Ex-principal admits failing to report abuse

PROVIDENCE — Embattled former grade-school principal Violet LeMar admitted Monday to failing to report to the state Department of Children, Youth and Families that two female students had reported being sexually abused by a gym teacher.

LeMar, 47, formerly principal of Harry Kizirian Elementary School, pleaded no contest to failing to report the alleged abuse by James Duffy, in violation of the state's mandatory reporting law, according to Attorney General Peter F. Neronha's office. Over the state's objection, Superior Court Magistrate Patrick Burke gave LeMar a one-year filing, the first six months of which are retroactive to February 2019, spokeswoman Kristy dosReis said in an email. That means the case will disappear in six months as long as LeMar remains in good standing with the law.

A spokeswoman for the School Department announced in June that the district would not renew LeMar's contract for the 2019-20 school year.

In January 2018, District Court Judge James Caruolo convicted LeMar of a single misdemeanor count of failing to report alleged sexual abuse of a child to DCYF within 24 hours under a new state reporting law.

Caruolo sentenced LeMar to a one-year suspended term with probation and ordered her to perform 150 hours of community service at a shelter for women who had been sexually abused.

LeMar had appealed that conviction to Superior Court.

LeMar's lawyer, Thomas G. Gulick, said she decided to enter a plea because it's been two years since she was charged and to spare the students from having to testify again. Under the terms, the charge will be dismissed and expunged in six months if she obeys the law, he said.

"It allows her to have a clean record in six months. It's finally some closure," Gulick said.

Two students — ages 10 and 11 — said they reported to LeMar in May 2017 that Duffy had groped their breasts, rubbed his stomach on one of the girl’s backs, and stroked their arms. According to testimony, LeMar directed one of the children to go home and write the account down and bring it to school the next day. She did not contact DCYF, as state law requires, or the children's parents.

Human resources staff questioned dozens of students about Duffy without their parents being present and produced a 68-page report documenting the allegations.

LeMar had testified that the two girls didn’t tell her that Duffy touched them in May. She told the court that she had called the police and been involved in a search for two missing students that same day.

She didn’t file a report to the district until June 23, 2017, more than a month after the students raised the allegations. She disclosed the allegations to the DCYF on July 5, 2017, nearly two months after the alleged incidents took place. That came only after the DCYF contacted her as part of an investigation by the Providence Police Department and state prosecutors, authorities say.

LeMar's lawyer, Thomas Gulick, could not be reached immediately Monday. Assistant Attorney General Ania Zielinski prosecuted the case.

Duffy has been charged with six counts of second-degree child molestation and one count of simple assault and/or battery. The charges are pending. He has pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, John Calcagni, also could not be reached Monday.

Duffy remains on paid leave pending the outcome of his case, according to schools spokeswoman Emily Martineau.