Copyright The Philadelphia Inquirer
Ten former Cherry Hill students have filed lawsuits alleging they were sexually assaulted by a predatory teacher decades ago and the South Jersey school system failed to protect them, joining seven others who have filed similar civil litigation this year. The 10 new complaints, filed Wednesday in Superior Court in Camden County, allege the nine men and a woman were sexually abused by Otto Becken when he was their teacher at James F. Cooper Elementary between 1974 and 1984. The alleged abuse occurred when the students were about 11 or 12, according to court documents. Becken, who died in 2011, was a homeroom teacher and reading specialist. Becken was charged in 1984 with sexually assaulting two 12-year-old boys. Under a settlement with the district, he resigned later that year and agreed to surrender his teaching certificate and seek psychiatric treatment. The lawsuits allege that district employees, including then-principal Lloyd Sandt, knew or should have known about the abuse but did nothing to stop it. The district failed to make mandatory reports of suspected abuse to the state’s child welfare agency, according to the complaints. “These brave survivors have come forward to hold accountable those who turned a blind eye while children were being harmed,” said Jeffrey P. Fritz, an attorney who represents all 17 victims. “The pattern of abuse and deliberate inaction by those in power reveals a disturbing culture of silence that must be addressed.” » READ MORE: Cherry Hill School District faces lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by a former sixth-grade teacher Fritz and his co-counsel, Derek T. Braslow said they expect that additional victims may still come forward. “We’ll never know. There will always be a population that will never come forward,” Fritz said in an interview. Cherry Hill school officials did not respond to requests for comment. In court filings, the district has denied the allegations, which include negligent hiring, retention, and supervision. The lawsuits each allege the victims were fondled during private remedial reading sessions. Becken had male students sit on his lap in the classroom and touched them inappropriately, the complaints allege. Other teachers knew about the alleged abuse, with one teacher warning a student to “be careful” around Becken, the lawsuits say. The sexual misconduct typically was often done under the guise of wrestling or roughhousing, the lawsuits say. Some alleged assaults occurred during a weeklong overnight class trip to Mount Misery, a campground in the Pine Barrens, the lawsuit said The complaints were filed suit under the 2019 New Jersey Child Victims Act, which extended the statute of limitations to allow child sex abuse victims to sue their abusers and the institutions that protected them. » READ MORE: Winslow Township school district settles sexual abuse lawsuit against a teacher for $6 million The law carved out an exception to the statute of limitations, making it easier for child sexual abuse victims to seek justice in civil court. Experts say it is common for victims of sexual abuse to not disclose the trauma they experienced until an older age, often between 40 and 55, according to the Philadelphia-based advocacy group Child USA. It is estimated that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys in New Jersey experience some form of sexual abuse before age 18. But most of the abuse goes unreported, according to the state » READ MORE: Hear what Salema Hicks Robinson has to say about the civil sex abuse lawsuit she filed, what she’s lost and how she’s triumphed “The more information they have about what happened the better. I hope that it prevents other young children from going through this again,” said Joe Sisti, 57, of Marlton, one of the newest plaintiffs. Sisti is one of a few victims who used his name in their lawsuits; others are listed as John Doe or Jane Doe in court filings. He said he wanted to share their stories to encourage other sex abuse victims to consider coming forward. Sisti began having nightmares when he read an April Inquirer article about lawsuits filed by his former classmates alleging abuse by Becken. “I was surprised by the number of students,” he said. Sisti said he was about 11 or 12 when the alleged abuse began. The incidents occurred at least once a week, with Becken touching his genitals, he said. “In my way of thinking he was a monster,” Sisti said. “At the time I was just scared off everything.” Sisti said one day Becken asked him to stay after school. He ran crying to the principal’s office, afraid to be alone with his teacher, he said. “That was a horrific day,” he recalled. I don’t know what he would have done to me." Married and the father of three, Sisti said he suppressed what happened until now. He wants his story told and he wants punitive action against the school board. “I am not afraid of anyone knowing my name. I have nothing to be ashamed of,” he said. Like many of his classmates, John Doe 23 idolized Becken during the 1977-78 school year. They craved his attention and never wanted to disappoint him, he said. “He was the popular teacher,” he said in an interview. During lunchtime, John Doe 23 said Becken kept him behind while his classmates were outside on the playground. The teacher fondled him while he sat on his lap, he said. He alleged that the abuse occurred at least two dozen times. During a camping trip, Becken curled in his bed and fondled him, he said. The retired FBI agent, 59, said he decided to come forward after recent news accounts. He wants to promote better awareness to protect all children against pedophiles. “Boys don’t talk. They keep it inside,” he said. “I want the system to know how bad and how long this lasts.” Desperate to avoid contact with Becken during a class trip to Mount Misery, Jane Doe 20 said she slammed her head against a cavern wall. “I was scared to death. There was no way I was staying there,” she said in an interview. She was 12. She sustained a concussion, and after getting five stitches, she was sent home to her parents and never returned to camp. When she went to Becken for extra reading help, she alleges that Becken fondled her breasts and ejaculated while she was sitting next to him in the classroom. She said she reported the incidents at least three times to Sandt, the principal, who told her “I’ll take care of it.” “He knew what was going on. He just ignored,” she said. For years, she didn’t remember much about the incidents, until recent social media posts brought back memories. She said she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. She said a turning point came when she contacted Fritz, her lawyer, and “felt that “somebody was out there who will believe me.” “I felt a sense of relief. I knew there had to be others,” said the 59-year-old mother of four. “You blame yourself for a lot you shouldn’t.”
