Campus of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.
In Friday’s (5/17) News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina), Virginia Bridges writes, “The University of North Carolina School of the Arts has settled a lawsuit with dozens of alumni accusing former officials there of allowing faculty to sexually abuse, harass and exploit students … The University of North Carolina System and the School of the Arts agreed to pay about 65 alumni a total of $12.5 million over four years. The UNC System will cover $10 million of the settlement, with the school paying the rest. The money will be divided among the alumni, based on factors such as the nature and duration of the abuse … The lawsuit says teachers sexually abused and exploited students as administrators turned ‘a willful blind eye’ to egregious and outrageous conduct during most of the school’s history from the 1960s to the 2010s…. ‘Despite the clear obligation to the boys and girls who chose to attend the school, the Defendant Administrators instead permitted, participated in, encouraged, allowed, perpetuated and/or condoned a culture of sexual abuse and exploitation,’ the lawsuit states…. ‘Though this resolution cannot heal the wounds of the past, it is my deep hope that through it, the survivors who came forward feel our commitment to listening, acknowledging and doing right by them,’ Chancellor Brian Cole said.”
The League of American Orchestras encourages its members to follow best practices in responding to reports from survivors and their allies, and in building the inclusive and supportive cultures that protect against harm. Read the League’s public message on this topic, and explore resources on sexual misconduct prevention and survivor support.
