ROME, Ga. — A judgement has been reached in a decades-old sexual abuse case that shook the education system in Rome, Georgia.
On April 15, a Floyd County judge awarded 20 survivors $345 million dollars in the Darlington School sexual abuse case, expected to be paid from the school's insurance providers.
In addition to the $345 million dollars, the judgement also includes:
- Added training for faculty and abuse reporting protocols at the Darlington School.
- Accepted responsibility for the abuse as outlined in a joint statement on behalf of the school
- A heartfelt apology to the former students and a pledge to work with the victims to find peace and healing.
The attorney for the survivors, Darren Penn, said he hopes the resolution will prevent abuse from happening to others.
"We are honored to represent these brave individuals and their families," Penn said. "They had the courage to come forward and pursue justice for a lifetime of pain and struggling from the scars and injuries suffered at a time when they were most vulnerable."
According to court documents obtained by 11Alive, these developments come after the school released a letter in 2017 revealing its investigation into an allegation made by an alumni from the 1980s who "had an inappropriate and uncomfortable experience with a former faculty member."
The former faculty member allegedly responsible for the abuse that ranged from 1977 through 1988 was English teacher and dorm parent Robert Stifflemire. The students accuse Stifflemire of repeatedly grabbing, harassing and performing sexual acts with them while threatening expulsion, among other penalties, if they did not cooperate.
According to a release by the law firm representing the survivors, the sexual abuse allegedly occurred in dormitories, Stifflemire's car, as well as off-campus locations on private and public land.
One plaintiff, whose name is not disclosed in the court documents, allegedly tried to resist Stifflemire and was expelled during his senior year as a result.
In a June 2022 court filing, a judge ruled in favor of all 20 plaintiffs against Stifflemire and recognized that "although the claims in the actions (were) disputed, a verdict against him was authorized. Following this decision, all parties decided to resolve this matter through judgement.
None of the survivors knew their fellow classmates were also being abused, nor did any Darlington faculty members authorized to report the abuse did so, according to a 2024 document. In addition, the law firm of the survivors claimed that even when Darlington Faculty knew or should have known about Stifflemire's abusive conduct, the school remained silent and concealed information. The law firm also said that after being repeatedly confronted with allegations, the school issued the previously mentioned 2017 letter, which falsely stated the school had no knowledge of the allegations and that all involved non-physical contact.
In a later apology statement from the Darlington School Board of Trustees, the members acknowledged how the abuse changed the lives of the young men left in their care.
"The abuse was abhorrent, and we are truly sorry for the pain these men feel because of their time under our care," the statement said. "The Board of Trustees wishes to express its gratitude for the strength of these men to come forward with their horrific experiences will under the supervision of Darlington."
In addition to full cooperation in the prosecution of Roger Stifflemire, letterman's jackets and honorary diplomas for those unable to graduate due to the abuse, the Darlington School also agreed to provide a hotline for abuse complaints.
"There’s going to be a plaque installed on the campus and dedicated at the campus through a ceremony that honor many the survivors and their courage to come forward," Darren Penn, the attorney representing the survivors, told 11Alive in 2021.
Current students can find access to the RAINN hotline at the bottom of the community wellness page. RAINN, or the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, is the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the nation.
Editor's note: This judgement is between the school and the survivors.
