Phillips later discovered that yet another student, a member of the high school football team, had complained that he, too, had been tricked into accepting a blindfolded massage by a cross-dressing Dacey back in 2001. According to Phillips’ lawsuit, filed on Friday in Middlesex Superior Court, three people separately informed then-Principal John Graceffa about the alleged abuse by Dacey, but he apparently took no further action.
Speaking at a Boston press conference, Phillips said he spoke up to show people that they should report sexual abuse when they see it. The suit was filed on Friday.
“I wanted to do this before, but I never had the courage,” said Phillips.
Phillips’ attorney Carmen L. Durso compared the case to former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky who had faced allegations of child abuse years before he was finally indicted. Legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was forced to resign amid questions of why he didn’t do more to stop his assistant.
“People are reluctant to blow the whistle on someone they know,” said Durso. “Instead of erring on the side of protecting children, they err on the side of protecting someone they know.”
Graceffa, who retired as principal in 2010, was recently named to the Waltham School Committee.
