Community Meeting Stirs Up Bad Memories

A packed Cultural Center at New College had to have extra folding tables brought in from adjacent classrooms to seat the crowd of people at the community meeting on November 1st. Hand drawn banners on the walls read, "Belief in the collective responsibility for the welfare of all people" and "Support the survivors."

The SF Weekly article, "The Double Life of John Leary," was the first time many people at New College had heard that our college's founder had a history of sexual abuse. Reactions within the College ranged from utter denial to accusations that the administration perpetuated the abuse through its inaction.

Linda James Meyers moderated, and first called for a moment of silence to remember the victims, then suggested creating a "ritual space" so that others could contribute based on their individual spiritual backgrounds. There was a moment of silence. After the opening ceremonies, San Francisco Women Against Rape (SFWAR), offered information about confidential and anonymous counseling to victims of sexual abuse.

The floor was then opened to dialogue, offering students, faculty and staff a chance to express their feelings about what steps should be taken to deal with the tensions the article caused.

Gioioa von Disterlo, a New College student, stood up as a solemn silence fell over the room. "John Leary, the founder of New College was a pedophile and sexual abuser," she said with a shaky voice. Von Disterlo explained her purpose in coming to New College as a survivor of physical abuse; to study the systems of oppression that enable abusers to victimize other people and get away with it. She looked toward New College as a place that would foster this intellectual inquiry, but felt that her past traumas were reactivated when she heard the news of Leary's history. She called for the resignation of President Martin Hamilton and asked that more systems of transparency along with support services be implemented. Her speech was received with a robust round of applause.

She was the first of many to speak out against the administration and the way they dealt with the scandal. People voiced concerns, asking why the information was not shared before the article came out, accused the administration of silencing victims and demanded answers about the accountability of the president. One student questioned how independent the board of directors is from the administration.

"There is an administrative disorganization that has not been fully dealt with," Michael McAvoy, Co-Academic Vice President said. He also offered an apology to people who were hurt, drectly or indirectly, by Leary's abuses.

Catherine Sneed offered an apology on behalf of the board of trustees and was greeted by applause. Her apology was slightly diluted by comparing the suffering of the sexual abuse survivors at the school with what she perceived to be bigger problems, such as people getting shot in the streets. "I ask that we put this aside and look at our future," she said.

Hamilton refused to address a few of the more heated questions and sat with his arms crossed tightly across his chest. "I am hurt by someone I don't know calling for my resignation," he said.

Von Disterlo formed a student group, Stop Systems of Silence (SSOS) in response to the suffering many abuse survivors felt. She was not satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.

"I spoke at the community meeting, not as a member of SSOS, but as a survivor of abuse. I read the SF Weekly article for the first time in class in the presence of abuse survivors and those close to survivors. We learned that the founder of our school was a sexual abuser. We also learned that the current administration does not believe that is has any responsibility to community members that have been victimized by John Leary or revictimized by the public release of his sexual abuse history. Many of us were devastated by this information and are still in crisis as a result," she said in an email to the Clarion.

Toward the end of the meeting tensions were running high. Many people cried, some cheered and a few left the room muttering curses under their breath. Many had spoken their piece but some still felt that their voices were not heard. Although it was an unsettling experience, it did create some positive change. An independent student governance group was formed in order to better represent student needs, a student/faculty task force was created to work with abuse survivors and foster a more supportive environment, and there are more community meetings to come. Perhaps some harm came out of the revelation that John Leary was a pedophile, but New College reacted as a community in order to create what was termed, "strategies for the future."

To participate in the student/faculty task force email Linda James Meyers at ljamesmyers@newcollege.edu and Michael McAvoy at mmcavoy@newcollege.edu. For sexual abuse counseling you can call the SF Women Against Rape 24 hour hotline at 415 647 7273. SSOS can be reached online at stopsilence.net.

This story orgionally appeared in the New College Clarion on November 7, 2006.