Suit: School knew of sex abuse for decades

NEW YORK, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- The football coach at a New York private school molested students for decades and school officials knew about it, a federal lawsuit against the school alleges.

The lawsuit claims the current and former headmasters at Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn knew Philip Foglietta, who died in 1998, sexually abused dozens, if not hundreds of boys, the New York Post reported Tuesday. The lawsuit claims the school conspired for about four decades to quash complaints by victims because Foglietta was successful as a coach and brought in a lot of money for the school.

In a 2002 letter to alumni, Poly Prep virtually admitted Foglietta was a serial molester and promised a thorough investigation, the newspaper reported.

"We have recently received credible allegations that such abuse occurred at Poly Prep more than 20 years ago by a faculty member/coach, who is now deceased," the letter said.

The suit alleges the promise of an investigation was never kept.

"What was the result? Is there a written report detailing the investigations made?" asked lawyer Philip Culhane, one of the plaintiffs, in an letter to Poly Prep in August.

James Zimmerman, a 1982 graduate of the school, claims he was so traumatized by his experiences with Foglietta he had told Colgate University he wouldn't play football, causing the university to revoke his admission.