Teacher resigns over accusation: Ex-student claims abuse at St. John’s

DANVERS (MA)
Boston Herald

By Dave Wedge
Wednesday, December 31, 2003

A beloved St. John’s Prep teacher and student mentor has resigned from the prestigious school amid allegations he molested a student 10 years ago, the Herald has learned.




     “He has voluntarily resigned from St. John’s Prep,” school headmaster Albert J. “Skip” Shannon said of Brother George Donnelly.




     Donnelly, a respected social studies teacher and guidance counselor at the Danvers high school since 1984, stepped down Monday after a former student alleged the Xaverian brother molested him in the school in 1993. The alleged victim made the allegation Dec. 17 in a phone call to school officials, who notified the Archdiocese of Boston and the Essex District Attorney’s Office.




     Donnelly has not been charged with a crime, said William Melkonian, spokesman for Essex DA Jonathan Blodgett. Archdiocese officials did not return a call.