Landmark School, Curtis Bryant, and the Cost of Silence

In 1990, a teenage student filed a lawsuit against Curtis Bryant, a science teacher and hockey coach at Landmark School in Beverly, MA. The complaint alleged that Bryant had sexually abused him repeatedly over a period of roughly three years. The suit was settled for an undisclosed sum, and Bryant left the school quietly in 1991. For 23 years, the case remained sealed from public view.

The Boston Globe’s 2012 motion to unseal the case set off a rapid series of rulings. In October of that year, Superior Court Judge Howard Whitehead lifted the long-standing impoundment. The Appeals Court upheld his decision soon after, and in January 2013 the Supreme Judicial Court affirmed it as well, citing the strong public interest in knowing how the school had handled the allegations. Justice Robert Cordy noted that earlier transparency might have encouraged other victims to come forward. Within five months of the Globe’s challenge, the state’s highest court had rejected the final effort to keep the file sealed. What remained hidden the longest, however, was the secrecy itself: 23 years in which the case stayed out of public view.

Reports and Response

Concerns about Bryant were first raised in 1989, when a former student and a teacher alerted Robert Broudo, then head of Landmark’s high school. The school says Broudo contacted state child-welfare officials but did not notify police. Landmark has since admitted that it “should have done more.”

At Landmark, Bryant taught science, coached hockey, and, together with his wife, served as a houseparent in one of the dorms. Landmark itself is a boarding and day school for students with language-based learning disabilities, serving grades 2 through 12, with about one-third of its 460 students living on campus.

Allegations Beyond Bryant

The case against Bryant did not stand alone. In 2012, Landmark disclosed that two alumni had come forward alleging abuse by former dean of students Howard Kasper, with incidents dating back to 1979 and 1984. That disclosure led to five more alumni making reports, including two who said they had been abused by Bryant. The school says the new allegations against him were referred to the Essex District Attorney.

Kasper left Landmark in 2000 to join Rockport’s public schools. He was placed on indefinite leave in 2012 after the allegations surfaced and later resigned in 2015. The original 1990 suit had also named Kasper and four other Landmark officials as codefendants, alleging they had known—or should have known—about Bryant’s conduct and failed to stop it.

After Landmark: Community Respect vs. Past Allegations

After leaving Landmark, Bryant became a respected figure in Rowley, Massachusetts. He coached children in baseball, directed the local youth baseball and softball league until 2002, and served on the planning board and Democratic Town Committee. For years, he was viewed as a trusted community leader. Yet, the allegations against him, long hidden in sealed court records, paint a starkly different picture. The contrast between his public reputation and the accusations of abuse underscores how secrecy allowed him to build influence in new settings while past concerns remained buried.

A Lesson in Transparency

This case also illustrates how secrecy around abuse allegations can shield institutions, silence victims, and delay accountability. Landmark has since acknowledged past failures and publicly encouraged former students to come forward. But the record now shows that opportunities to act sooner were missed.

Herman Law’s Commitment

At Herman Law, we are committed to standing with survivors of sexual abuse in schools, churches, foster care, and other institutions. We understand the courage it takes to come forward, particularly when powerful institutions work to keep the truth hidden. Civil litigation can provide not only resources for healing but also an opportunity to force systemic change.

If you or someone you love experienced sexual abuse at Landmark School or another institution, you are not alone. Your story matters, and we are here to listen, support, and fight for justice.

Contact Herman Law today for a free confidential case review.

Disclaimer: Herman Law does not represent any individual in the civil cases described above.

Sources

Boston Globe. (2013a, February 26). Suit alleging abuse at Beverly school was kept secret. The Boston Globe. https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/02/27/sex-abuse-suit-beverly-school-kept-secret/QLOQ4q054DsNHrCCZn7HzL/story.html

Patch. (2013, February 27). Another sex abuse case brought to light at Landmark. Patch. https://patch.com/massachusetts/beverly/another-sex-abuse-case-brought-to-light-at-landmark