‘DARLINGTON SURVIVORS’

Twenty Ex-Private School Students Alleging Sexual Abuse Seek $345 Million in Damages

The students settled a lawsuit with the teacher who they accused of abuse, which allowed them to go after insurance money that they are now seeking.

Twenty ex-students at an elite private school in Georgia are banding together for justice again—this time, in the form of a $345 million insurance settlement. The group, who call themselves the Darlington Survivors, are alleging that the school’s insurance companies covered Roger Stifflemire, now 81, when he allegedly abused them on school property and on school field trips. They reached a settlement with Stifflemire recently, The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported, even though his lawyer said he couldn’t afford to defend himself. After the suit, Stifflemire agreed to cooperate with efforts by the former students collect insurance money. The group also settled with the school, but the financial terms were not made public.