In a letter to the school community, Superintendent Phil Auger acknowledged the importance of moving forward with new leadership as the town works through the allegations and investigations surrounding former coach Aaron Thomas.
Auger said he is announcing his resignation to ensure the school department has the trust of the community, and to support current and former students as they process and heal.
“I want our students to have a school experience where they know they are safe and they know they can trust in the adults who oversee their education,” Auger said. “I am dedicated to doing whatever needs to be done, including now to offer my own resignation.”
But Auger also defended his handling of the Thomas case, saying he “acted appropriately and immediately in the best interests of students past and present, with the information I had at the time.”
Community members have accused school officials of not doing enough to protect students from Thomas, who’s accused of inappropriately examining his players’ naked bodies for years under the guise of performing fat tests.
The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office and U.S. Attorney’s Office have respectively announced criminal and civil investigations into the case.
Alex Nunes can be reached at anunes@thepublicsradio.org.
