Lawsuit Alleges Sexual Abuse by Theatre Teacher at Catholic School
TW: Details of Sexual Abuse
Peter Devine was a theatre teacher at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco in the 1990s. Devine worked at the Catholic Jesuit high school for four decades in its drama and English department. However, according to a lawsuit filed by a former student, Devine sexually assaulted him on multiple occasions.
The initial occurrence concerning Devine reportedly took place when the student engaged with Devine in the school's theatre. The student, who was 14 years old at that time and aspired to pursue a career in acting, inquired about participating in the school play.
Attorney Timothy Hale wrote,
“At the conclusion of the discussions, the perpetrator and (student) hugged. The perpetrator prolonged the hug then put his hands on (the student’s) shoulders and said something to the effect of, ‘We’re men and men can kiss on the lips. Isn’t that right?’ The perpetrator then aggressively kissed (the student.) Plaintiff was shocked and froze as the kiss continued. Perpetrator then said ‘See, that’s okay, isn’t it?'”
The student said he left theatre feeling terrified, and he actively tried to avoid Devine for the rest of his high school experience.
The student was required to take one class in his senior year taught by Devine. The teacher sexually assaulted the student during the class, the lawsuit states. The student said he was so afraid of being around Devine, that he never participated in any of the school plays.
The suit also stated that, roughly a decade later, another faculty member witnessed Devine pinning a different student to the wall in a “sexually intimidating posture.”
St. Ignatius school has “a policy of secrecy that has created a culture of hidden sexual abuse to which Plaintiff and many other children have fallen victim. The secrecy and abuse continue,” Hale wrote.
Peter Devine
Devine continued to go backstage with students until at least 2021 and remained a teacher at SI until he retired in 2022, according to the lawsuit. He is currently listed as a tutor for Elite Academy in San Francisco.
In an email sent out to alumni on Monday morning, the school said it had followed proper protocol when the former student came forward with the allegation in April 2022.
Principal Michelle Levine filed a report with the San Francisco Police Department and placed Devine on administrative leave. The school then hired an independent, outside investigator to look into the allegations, school president Edward Reese wrote in the email.
“Upon receiving the results of the investigation, SI immediately and promptly took appropriate action, and the teacher no longer works at SI,” he wrote.
“If you or someone you know has been abused, please contact me or local authorities,” the message concluded.
That was not the end of his suffering, Hale said.
“He has struggled with it for years,” Hale said. “A big part of [his decision to come forward] was that he has children who are approaching the age he was when he was abused. He was highly motivated because he does not want this to happen to other children.”
Beyond seeking damages, the suit also asks the court to order the school and the Jesuits to identify all priests and schoolteachers who have been accused of child molestation—and not just those who have been deemed “credibly accused”—and to stop addressing these allegations in secret.