Former Valley Forge Student Sues School For Abuse, Neglect

WAYNE, PA — A former student at Valley Forge Military Academy has filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging the school allowed its students to abuse others and did not take action against said abuse.

Attorney Stew Art Ryan is representing the former student, who is listed a John Doe the suit's documents, and has filed it in a Philadelphia court.

The suit alleges after Doe entered the school in 2016, he was "subjected to physical and mental abuse that other children had been forced to suffer for decades at VFMAC."

Incidents of abuse outlined in the suit claim Doe was assaulted with a lacrosse stick, was water boarded, bound and beaten with belts, and left blindfolded and hanging by his arms for at nearly half an hour.

The school is accused of knowing about the physical and other abusive acts directed toward Doe, but not doing anything about it.

"No one at VFMAC reported any of the reports of abuse that had occurred thus far to authorities despite their obligation to do so, thereby directly and continuously endangering the safety of cadets and ratifying the conduct of cadets assaulting John Doe," the suit reads.

The suit seeks $50,000 in damages. However, Ryan told KYW News that the suit is not about money, rather it's about changing the culture at the school to prevent others from being abused.

Several students involved in the abuse were charged by Radnor Township Police in 2017, according to the suit.