CHERRY HILL, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Six former Cherry Hill Elementary School students are suing the district for alleged sexual abuse by an elementary school teacher back in the early 1980s.
The survivors said they were molested in the classroom at Cooper Elementary School by sixth grade teacher Otto Becken from 1979 to 1983. Their attorney, Derek Braslow, said Becken’s actions were swept under the rug by the principal and other officials at the time.
“The allegations are that they knew or should have known about him abusing students back then and they could have done more to protect these students,” he said.
Braslow also said the abuse happened in front of other students, at his desk, during private lunch sessions, and even during the district’s annual Mt. Misery Program, which takes sixth graders out of the classroom for a few nights in the Pine Barrens.
Becken did plead guilty to assaulting a different group of students in 1984, but the current six accusers did not come forward then and are now seeking justice.
“Two of the cases are significantly ahead of the others that were recently filed. The cases will likely be consolidated,” said Braslow.
As a product of Cherry Hill himself, the case is also personal for Braslow.
“I want to do all I can to support these survivors in coming forward, particularly as they’re my friends and classmates,” he said.
Anyone with more information or a story to share from their time at Cooper Elementary from 1979 to 1983 is asked to contact Braslow or fellow Attorney Jeffrey Fritz.
KYW Newsradio reached out to the Cherry Hill Public Schools about the case, but have not heard back.