Situated in Annapolis, Maryland, the Key School had long upheld a stellar reputation as an esteemed private educational institution dedicated to nurturing students’ curiosity about themselves and the world they inhabit.
However, the disconcerting Report to the Board of Trustees of Key School, made public on the school’s official website, revealed distressing revelations: ten adults in positions of authority were implicated in sexual misconduct or inappropriate relationships with students.
While the school espoused values of growth and learning, the report painted a disturbing picture—an environment where sexual abuse of students persisted unchecked, while those within the administration and the broader community remained indifferent.
Fortunately, a group of resilient survivors broke their silence, leveraging social media platforms to demand justice, compelling the school to commission an independent firm to investigate the matter.
Exposing Key School’s Sexual Abuse
Responding to concerns raised through social media posts detailing inappropriate interactions between former faculty members and students in the 1970s, the school took steps to address these distressing accounts.
A thorough six-month investigation by Kramon & Graham brought to light a chilling truth—the stark reality that at least 10 adults had sexually assaulted 16 minors between 1970 and 1990.
The Key School report depicted disturbing incidents, including:
- Cases of rape and sexual harassment
- Shocking revelations of teachers funding abortions
- An overarching culture of abuse and neglect
- Faculty and administration were aware but didn’t act, fearing consequences
School officials expressed profound shock, deeming the report’s findings “inexcusable” and “shocking.”
The Path to Justice via The Child Victims Act
Despite the absence of misconduct allegations against current members of the school’s faculty, staff, or administration in the report, it is evident that Key School officials prioritized the institution’s reputation and financial stability over the safety of its students.
Consequently, survivors were deprived of the opportunity to pursue their claims legally in civil or criminal courts.
However, the enactment of the 2023 Child Victims Act brings significant legal changes to child sexual abuse cases in Maryland. It provides them with a window to seek legal recourse against their abusers and entities responsible for preventing such abuse. Here at Jenner Law, our legal team has recently taken significant steps, filing six lawsuits on behalf of women in their sixties. These individuals, former students at the esteemed Key School during the 1970s, suffered systematic grooming and enduring sexual abuse by multiple male faculty members. These lawsuits stand as the pioneering complaints against the preparatory school under the CVA (Child Victims Act). Presently, the involved parties are in the process of submitting motions for these cases, which have been lodged in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, gearing up for comprehensive briefings and oral arguments. Additionally, we’ve commenced one additional case linked to the Key School, initiated and filed in federal court in Baltimore.
Carolyn Surrick, a resident of Annapolis, Maryland, vividly recalls her school’s failure, which allowed two predatory teachers to groom and assault her during her 7th and 8th-grade years. Recently testifying in Annapolis, she courageously recounted the haunting experiences she endured at the independent Key School decades ago. Her powerful testimony played a pivotal role in advocating for the Maryland Child Victims Act, ultimately passed in Maryland. Carolyn’s compelling account helped underscore the urgency of this legislation, granting survivors of childhood sexual abuse, like herself, the crucial opportunity to seek justice that had long been denied to them.
Maryland lawmakers demonstrated foresight in creating this statute, extending the timeframe indefinitely for survivors to seek justice—an exemplary departure from the limited period in most other states.
This opportunity empowers those affected to seek justice, embark on a path to healing, and strive to prevent the recurrence of such heinous acts.
Therefore, individuals impacted by the Key School’s abuses can seek legal representation from distinguished advocates like Jenner Law, a renowned personal injury law firm in Baltimore, MD. These professionals can assist in pursuing retribution, justice, and potential compensation for the endured abuse and injuries—contact today for a confidential and complimentary case evaluation.