Stonington — An unidentified female student told school administrators on Jan. 9, 2019, that former high school teacher and coach Timothy Chokas went on a rant in class “about how he once got in trouble for touching girls and that if anyone has a problem with him they should go to him first, not the principal or the administration.”

In fact there had been numerous complaints about Chokas inappropriately touching girls and making sexually charged comments to them dating back to at least 2013, according to school documents and emails, and on two occasions in 2013 and 2017, he had been instructed to come up with plans to avoid touching female students.

The female student also told Director of Guidance Margo Crowley that on at least four occasions, Chokas would “back up in to me with his butt as he opens the door to the class and that “he presses his knee on my thigh while I am sitting.” The girl also said Chokas would tell her to turn her hand over and he would then slap it but not hard. She also told Crowley that Chokas “has been physical with me” and helps me longer than is necessary.”

The girl’s complaint, which led to Chokas’ resignation in 2019, was revealed Monday as the school system released an unredacted version of a memo written by High School Principal Mark Friese to Superintendent of Schools Van Riley detailing the incident. The state Freedom of Information Commission ordered the school system last month to release the memo after The Day successfully appealed the school's system refusal to do so.

The girl’s complaint led to school officials allowing Chokas to resign with his full $81,396 pay and benefits for the remainder of the school year and agreeing not to fire him or disclose any information concerning his employment, except as required by law. School board members have said they were unaware of what occurred or the resignation deal until The Day began publishing a series of stories about it in June 2019.

School administrators had initially released a copy of the memo to The Day but had blacked out the section that details the girl's complaint. School officials maintained they could redact the information under law because it was a student record as well as record of the state Department of Children and Families. The school system spent tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees in an unsuccessful attempt to block the release of the memo.

The Day filed an appeal with the state Freedom of Information Commission, arguing the memo could not be a student record because the girl’s name does not appear in the memo, only her initials, which the newspaper did not object to redacting. The Day also argued that the memo could not be a DCF record because DCF never investigated the incident. The state Freedom of Information Commission agreed with The Day’s argument and on July 22 ordered the school system to release the memo.

Last week, the school board voted 5-2 to comply with the FOI ruling and release an unredacted copy of the memo to The Day. Board members Craig Esposito and Farouk Rajab opposed the release but did not state their reasons for doing so during the vote.

The introduction to the memo states that Crowley and former Assistant Principal Neal Curland told Friese that a student had reported to another adult in the building that her friend had been inappropriately touched by Chokas and felt uncomfortable in the class with him. Friese does not name Chokas in the memo but identifies him by the initials TC. Former career center staff member Kate Milde has said she was the adult the girl spoke to about the incident. Milde has said Chokas’ alleged sexual harassment of female students was well known among teachers and staff members.

The memo also states school officials began an investigation, informed police officer Tom Paige, who was in the building, and then sent Chokas home on paid administrative leave. He was escorted out of the building by Friese and Curland. The memo states that three of four other students interviewed that day “confirmed incidents of touching and a high level of attention.”

 Student’s complaint never placed in Chokas’ personnel file

Like other complaints made against Chokas in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019, and referred to in school system documents, the complaint made by the unidentified girl on Jan. 9, 2019, was never placed in Chokas’ personnel file, and he was never disciplined.

This meant that when The Day in 2019 requested copies of complaints filed against Chokas and any disciplinary actions against him, school officials said there were none. It also meant such records were not available to any future employer inquiring about Chokas' personnel record.

Riley and Friese testified under oath at an FOI hearing last fall that the various reports lodged against Chokas by students, referred to in school documents and emails, were not considered complaints but “reports” and “concerns.” They said the system had no written complaints about Chokas even though school system policy requires students be asked to place their complaint in writing. Former student Olivia Bayer testified under oath at an FOI hearing that school officials never asked her to put her 2017 complaint in writing.        

Many former students have told The Day and posted on social media that Chokas repeatedly touched female students inappropriately and made inappropriate comments to them dating back to 2004.

The numerous complaints against Chokas, who also served as the girls’ assistant golf and soccer coach, include that he allegedly placed his legs on girls’ laps, touched their backs and thighs, stroked their hair, massaged their shoulders, pushed up against them, tickled them and struck one girl in the buttocks with a cane he was using. They also allege he asked girls about their boyfriends and invited them to have breakfast with him in his classroom. The alleged touching took place in his classroom and an adjacent photo darkroom and at golf and soccer practice sessions. Those who have spoken to The Day say the touching was pervasive, occurred daily and dates back to 2004, was witnessed by many other fellow students and was well known in the school community.

The school board, meanwhile, is awaiting the results of an independent investigation into how school officials handled the allegations against Chokas as well as a review of school system policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment by the state Office of the Child Advocate. Both inquiries came after The Day published articles detailing the allegations and how they were handled.

Through May 31, the school system has spent $163,000 on legal fees related to Chokas The $163,000 figure, though, does not include billing for work done on the FOI appeal since May 31 as well as additional money spent on the independent investigation.

j.wojtas@theday.com