I read with pause the recent articles on the sexual harassment of Stonington High School female students by a teacher whom the kids complained about and who was allowed to retire from teaching with full benefits.

My pause is two-fold. First, as the retired chair of the Committee on Children representing Stonington in the Connecticut General Assembly for 18 years, I was horrified that this happened on my watch. My single driving motivation has always been to protect children and families. How could such egregious and traumatizing behavior have escaped notice? And why isn’t every high-level public official weighing in on this?

Second, I was gratified that a newspaper that still pursues investigative reporting listened to a brave member of the Board of Education and insisted on finding the truth. Without the reporting that took place this might never have come to light, and the girls who were subjected to this degrading behavior from a teacher would have been left to deal with it in silence, never having their complaints validated, left to feel guilty, unworthy, unimportant, and denigrated. Now because of excellent reporting they have been empowered.

Without a free and unencumbered press, violations akin to what has happened at Stonington High School could continue unchallenged throughout our country destroying lives. Kudos to Day Staff Writer Joe Wojtas, board member Alisa Morrison and The Day for having the courage to pursue the truth.

Diana Urban

Retired state representative

Stonington