In October 2017, Kathryn wrote the article, When the Legal System Fails Sexual Assault Victims, We Have to Find Our Own Closure, for The Washington Post. In that essay, Kathryn intended to highlight the broken legal system and sought to reassure other sexual abuse survivors there are many ways to heal.
Although no specifics were disclosed in the narrative, Kathryn inadvertently exposed a decades-long sexual-abuse scandal at her high school. Many people recognized the unnamed teacher, and dozens of victims and witnesses of childhood sexual abuse at the school came forward.
She then embarked upon a three-year mission to advocate for the dozens of victims of childhood sexual abuse. With Make Pres Safe, she relentlessly fought for strict adherence to mandatory reporting laws, permanent changes in school leadership and policy, and accountability and justice for the survivors.
Although that chapter has closed, Kathryn continues her work in victim advocacy, with a focus on legislative reform. She also serves on the advisory board for Stop Sexual Assault in Schools.
Make Pres Safe Timeline of Events
October 2017:
- Oct 20: Kathryn Leehane’s OpEd is published in The Washington Post.
- Oct 25: Concerned alumnae create private #PresentationToo Facebook group.
- Oct 26: Kathryn Leehane declines to be interviewed by NBC Bay Area.
- Oct 30: Concerned alumnae create a petition urging PHS to initiate an independent investigation.
November 2017:
- Nov 3: PHS Principal Mary Miller issues a public statement in response to the OpEd and public outrage.
- Nov 3: Kathryn Leehane meets with B. Robert Allard, and he agrees to provide legal advice pro-bono to ensure Kathryn does not put herself at risk of a lawsuit.
- Nov 8: Kathryn Leehane does not respond to multiple requests for comment from The Mercury News.
- Nov 15: The PHS Board of Directors issues a public statement in response to the OpEd and public outrage.
- Nov 18: Kathryn Leehane, Cheryl Hodgin Marshall, and B. Robert Allard request a meeting with the PHS Board to share what they’ve learned regarding multiple allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct. The PHS lawyer does not respond to that request (or subsequent ones) until Nov 27.
- Nov 22: Kathryn Leehane and Cheryl Hodgin Marshall hold a press conference:
- Kathryn Leehane describes how she would not have endured her abuse in 1990 had school administrators properly dealt with her abuser years prior.
- Cheryl Hodgin Marshall describes working with Jane Doe to report sexual assault in 1990, only to be intimidated out of reporting by the school administration.
- Nov 22: PHS Principal Mary Miller issues a public statement in response to the press conference.
- Nov 27: PHS lawyer denies our repeated requests to meet with the PHS Board.
- Media coverage:
- Petition Seeks Details on Allegations of Sexual Assault from a Presentation High School Teacher (NBC Bay Area)
- Presentation High Administrators Address Sexual Assault Allegations Against Former Spanish Teacher (NBC Bay Area)
- Circle of Accusers Expands in Sexual Misconduct Investigation at Presentation High (NBC Bay Area)
- San Jose Catholic Girls school under fire for allegedly mishandling sexual abuse allegations decades ago (The Mercury News)
- Presentation High grads allege school covered up sex abuse (The Mercury News)
- Two former student allege sexual abuse at Presentation High School in San Jose (ABC)
- Accusations fly over SJ high school’s handling of sexual abuse allegations (ABC)
- Presentation High School Grads Face Cameras, Allege School Leaders Did Nothing After Multiple Reports of Sexual Misconduct (NBC Bay Area)
December 2017:
- Dec 14: The PHS Board of Directors issues an additional public statement.
- Dec 14: PHS lawyer denies our additional requests to meet with the PHS Board.
- Dec 19: More survivors and witnesses hold a press conference:
- Dina Leonis describes her daughter’s sexual abuse and assault at the hands of her coach during the 2013-2014 school year and how it could have been prevented had PHS followed mandated reporting laws.
- Katharine describes enduring and reporting inappropriate behavior from her teacher during the 2006-2007 school year—even after PHS had received multiple complaints about the teacher.
- Shelby Rusconi provides a statement describing how she endured sexual harassment from her teacher during the 2006-2007 school year—even after her mother complained to the administration.
- A former teacher of 20 years provides a statement describing how the teachers were expected to let the counseling department handle all concerns, even in the case of calling 911 for medical emergencies.
