The two school principals placed on leave late last year amid an internal investigation into the handling of child sex abuse allegations against former Charlotte Amalie High School track coach Bruce Smith have officially retired.
โAs a result of the investigation and the facts revealed, personnel changes have been implemented within the Department to ensure the integrity, accountability, and effectiveness of our operations. While specific details regarding these changes cannot be disclosed due to confidentiality protections under the collective bargaining agreement, we want to assure the public that decisive action has been taken to address this matter responsibly,โ according to an Education email to the Source.
VIDE has confirmed that CAHS principal April Petrus retired effective Jan. 16 while Alcede Edwards, a former CAHS principal who had most recently been serving at the Edith Williams Alternative Academy, retired effective Dec. 16, 2024, as the internal investigation was ongoing. Sources speaking on condition of anonymity but close to the matter confirmed that both had been recommended for termination.
In an email to the Source, Education said Joel Buchanan is now serving as acting principal at CAHS, while Nneka Howard-Sibilly resumes her role of assistant principal. Program manager Carlton Stevens is also overseeing operations at Edith Williams, Education said.
In a letter sent to students, faculty and staff, Petrus expressed frustration at being unfairly targeted amid the ongoing investigations. She cited the 2021 arrest and conviction of Smith as a major factor in her decision to retire, despite the abuse pre-dating her tenure. โGiven recent actions of the Department of Education, I feel that I am being unfairly targeted as the one who must be held responsible,โ Petrus wrote. โThere were others in the school and in the department who had information, even before I was assigned to CAHS as principal in August of 2019.โ
Petrus stated that she reported concerns to her supervisor and the Human Services Department upon receiving information. She reflected on the broader challenges CAHS faced during her tenure, including understaffing, financial constraints, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these difficulties, Petrus highlighted her accomplishments, including maintaining the schoolโs accreditation and fostering student success. โI leave fully confident that I gave my best to CAHS, as I did to all the other schools in which I was assigned,โ she wrote.
Meanwhile, Education said other updates would be forthcoming as permitted.
โWhile we understand the communityโs desire for transparency, we are legally obligated to respect the privacy of individuals involved and safeguard the integrity of the process. We remain committed to fostering a safe and secure environment for all students and staff,โ according to the statement. โUpdates will be provided as permitted, and we ask for your continued understanding and patience during this time. The safety and trust of our students remain at the forefront of everything we do.โ
Policies and Procedures
For clarity, the retirements confirmed this week draw attention to the distinctions between retirements, resignations and terminations under the V.I. Government Employeesโ Retirement System (GERS) and Education Department policies.
In GERS, retirement is an option for government employees who meet the required years of service and age criteria, granting them a lifetime annuity based on their work history and contributions. Those who resign without meeting these criteria, but are vested with at least 10 years of service, may still apply for retirement benefits once eligible. Employees not vested can request a refund of their contributions to the system. For Tier I retirees,ย annuity calculations factor in the highest five years of salary within the last decade, ensuring tailored benefits.
Termination, however, follows a distinct, multi-layered process under V.I. law and collective bargaining agreements. Even when an employee is recommended for termination, the process requires due process protections, including documented evidence of wrongdoing, administrative review, and adherence to Education Department protocols.
Under V.I. law, this is meant to ensure compliance and fairness for government employees, even amid serious allegations. Retirements before the termination process concludes highlight this layered approach, where employees retain the right to retire if eligible before final decisions are made.
Whatโs Still Pending
The repercussions of Smithโs case โ he was sentenced to 35 years in prison in April 2024 โ extend beyond administrative changes. A civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court by a survivor, identified as John Doe, names the Virgin Islands government, the Education and Human Services departments, and staff members, including Edwards and teacher Camelia Febres. The lawsuit alleges that Edwards and Febres had direct knowledge of Smithโs crimes and failed to report them, underscoring systemic failures to act on multiple allegations.
The suit lists allegations including negligence, failure to protect, deprivation of bodily integrity, and fostering a hostile environment. Government entities are further accused of deliberate indifference and retaliatory practices against those seeking accountability.
A parallel Department of Justice investigation, led by Attorney General Gordon Rhea, seeks to uncover systemic failures that enabled Smithโs abuse. Speaking with the Source recently, Rhea said the findings are expected shortly, but also stressed the gravity of the situation. โWeโre looking very carefully at the actions of high-ranking school officials and whether they properly discharged their duties to the children,โ he said. The DOJโs Special Investigations Division has been tasked with this inquiry, and Rhea confirmed that recommendations for future safeguards would be included in the final report as the process has already underscored gaps in reporting and accountability.
Rhea emphasized the need for teachers and administrators to act as role models. โThereโs a reluctance to report because people worry about what others will think. But the right thing to do is always to protect the children,โ he said. Rhea also called for community discussions on systemic reforms, including anonymous reporting
Findings will recommend reforms such as anonymous reporting hotlines, whistleblower protections, and enhanced accountability measures to prevent similar failures in the future.
Supporting the framework of the Department of Justiceโs investigation, Rhea has praised Sen. Marise James for crafting legislation that addresses institutional failures exposed during the Bruce Smith trial. Speaking with the Source, James recounted a defining moment at a 2024 womenโs conference on St. Thomas when a man handed her a phone, urging her to speak with someone on the line.
โThis victimโs mother, the woman I spoke to, was angry and frustrated โ she felt the system had failed her son,โ James recalled. โIt was clear from our conversation that school officials had known about the abuse and chose to do nothing.โ James further criticized education leadersโ during Senate hearings for denying knowledge of victims, describing their denials as deliberate attempts to shield those complicit in the systemic failures. โThis wasnโt just a failure to act โ it was a coordinated effort to protect those who allowed these abuses to continue,โ she said.
Working toward a solution, James turned her attention to legislation. She explored existing statutes related to criminal prosecution and civil claims, recognizing that the statute of limitations would have barred many survivors from seeking justice. โI sensed that the delays were intentional โ meant to run out the clock on the statute of limitations, shielding those responsible for these childrenโs suffering,โ she said.
James spearheaded a bill to eliminate the statute of limitations for civil claims involving sexual abuse, emphasizing its critical role in empowering survivors. โSurvivors often donโt process their trauma until adulthood. Itโs unjust to deny them their opportunity for justice simply because of an arbitrary timeline,โ she explained. Her legislation mirrors similar laws in other states, many of which have withstood legal challenges, prioritizing justice for survivors over institutional protection.
James also questioned whether the failures extended beyond the Education Department to the broader community. โDid we have a community that looked the other way?โ she asked. โThis delay raises serious concerns about whether we truly care for our children. We need to build a system that prioritizes them, not the reputations of those who failed them.โ
Both Rhea and James agree that the path forward requires comprehensive systemic reform and Rhea said the forthcoming DOJ findings will serve as a roadmap for creating a safer, more transparent educational environment.
“This isnโt just about one school or individual โ itโs about addressing a culture of silence that allowed this to happen,โ he said.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated to include a section explaining policies and procedures for retirements, resignations and terminations under the V.I. Code and within government.
