Sexual Abuse Allegations at Bergen Catholic High School
Bergen County, New Jersey
Founded: 1955
Location: Oradell, New Jersey
Grades: 9 through 12
Bergen Catholic High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school that is under the supervision of the Archdiocese of Newark. As of 2014, the average enrollment was 745 students and 43 classroom teachers. The school is operated by the Christian Brothers religious order.
21 alleged victims from this school came forward in 2016 with a lawsuit against Bergen Catholic High School.The alleged abuse occurred from 1963 to 1978 and encompassed several students and faculty. A settlement was reached in November for 1.9 million dollars. According to media reports, one of the Christian Brothers at Bergen Catholic High School used to discipline boys by making them pull down their pants and underwear while he beat them with a leather strap on their backsides. Another was feared because of the way he used to pin students to their desks and reach his hand down their pants.
According to our investigation, the following Christian Brothers accused of sexually abusing minors were assigned to Bergen Catholic at some point in their career:
- Br. Richard Berryman
- Br. John Chaney
- Br. Francis Fish
- Br. Thomas Cuthbert
- Br. Ronald Alexius Howe
- Br. Michael S. McElhatton
- Br. Eugene McKenna
- Br. Timothy O'Sullivan
- Br. Jerome Shannon
- Br. J.P. Siebert
- Br. Gerald Waldron
- Br. Donald Walsh
Additionally, another civil lawsuit was filed in 2018 against a former wrestling coach at Bergen Catholic High School for sending inappropriate and harassing text messages to a sophomore at the high school. The coach, David Bell, allegedly sent a student a string of over 90 text messages, including asking the teen of his whereabouts constantly, and telling him that he loved him. The text messages were verified by a forensic examiner and have since been shared on the internet. The victim says he was kicked off the wrestling team and was forced to file the lawsuit due to being unfairly treated. More plaintiffs also joined the case, and even an assistant coach was involved to offer evidence against Bell. The investigation is still ongoing.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse in New Jersey. If you need a lawyer because you were sexually abused in New Jersey, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those sexually abused by teachers, coaches, and administrators in New Jersey private schools now have legal options to get justice and compensation, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our law firm offers free consultations and always works on a contingency basis.
Contact us at (954) 641-2100 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your case today.