Police Investigating Sexual Misconduct Allegations at Phillips Exeter Academy

EXETER, NH - After allegations of sexual misconduct against a decorated teacher at one of the country’s most prestigious preparatory schools were reported recently, more students have come forward about inappropriate sexual allegations at the school, according to the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Exeter Police have confirmed that after Phillips Exeter Academy sent out letters to alumni last week in the wake of two student allegations against former teacher Rick Schubart, four more students have submitted information to police about sexual misconduct allegations against teachers, according to the report.

Schubart resigned from the school in 2011, according to press reports. The allegations against him came to light last week after the Boston Globe inquired about two cases against the teacher that were not disclosed to the public, according to the newspaper’s report.

Schubart held various positions at the school across four decades but after allegations first surfaced, he was allowed to step down. After a second allegation appeared in 2015, he was barred from the campus. Schubart reportedly admitted to the school that the misconduct occurred, according to the Globe.

Exeter Police Chief William Shupe, in a statement, confirmed that the department had received information from the school "detailing multiple allegations of misconduct and abuse" and was taking "all such allegations very seriously."

"We are now at the beginning stages of what will be a complete and thorough investigation into each allegation," he said. "Because these investigations are ongoing and are in their infancy, no additional information is available at this time."

Shupe added that the department was encouraging anyone with information or concerns to reach out to the Exeter Police Department at 603-772-1212.

The sexual misconduct allegations and investigation has also trickled into the New Hampshire 2016 Senate race.

During the time that Schubart was a teacher, Gov. Maggie Hassan’s husband, Tom Hassan, was the principal at the school (2009 to 2015) and they lived on the campus with their now adult children.

Schubart was also a member of Gov. Hassan’s 2012 gubernatorial campaign steering committee, a year after he resigned due to the first sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Gov. Hassan is now challenging current U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-NH, and has been questioned about what she knew and when during the time Schubart was teaching, when her husband knew of the allegations, and why he was on her steering committee a year after the admitted misconduct.

Last week, Hassan told WMUR-TV that she had “thousands of supporters and lots of lists of steering committees, and while I sensed something was wrong because of the teacher’s abrupt departure, from the school, and abrupt retirement, I didn’t know and I didn’t have information that I could pass on that would have allowed us to remove him.”

Earlier today, Gov. Hassan shifted her explanation slightly and told NH1 News that she “did sense that something was wrong when Mr. Schubart abruptly left campus and I should have worked more actively to review my public supporter and steering committee lists and remove him from it and I apologize for that.”

Caren Schubart, Rick Schubart’s wife, was also named to a “Women for Maggie” Steering Committee list in July 2012, according to Patch.

Ayotte has only offered a statement concerning the victims in the case.

“As a former prosecutor who has worked with victims of sexual abuse, I believe it’s so important that we provide support for those who come forward and have been victimized,” she said recently. “Important questions have been raised about whether these accusations were handled properly that must be fully addressed to ensure the safety and well-being of students.”