When the story of the decades-long sexual abuse at Horace Mann was published, we had the utmost confidence that the school would examine these painful episodes in a forthright, transparent and publicly accountable manner and provide the survivors with information critical for their healing.

Most of us engaged immediately with administrators and trustees to encourage, aid and support any and all efforts for information to be shared for the good of the entire community.

We simply believe that what happened needs to come to light if justice is to be served and future harm avoided. Because the school has declined to take responsible action we are doing so ourselves, with a broad base of support from both inside and outside the Horace Mann community.

This report was guided over many months and then years by a loosely-affiliated group of alumni volunteers under the direction of Robert Boynton and Peter Brooks. A great deal of time, money, wisdom and effort was contributed by a great many alumni including Alan Ampolsk, Joseph Cumming, Joyce Fitzpatrick, Kate Geis, Geoff Genth,, Ele Hamburger, Andrew Hyams, Amos Kamil, Martin Kaminer, Rebecca Linden, Josh Manheimer, Erica Modugno, Christina Propst and Mitch Schonfeld as well as hundreds of others.

Overarching credit is due to our Lead Investigator, Judge Leslie Crocker Snyder, the report author Laura Winig, and primary consultants Professors Charol Shakeshaft and Marci Hamilton. We are grateful to them and to those experts and professionals, all of exceptional caliber, who worked for and with them.

To a person, the alumni involved in this effort loved attending Horace Mann and are driven by a desire to make good on what was instilled in us there: a dedication to critical inquiry and a love of truth.

More information about the Horace Mann Action Coalition can be found at http://www.hmactioncoalition.org/about/