UES Private School Head Fired For Alleged Sexual Misconduct

Upper East Side NY

12 April, 2021

11:02 AM

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UPPER EAST SIDE, NY — The Catholic priest who helms an elite private school on the Upper East Side will be fired after an investigation found he had engaged in sexual misconduct with other adults at the institution, the school announced this week. Since 2016, Father Daniel Lahart had served as president of Regis High School, a Jesuit school on East 84th Street near Madison Avenue. On Feb. 28, however, the chair of the school's board of trustees told the community in an email that Lahart had been put on administrative leave due to allegations that he had "behaved inappropriately in his interactions with certain adult members of our community." The school hired a private investigator and urged anyone with information to come forward. On Sunday, board chair Anthony DiNovi revealed that trustees would move to oust Lahart. The investigation, which is now drawing to a close, found that Lahart "engaged in inappropriate and unwelcome verbal communications and physical conduct, all of a sexual nature, with adult members of the Regis community, including subordinate," DiNovi said in the all-school email, which was also posted online. The conduct was "non-consensual" and persisted even after victims asked Lahart to stop, according to DiNovi. Lahart was asked to participate in the investigation but declined, he said. Lahart's firing will take effect April 21, the school said. To fire Lahart, Regis had to notify the northeast chapter of the Society of Jesuits. The school was not sharing details about the allegations to protect victims' privacy, DiNovi said. The firing was first reported by the New York Post. "Please know the Board did not come to its decision lightly and took seriously its obligation to act with transparency, integrity, and compassion in service of our community, both with respect to Fr. Lahart and to those members of our community who were harmed by his conduct," the letter continued. Notable Regis alumni include comedian Colin Jost and Dr. Anthony Fauci.