Opening BB&N Minds

April 24, 2009  On page three of a letter to the community, the Head of School describes more efforts to deal with Washburn's offenses and to avoid or at least to prepare for dealing with such situations in the future.

March 19, 2009 Update sent to BB&N alumni.

October 14, 2008 Boston Globe covers story of administration's apology. 

October 10, 2008 School sends letter to alumni, students and parents acknowledging the extent of the abuse.

June 8, 2008 Boston Globe covers story of Weinreb's meeting with Upham. 

June 2008 School administration distributes talking points to faculty in anticipation of publicity around Strawberry Night.   Two members of the school administration escort Weinreb to meeting with the Head of School.  Twenty-five testimonials posted on website.

April 2008 openingbbnminds website launched. 

May 13, 2008 Goldman, who worked at BB&N from 1998 to 2007, was convicted on two counts of sending pornography to a child

Jan/Feb 2008 A member of the school faculty anonymously posts the letter for faculty to read. 

January 18, 2008  Head of School sends letter to Daniel Weinreb and a member of his family.   

November 2007  A member of the Weinreb family meets with the Head of School to request information about Washburn. 

Fall 2007  In a conversation between Weinreb and Fran Ackerly, former head of BB&N Middle School, Ackerly states that she feels that Washburn had started abusing children soon after he started teaching in 1967. 

1990 After completing his 2000 hours of community service, Washburn is employed by the Boston office of a national non-profit serving the blind and dyslexic.

July 1990    School settles $70,000 civil case.

January 14, 1988    Gunness sends second letter to BB&N community 

December 1987    Washburn changes plea to guilty and receives suspended sentence.

30 September 1987    Gunness sends letter to 900 BB&N students and their families.

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Spring 1987    A victim's mother tells Peter Gunness, former BB&N Headmaster, that Washburn had sexually abused three boys and propositioned another.  The District Attorney's office investigates.

1970s    Washburn takes students on many overnight trips including stays at his private house on Squam Lake in New Hampshire.  Fran Ackerly, former Head of BB&N Middle School, learns that Washburn has been providing pornography to students on trips to New Hampshire.

1965    Ted Washburn receives his master's degree from Harvard, and begins work at Browne & Nichols.

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An Evolving Attitude from the School Administration

"In 2008, there is consensus that dealing directly and candidly with acts of abuse may help ease the suffering of victims rather than make it worse. ... As we know today, one result of the attitudes of old is to place an unfair burden on the victim, a burden of isolation, guilt, and shame."

Head of School
Letter to School Community
October 10, 2008

"A substantial number of those affected ... have repeatedly and insistently voiced their desire that the School not revisit the traumatic events involving Mr. Washburn. ... Many in the community, including Daniel's own father, insisted that the school refrain from further communication on the matter."

Head of School
Letter to Alumna
June 23, 2008

"I am not inclined to assist in re-opening this issue and re-doing the outreach previously done by the school."

Head of School
Letter to Weinreb Family
January 18, 2008