Alumni React To Sexual Misconduct Reports At Altamont

BIRMINGHAM, AL - The news that came out of Birmingham's Altamont School regarding sexual misconduct in the school's past has sent a ripple through the community - and not just the Birmingham community, but the close-knit community made up of Altamont alumni. Many former students got together to craft and sign a letter to principal Christopher Durst and board president Michael S. Denniston relaying their dismay at the situation, and how it was handled.

First, a letter sent to more than 4,000 former and current students by Durst and Denniston detailed the findings of a six-month investigation launched after "certain courageous alumnae" contacted school officials about the past misconduct.

Related Story: Sexual Misconduct Alleged At Altamont School Between 70s and 90s

Allegations of sexual misconduct by school employees dating back to the 1970s - ranging from inappropriate comments to actual sexual relations between faculty and students - were revealed by multiple alumnae in the study.

More than 80 alumni signed a response letter to Durst and Denniston, expressing their feelings on the issue.

"Many of us have been struggling with our emotions these last days," the letter states. "Altamont was a close, tight-knit school and this touches us deeply. First and foremost, we want to convey to you our sadness and anger at what happened to our classmates."

It continues, "First and foremost, we want to convey to you our sadness and anger at what happened to our classmates. We are also profoundly upset to find out that when any of them came forward to report to the administration, they were ignored or dismissed for decades. Regardless of 'the times,' it was inexcusable to hide, cover up or deny their experience. We stand in full solidarity with the survivors. We want you to know that it is of vital importance to us that they, at long last, receive what each of them needs to fully process this painful chapter of their lives and find peace."

The letter states that the alumni "see that Altamont today is a very different school when it comes to child safeguarding; we are pleased that you have taken steps to reduce the likelihood of such misconduct happening again and that there is now an environment to support students who come forward. Naturally, we commend the fact that at long last Altamont responded to survivors’ reports and opened an investigation. Nevertheless, we have some concerns and suggestions."

The alumni said they are frustrated that Altamont included so few of them in communications about the investigation while it was officially underway, especially those who were students at Altamont in the 1980s when most of the misconduct took place, who may have had relevant information or been survivors themselves.

"We wish that the letter that opened the investigation in March – or some notification thereof – had been posted at the time on the Altamont Alumni Facebook page," the letter states. "This would have been an easy, efficient way to get the word out and assure the community that the investigation would be thorough. An email to all class Presidents requesting further circulation could have been sent. We also do not understand why a hard copy was not mailed to all physical addresses on file. It was distressing for many of us to receive other mailings from the school, but not the letter about the investigation."

The letter stresses that the alumni's primary concern "is that all potential survivors receive the information regarding reporting, should they wish to do so. Thank you for addressing this point in your November 1 letter. We welcome the fact that you are now pulling class lists from 1975 to 1995. We suggest identifying two people per class to help in locating contact information. We are happy to assist in identifying volunteers."

The alumni touched another topic, regarding former administrators who were at the school during the alleged misconduct. "We appreciate that in your November 1 letter you proactively opened the discussion regarding honoring former administrators who did not address sexual misconduct reports appropriately. We think this is an extremely valuable discussion to have and offers great possibility for healing. Thank you for asking for the community’s input. We will spread the word that alums can send their initial thoughts via email to cdurst@altamontschool.org (unless another channel is preferred).

"In trying to arrive at a unified response to the question of honoring such former administrators, we realized that we do not have the full picture. To make an informed contribution to the discussion, many of us need more information."

The letter asks also that further details be released about the findings. "We request further details: names of administrators, the (anonymized) reports that were made to them, including whether the employee was on staff at the time, whether the report included potential criminal behavior, and what the response was," the letter states. "Additionally, before making any final decisions, we request that you give another window of time to hear from people who only recently heard about the investigation and have information they would like to share."

The letter continues, "How these administrators and former employees are presented as part of the school’s history are important decisions. We suggest taking the time to continue the discussion with relevant stakeholders."

The alumni close by saying, "Maybe additional ideas around addressing this part of Altamont’s past will emerge. We also suggest defining a clear process and rationale for making these decisions and ultimately, communicating the results openly. We hope that you continue to include us in the process."

The letter was signed by 83 alumni ranging from the 1970s to 2017.

The initial letter from the board to alumni can be read in its entirety here.

Image via Altamont School