REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: A story about ex-Jesuit teacher William Farrington - accused of improper conduct with a student - has sparked controversy here in Sacramento and in Los Angeles.
A Sacramento Bee story outlined how Jesuit High and San Jose's Bellarmine College Preparatory School sent emails to alumni telling them that "credible" accusations had been made against Farrington, who had taught at both schools. It asked anyone who may have been victimized to contact authorities.
The editorial board of the "Los Angeles Loyolan" - Loyola Marymount University's student newspaper - cites the story and asks university officials why they have not issued a similar letter to alumni who may have come in contact with Farrington when he worked in the registrar's office there between 1987 and 2002. The editorial demands "transparency."
The editorial says the case is even "more troubling" because the Jesuit brother reportedly was barred from working with minors in 1987, the year he was removed from Jesuit.
The Loyolan quotes Patrick Wall, a former Benedictine monk, priest and canon lawyer as saying: "We all know that there are students coming to campus for camps and activities that are under 18 years old and we all know that there are a lot of kids who are on accelerated programs taking college courses. There are opportunities to get to minors (at universities like LMU)."
Sacramento-area readers - mostly Jesuit graduates - also have expressing concern about the allegations against the former teacher. Many have sent emails or left phone messages asking me to investigate further.
Loretta Kalb started her reporting career at The Sacramento Union, moved to KOVR-13 as a television reporter, editor and producer, headed to The Associated Press in San Francisco and eventually returned to Sacramento and joined The Sacramento Bee. Throughout her career, she has covered the state Legislature, courts, local government and, now, education. She is a Chico native and an Elk Grove resident.
Diana Lambert began her journalism career as a proofreader at the Lodi News-Sentinel. She is now a senior writer at The Sacramento Bee covering K-12 education and California State University, Sacramento. Previously she was The Bee’s Elk Grove bureau chief. Lambert was raised in a military family and lived at bases around the globe. She attended four high schools, graduating from Tokay High in Lodi and then Sacramento State University. She lives in Elk Grove.
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