- Dec 21: PHS Principal Mary Miller issues a public statement in response to the press conference.
- Media coverage:
- New Allegations Arise that San Jose Catholic School for Girls Failed to Report Allegations of Sexual Assault and Harassment by Teachers (NBC Bay Area)
- New Sexual Misconduct Accusations Leveled at San Jose’s Presentation High (CBS)
- More sexual misconduct claims at San Jose’s Presentation High School (ABC)
- Presentation High failed to report alleged abuse, victims claim (The Mercury News)
January 2018:
- Jan 11: Make Pres Safe website launches. It includes a detailed timeline of sexual-abuse allegations spanning decades and involving dozens of students and over ten abusers. (That website has since been taken down; the independent investigation includes all the allegations previously on the website.)
- Jan 12: Make Pres Safe Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram account launch. (The Twitter and Instagram accounts have since been closed down.)
- Jan 30: At the State of the School event, PHS Principal Mary Miller calls victims and victim advocates “critics” who are trying to “rewrite history.”
- Media coverage:
February 2018:
- Alumnae group, #PresentationToo, announces donation freeze, urging PHS alumnae to freeze all donations until PHS agrees to an independent investigation.
- Media coverage:
- Letter: Hold the Presentation High administration accountable (The Mercury News)
- Survivors’ group supports the work of Presentation High School alumnae to make their school a safer place (SNAP)
- More allegations of sexual abuse at San Jose Catholic high school (KRON 4)
- List of alleged sexual abuse-assault victims at Presentation H.S. grows (KTVU FOX 2)
- Presentation High: 20 students, alums now allege sex abuse involving 8 teachers, staff (The Mercury News)
- School Was Warned About Teacher Years Before He Allegedly Molested Student (NBC Bay Area)
March 2018:
- Mar 11: Make Pres Safe sends a letter to PHS supporters requesting they temporarily withhold donations until PHS agrees to independent investigation. Supporters’ names and addresses were publicly available on the Internet.
- Mar 15: Make Pres Safe issues a press release: Urgent: New Presentation High Sex Abuse victim
- Mar 23: Make Pres Safe issues a press release: S.E.S.A.M.E. Wants Tougher Laws to Stop the Hiring of Predatory Teachers
- Mar 30: B. Robert Allard issues a press release: Presentation High School Sexual Abuse Victim States Catholic School Paid to Silence Her
- Media coverage:
- Lawyers Allege Presentation High “Illegally” Paid to Silence Sexual Abuse Victim (NBC Bay Area)
- Survivor’s Story: Former Presentation Student Accuses Coach of Sexual Abuse (NBC Bay Area)
- Donations double for San Jose Catholic girls school accused of ignoring sex abuse (The Mercury News)
- Letter: Presentation High School’s good acts don’t excuse its failures (The Mercury News)
April 2018:
- Apr 11: Kathryn Leehane testifies before the California Senate Education Committee in support of SB 1456, the Sexual Abuse-Free Education (SAFE) Act.
- Apr 30: Make Pres Safe attends a mediation with PHS officials:
- Media coverage:
May 2018:
- May 16: Make Pres Safe holds Town Hall Event at the Willow Glen Community Center.
- May 22: Make Pres Safe holds an evening vigil for sexual abuse survivors.
- May 25: PHS Board Chair Marian Stuckey announces her retirement.
- Media coverage:
- Presentation High School’s Board of Directors President Retiring, Group Alleges She Failed to Report Alleged Sexual Abuse (NBC Bay Area)
- Presentation official criticized over handling of sex abuse cases to retire (The Mercury News)
- Demonstration at Presentation High For Sexual Assault Victims (NBC Bay Area)
- Alums accuse Catholic school in San Jose for failing to handle past sex abuse claims (KTVU Fox 2)
- Presentation High School Abuse ‘Survivors’ Hold Town Hall (NBC Bay Area)
July 2018:
- PHS Principal Mary Miller is promoted to President.
August 2018:
- Aug 10: PHS sexual abuse survivor files lawsuit against Presentation High School, Mary Miller, and Jeff Hicks.
