“The senior administration of JTS was unaware of the prior conviction. JTS is committed to an educational and work environment free of sexual harassment and discrimination and has strict policies in place along these lines.”
Tablet Magazine picked up my post on the Forward's failure to report that Akiva Roth, who pleaded guilty to charges related to sexually abusing two preteen boys he was teaching, is both the son of former Jewish Theological Seminary dean Rabbi Joel Roth (who has had his own incidents of alleged sexual abuse, which is alleged ly he is JTS' former dean – not its current dean).
The Forward reported that Akiva Roth is currently teaching at Yeshiva University, which is Modern Orthodox, and reported previous engagements at a Hillel House, Drew University and at Jewish communal organizations – but not JTS, which is Conservative, or at Camp Ramah, which is Conservative.
I also reported that the Forward's publisher, senior editor and news editor are all closely linked to the Conservative Movement.
Tablet Magazine has now confirmed that Akiva Roth taught at JTS from 2000 through at least 2003 and got a statement from JTS on Roth:
Asked for comment on the story, a JTS spokesperson said, “The senior administration of JTS was unaware of the prior conviction. JTS is committed to an educational and work environment free of sexual harassment and discrimination and has strict policies in place along these lines.” They added that contrary to the information on Roth’s resume, he did not teach in 2004.
Akiva Roth's father Rabbi Joel Roth was allowed to remain on staff as a full professor even though JTS had clear evidence that Joel Roth had sexually harassed a young male student.
Related Post: Media Bias At The Jewish Daily Forward?