Much has happened since we started this petition. We've been pleased with some of the outcomes: 

• Publication of the Oppenheimer report
• Coming together of Cate alumni, former faculty and parents to speak up about the handling of years of abuse and coverups by the school, via this petition, social media, letters to the board and community conversations
• Funding and launch of the free therapy fund for survivors of sexual abuse by Cate and overseen by the national organization RAINN
• New policies and procedures for handling sexual misconduct on campus and training for all staff and faculty in mandatory reporting

Today, Ben Williams announced he'll be leaving Cate at the end of the '22-'23 school year.

We're still waiting for several of our initial requests to come to fruition:

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

2. 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. (This is in progress, but has not gone far enough.)

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.

We're not there yet.

Please continue to 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.