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The Cherry Hill Board of Education is the subject of 17 legal actions filed on behalf of former students who say they were harmed by a former sixth grade teacher at James F. Cooper Elementary School between 1974 and 1984, NBC Philadelphia reported yesterday. The lawsuits allege that the district failed to act on multiple warnings and complaints over a period of years, allowing the misconduct to continue.
According to the filings, former teacher Otto Becken engaged in repeated inappropriate conduct toward students in his classroom, including unwanted physical contact and disturbing comments. Former classmates of some of the students and A plaintiff’s attorney stated: “What happened at James F. Cooper Elementary is not just a story of a single abuser assaulting a single victim. It is a systemic failure by the very people entrusted to protect these children. These lawsuits seek justice, accountability and change.”
The lawsuits claim that school administrators, including then Principal Lloyd Sandt, received complaints from both students and teachers regarding Becken’s behavior during the ten year period but failed to report or address the concerns. Plaintiffs allege that school staff witnessed troubling actions and still did not contact authorities, including the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services, until 1984.
Records referenced in the lawsuits state that after the allegations surfaced, Becken resigned from the school district. He was later convicted of charges related to sexual assault of minors. Becken died in 2011.
Attorneys representing survivors believe that district leaders could have prevented further harm had earlier warning signs been treated with urgency. The legal actions argue that the district chose to ignore or minimize reports, putting additional children at risk.
Anyone with information about Becken or misconduct involving the Cherry Hill School District during the 1970s or 1980s is urged to contact law enforcement or legal advocates.
Resources are available for survivors through the National Sexual Violence Resource Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800 656 4673.
If you or someone you know was harmed in a school, religious, medical, or youth organization setting, you have the right to seek justice. Learn more in our Institutional Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Guide and when you are ready to see if you may have a case, complete the secure, confidential form below. There is no charge and no obligation to do so.
