Stonington — The school board has no plans to investigate how school officials handled the numerous allegations of inappropriate and unwanted touching against former high school teacher Timothy Chokas or hold a meeting to discuss the issue until it hears from the state child advocate, according to board Chairwoman Alexa Garvey.

Because the school board has canceled its regular monthly meeting this Thursday, residents will not have the opportunity to address the board on the issue until its Aug. 9 meeting.

After The Day published a series of stories beginning June 23 in which numerous students alleged Chokas had repeatedly touched them and other students inappropriately and complained to school officials as far back as 2016, two board members called on Garvey to schedule a meeting to discuss the issue.

One of them, Alisa Morrison, said late last week that while she understands the need to protect student confidentiality, she questioned why the board could not meet to discuss the policies that are in place to protect children, whether they were followed in the case of Chokas or need to be updated and how such complaints are handled by school administrators.

“We should start the process of how to move forward,” she said, adding there is also a need to educate students and school employees about the need to report such incidents. The Day has now talked to more than 25 young women who say they were either touched by Chokas or saw him touch others dating back to 2004. Many of them said they did not report what occurred at the time.

Morrison said she also wants school officials to answer questions about why complaints from six girls who say they did tell Principal Mark Friese and Director of Guidance Margo Crowley in 2016 and 2017 that Chokas has touched them and their classmates are not found in Chokas’ personnel file. The Day had filed a Freedom of Information request for all complaints and disciplinary records in Chokas’ personnel file but was told there were none.

Morrison said she is disappointed in the board's “inaction” on the issue and its unwillingness to call a meeting to discuss the issues surrounding it.

After The Day published several stories about the allegations against Chokas, Sarah Eagan, who heads the state Office of the Child Advocate, said she had asked school officials to provide her with details about how they responded to the complaints received in 2017 by Friese and Crowley. School officials have said they were assembling information to send to Eagan for her review. It is not known when that review will be completed.

Chokas, a technology and media teacher who was hired in 2003, resigned in January after school officials signed a confidential settlement agreement that paid him his $81,396 salary and health insurance through June 30. They also agreed not to fire Chokas and not disclose any information concerning Chokas' employment or separation from his position to anyone at any time, except as required by law. Chokas also agreed not to take legal action against the school system.

The resignation came a month after officials received a complaint that Chokas had inappropriate contact with a female student, and almost two years after five other girls complained to Friese and Crowley. Another student has said she brought similar complaints about Chokas to Crowley in the spring of 2016.

The complaints include that Chokas, who also served as the girls' golf coach, allegedly placed his legs on girls' laps, touched their backs and thighs, massaged shoulders, leaned up against them, tickled them and struck one girl in the buttocks with a cane he was using. The alleged touching took place in his classroom and an adjacent darkroom and at golf practice. Those who have spoken to The Day say the touching was pervasive and occurred daily.    

The state's mandatory reporting law requires school officials and employees to report within 24 hours if they have "reasonable cause to suspect" that a child under 18 has been the victim of abuse.

While Superintendent of Schools Van Riley has said the school system "did file a DCF report" and DCF decided not to investigate it further, he has refused to say whether the school system reported the incidents in 2016, 2017 or this past winter to local police or DCF. Students and their parents who made the 2017 complaints to Friese and Crowley say they were never interviewed by DCF and local police, which is what typically occurs when a report is made.

School board attorney Kyle McClain has told The Day that the board will not release any documentation that shows whether it contacted either the police or the state Department of Children and Families were notified about Chokas' alleged actions.

McClain cited an Appellate Court ruling and a 2015 Freedom of Information decision that found that state law gives public agencies "a broad grant of confidentiality" in connection with information involving possible child abuse cases as why the school board is exempt from releasing the documents.

Both Riley and Friese have written to parents saying that their top priority is student safety and that they thoroughly investigate every complaint, follow required procedures, contact the appropriate authorities and act decisively based on the evidence found.

The Day also asked Riley, Friese, Crowley and Title IX Coordinator Allison Van Etten questions about the system's training and reporting practices on sexual harassment, discrimination and bullying and whether they were adhered to in the Chokas case.

Riley responded saying that all district policies are available on the district website for review and "many any of those policies are also contained, referenced, or otherwise discussed in the district schools' student handbooks." 

"Regarding your questions concerning various laws and legal requirements, the district complies with all applicable laws and regulations, including those concerning discrimination, harassment, bullying, and other areas addressed by your questions," he wrote.

j.wojtas@theday.com