- Media coverage:
- Letter: When will Presentation leaders protect students? (The Mercury News)
- San Jose’s Presentation High School faces legal action over sex abuse claims (KRON 4)
- Fallout continues over sexual abuse allegations at a South Bay high school (KTVU)
- Scandal at Presentation High: First lawsuit alleges girls school ignored sex abuse of theater student (The Mercury News)
- Press Conference Announcing the First Lawsuit Against Presentation High School and Mary Miller (The Mercury News)
September 2018:
- President Mary Miller announces her “resignation” from PHS.
- Media coverage:
November 2018:
- Nov 1: Kathryn Leehane and Cheryl Hodgin Marshall meet with Board Chair Sister Pam Chiesa, Vice Principal Andria Bengston, and Director Chérie Somavia to give them information, recommendations, and resources to further make PHS safe and to help move forward. PHS does not act on any of the information.
December 2018:
- Kathryn Leehane presents The Accidental Advocate: Protecting Our Children from Sexual Abuse at Rotary Club of San Jose.
January 2019:
- NBC Bay Area releases Not Words, But Deeds documentary.
May 2019:
- Kathryn Leehane presents The Accidental Advocate: Protecting Our Children from Sexual Abuse at The Sons in Retirement of San Jose.
- Kathryn Leehane speaks to The Santa Clara County Child Abuse Prevention Council committee to raise awareness of the sexual abuse and misconduct scandal at Presentation High School.
June 2019:
- Kathryn Leehane speaks to The Santa Clara County Child Abuse Prevention Council committee to encourage the committee to seek justice for the survivors.
July 2019:
- July 1: Holly Elkins, the new PHS president, starts at the school.
- Kathryn Leehane speaks to The Santa Clara County Child Abuse Prevention Council committee to again encourage the committee to seek justice for the survivors.
- Media coverage:
- Victim Seeks Accountability for Presentation High Sex Abuse (NBC Bay Area)
August 2019:
- Kathryn Leehane speaks to The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to encourage the board to seek justice for the survivors.
- Kathryn Leehane speaks to The San Jose City Council to encourage the council to seek justice for the survivors.
September 2019:
- PHS announces decision to launch an external investigation.
- Make Pres Safe issues a statement regarding the external investigation.
- Media coverage:
- Pres High Opens Investigation into Sexual Misconduct Claims (San Jose Inside)
- Presentation High School approves outside investigation of sex abuse claims (The Mercury News)
- Presentation High in San Jose Launches Sexual Abuse Probe (CBS)
- Investigation into past reports of sexual abuse at Presentation HS in San Jose (KTVU FOX 2)
- Presentation High Launches Probe into Sex Abuse Allegations (NBC)
July 2020:
- PHS releases the results of the independent investigation into allegations of past sexual abuse and misconduct, as well as a letter outlining the support they are offering to the survivors and the changes they’ve made at the school to protect all students.
- Make Pres Safe publicly praises the transparency, accountability, and compassion shown by PHS and deactivates the website and all social media accounts.
- Media coverage:
September 2020:
- PHS announces new Board of Directors. The new Board includes many members of a former advisory board, several of whom, including the new Board chair, previously issued public statements declaring their unwavering support of Mary Miller and expressed harsh criticism of Kathryn Leehane and other survivors and advocates.
- Kathryn Leehane calls on President Holly Elkins and the new Board of Directors to release a public statement in support of the survivors. They decline to do so.
- PHS rehires an employee who repeatedly violated mandatory reporting laws and participated in a sexual-abuse cover-up that allowed a pedophile to work at PHS for 20 years.
- Kathryn Leehane calls on President Holly Elkins to cancel that employee’s contract. She declines to do so.
- Kathryn Leehane re-activates Make Pres Safe Facebook page.
- Media coverage:
- Letter: A Simple Step Toward Trust for New Presentation Board (The Mercury News)
October 2020:
- Kathryn Leehane publishes a case study on Stop Sexual Assault in Schools (SSAIS) describing advocacy efforts.
November 2020:
- Kathryn Leehane writes an open letter to the PHS Board of Directors. She does not receive a response.
- PHS releases a letter and a supplemental update to the external investigation.
- Kathryn Leehane issues her response to the supplemental update.
April 2021:
- Ms. Magazine publishes Kathryn Leehane’s #MeTooK12 Case Study: A High School Sexual Abuse Scandal.