"Unreliable Statements" by Estranged Wife - Schwartz Practically Exonerated

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/education/2014/08/21/waldorf-teacher-sues-child-porn-report/14396333/

CHESTNUT RIDGE – A former teacher that the private Green Meadow Waldorf School quietly cut ties with in 2005 after a trove of child pornography was allegedly found in his home is suing his former employer for defamation.

Eugene Schwartz, 69, claims in a lawsuit that a recent investigation by the school that outed him as a "sex addict" is libel based on "unreliable statements" made at the time by his estranged wife.

Schwartz worked at the Green Meadow school from 1981 until 2005, when the child pornography allegedly surfaced along with a stockpile of other photos of his featuring students in swimwear, according to the school's investigators. At least one "inappropriate" photo of a young female student was also found, investigators said.

He has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.

The text of the lawsuit

According to the suit, Schwartz was "never, at any time, in possession of child pornography" but, as a result of accusations made by his estranged wife in 2005, his employment at the school was terminated.

Background:

Last month, Green Meadow released a summary report of the investigation that revealed past sexual misconduct and abuse at the school that was most pervasive in the 1970s and '80s but which school leaders failed to address for years afterward. The summary report identified three former teachers, including Schwartz, as perpetrators of varying degrees of misconduct.

http://thewaldorfreview.blogspot.com/2014/07/eugene-schwartz-child-pornographer.html

Green Meadow Strikes Back:

Eric Silber, co-administrator at the Green Meadow school, said the school stands by the findings and the manner in which they were distributed to more than 160 Waldorf schools in North America.

"We looked at everything that went out (in the summary report), all the implications of that and, at the end of the day, we felt that we were going to take the steps to get the information out," Silber told The Journal News earlier this month

Silber said an ex-spouse of Schwartz's was not a witness in the investigation.

He declined to describe the materials reportedly found on a computer in Schwartz's residence and would not say whether the school or its investigators possess evidence of those materials now.

In a statement Thursday, Silber said that Threefold and Green Meadow "deny they are liable" to Schwartz for any of the claims in his complaint.

"We intend to vigorously defend against Mr. Schwartz's unfounded claims, as we maintain our focus on fulfilling the mission of our school," Silber said. "We have confidence in the judicial system and trust that the claim will be resolved in the school's favor."