November pending the completion of a comprehensive external investigation and termination proceedings," Antonuccisaid in the letter. The suit against Blake accuses the teacher of holding Foley back from gym class while he was a student at Duxbury Middle School around 2006, touching and raping him in the gym and empty classrooms, the Globe reported. #ada-button-frame { Blake was placed on leave from his teaching and coaching positions in November 2020, several weeks after Parker Foley's death, according to a statement from Antonucci and school committee Chair. She said attempts to revive him at home failed and he died at Baylor University Medical Center. A civil lawsuit has been filed against Blake and the school district by the parents of former student Parker Foley, who died of a drug overdose last year. His parents, Joseph and Melissa Foley, accuse Blake of repeatedly raping their son and claim the school district failed to protect him, The Associated Press reported. Morgan says the alleged sex assaults happened multiple times. Aug. 14, 2020. Parker died last November of an accidental drug overdose. Team USA finished eighth in the tournament. MILTON The head of Boston College High School's ice hockey program has been placed on administrative leave after police say he drunkenly crashed his car into another and drove . The ensuing controversy unearthed other complaints in recent years that had also been made against Blake, though school administrators said those had been found meritless or did not violate school policy. Blake was placed on leave from his teaching and coaching positions in November 2020, several weeks after Parker Foleys death, according to a statement from Antonucci and school committee Chair Kellie Bresnehan. In a Wednesday interview, Morgan said people have reached out about Blake's behavior at the school since the lawsuit was filed and suggested there may be other victims. Coach. said Joe Foley, Parker's father. Claude Julien coached the Canadiens for three seasons from 2003-2006, before coming back from 2017 to 2021. After Customers Paid Large Deposits for Home Projects, Contractor Files for Bankruptcy, FIRST ALERT: Wintry Mix Keeps Falling as Storm Hits New England (Live Radar), VIDEO: Ceiling Panel Falls Very Close' to Red Line Rider; MBTA Orders Changes, Stoneham Police Chief Announces Retirement. Duties/Physical Demands: Recruit qualified student-athletes Develop and train student-athletes within the guidelines of the program under the direction of the Head Football Coach Conduct the football program in accordance with all NCAA rules, including attendance at compliance meetings, appropriate record keeping for recruiting and . I commend the boys for their bravery in coming forward and for their willingness to testify at trial.. Blake filed a counterclaim against the couple in June. Head Coach David Maley. Wroblewski's hiring, which came after the Kings decided in May to not renew the contract of longtime Reign coach Mike Stothers, is an important step in what Blake has described as . He was 59. Parker died from a drug overdose last year, according to the suit. April 6, 2021 / 5:50 PM Students held back from gym class were supposed to sit in the bleachers,but no one ever checked on Parker Foley when he was held back, Morgan said in the lawsuit. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox. However, with no identifying information about the victim, the 2018 investigation went cold, the superintendent noted. Get the latest news on COVID-19 delivered to you. Ryan also found Blakes responses to be evasive when questioned about Parker and if a student had ever confronted him with a knife, which Parker told several people he did to stop the alleged abuse. Longtime Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer told Dean Blevins of News9 in Oklahoma City that. Blake also regularly inspected male students gym clothes in the locker room before class and would have been able to hold someone back if they were not properly dressed, a former student told Ryan. Stay up to date with everything Boston. 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The families of the victims and Prew's family members declined to speak following the sentencing. When you come to learn more as you dig, you realize just how many breakdowns there were in supervision, policies and personnel. Get the latest news on COVID-19 delivered to you. TROY, N.Y. >> RPI announced that it has terminated the employment John Burke after 14 seasons as women's ice hockey coach. The lawyer in charge of the inquiry, Regina Ryan, determined there was no direct evidence of the alleged sexual abuse. The alleged sexual abuse happened in the mid-2000s. JOHN BLAKE WAS A GYM TEACHER AT DUXBURY MIDDLE SCHOOL HE ALSO COACHED HOCKEY FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL. Governor & President of Hockey Operations. The investigative report, obtained by The Boston Globe on Tuesday. Not one of those investigations was able to identify actionable evidence of wrongdoing that would result in criminal or personnel charges, the superintendent pointed out. In the coming weeks and months, we are going to need to identify who we are and what we believe in as a school district and community, Antonucci said. The tumult, paired with another scandal involving Duxburys football team, has prompted ongoing questions about how school administrators handled the long-standing concerns and some high-ranking departures. April 23, 2017. Foley died of a drug overdose last year at age 27, according to The Associated Press. His lawyer told the Herald last week they are contemplating a lawsuit of their own against the boys parents.
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