Former Waltham Principal Accused Of Neglecting Sex Abuse Claims

UPDATED, 4:05 p.m.: Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy just told Waltham Patch she could not comment on the lawsuit and has not yet been served documents regarding it. McCarthy, who also serves as the chairman of the school committee, declined to comment on whether Graceffa would be taking his seat on the committee early next year.

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UPDATED, 2:38 p.m.: John Graceffa just told Waltham Patch, “I had no idea [about the suit], totally caught me by surprise."

When asked whether he planned to take his seat on the School Comittee early next year, he said, "yes."

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A former Waltham Public Schools student has filed a lawsuit claiming that a now deceased teacher sexually abused him in 2005 and that a former school official failed to act on prior reports of abuse by that teacher that could have protected students.

The former student and alleged victim, Michael Phillips Jr., in the lawsuit filed in , claims that former Principal and School Committee member-elect, failed to act on prior reports of sexual abuse against students by Robert Dacey (Dacey is pictured here), a former drama teacher at

The lawsuit claims the abuse against Phillips, now 20, occurred in 2005, while a student at John W. McDevitt Middle School.

Graceffa was elected to the School Committee last month, but has not yet taken office. He is scheduled to early next year.

Specifically, the lawsuit claims Graceffa violated the state’s law that mandates school officials report such incidents. The suit also claims the City of Waltham, also named as a defendant, violated Title IX, a federal law regulating sex and gender in education, by not implementing sexual assault policies as required under that law, according to the lawsuit.

Phillips, in the lawsuit, is asking for a jury trial on the case, compensatory and punitive damages.

Dacey died in June 2007, reportedly from a heart attack, while awaiting trial on 17 felony charges of sexual intercourse with a child, assault with intent to rape, indecent assault and battery on child under the age of fourteen, indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14, indecent assault and battery on a child over the age of 14, enticement of a child and statutory rape of a child, according to the lawsuit. The charges stem from alleged abuse against three separate boys.

Stay tuned to Patch for more information on this story.