First of all, we want to thank everyone who has thoughtfully considered the issues presented in our petition and taken the time to sign and comment.

In the four months since this petition was posted, the Oppenheimer Investigations Group has released the "Report Concerning Complaints of Faculty-Student Sexual Misconduct;" the investigation and report have received media coverage from the L.A. Times, the Montecito Journal, Noozhawk and Santa Barbara News-Press; and sadly, but inevitably, more survivors have come forward to share their stories.

If you haven't yet read the report or seen the coverage, we have a page on the Cate Organizing Team website dedicated to all manner of resources for Cate alums, parents and students, as well as survivors.

Of the ten requests we made of the Cate Board of Trustees, two items have been completed. Here's a reminder of what we've requested and what you signed:

"We, the undersigned, ask the Cate Board of Trustees and Cate School to:

1. Protect students who report sexual misconduct: Clarify student grievance and public complaint policies and procedures that are reasonable, fairly administered, and well publicized.

2. Clarify and publicize which accrediting standards govern Cate’s policies and the ways in which the School is adhering to those.

3. Prioritize funding and launching the independently-managed free therapy fund for survivors of sexual abuse at Cate School; announce availability of this resource no later than 11/1/2021. COMPLETE

4. Share results of Oppenheimer Group’s investigation with the entire Cate community no later than 1/1/2022. COMPLETE

5. Inform all current and future employers of perpetrators named in Oppenheimer’s report of those staff members’ histories of student sexual abuse at Cate.

6. Terminate the employment and on campus faculty housing of all perpetrators and enablers of sexual abuse at Cate. (Enablers are those who are aware of colleagues’ sexual misconduct but take ineffective or no action to protect the student(s).)

7. To the extent that the law permits, press charges against all School employees who perpetrated sexual abuse of Cate students.

8. Upon completion of Oppenheimer Group’s investigation, conduct community outreach to honor alumni responses and discuss next steps for the School.

9. As Thacher has done, request a third party independent investigation of Cate’s school leaders’ role in campus sexual abuse. 

10. Set up a mechanism for the Cate community of alumni and families to communicate directly with the Board. Invite Cate community to know when the Board meets and how to provide input on their agendas.

As you can see, we still have a long way to go. 

Please share this petition with your fellow Cate alums and parents and if you feel so moved, write to the board with your thoughts. You can find sample letters sent by alumni and board contact information in this folder.

Thank you again for helping us advocate for survivors and for transparency and accountability from the leadership and administration at Cate in responding to, and ending, school sexual abuse in this community.