High school coach accused of asking athletes to strip for ‘fat tests’ in Rhode Island
A former high school basketball coach is accused of asking male students to strip naked for “fat tests” in Rhode Island.
Aaron Thomas had worked in the North Kingstown School Department since 1990 and resigned from its high school in June after allegations emerged from former students that he would direct them to remove their clothes to examine their body fat while alone in a room, WPRI reported.
Now, Thomas’ time as the North Kingstown High School boys coach is under criminal investigation by state Attorney General Peter Neronha as a school committee also looks into the allegations, The Associated Press reported.
A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office, Kristy dosReis, told McClatchy News that the office is working with the North Kingstown Police Department on the criminal investigation.
Thomas’ attorney acknowledged the “fat tests” occurred while former students were naked and said what occurred behind closed doors was not “unlawful” in a recent interview with WPRI.
“The testing program was solely designed to help student-athletes improve their performance,” attorney John MacDonald told the outlet.
“This was a completely voluntary activity and students could enter or leave the program at will. Parental consent forms were utilized,” he added, noting that Thomas assisted athletes “in reaching their goals.”
Criminal charges have not been filed against Thomas, according to the AP.
A former student anonymously brought allegations against Thomas in 2018, saying he was the subject of “fat testing” in his office that made him uncomfortable, the school’s committee said in a statement during a Nov. 6 meeting provided to McClatchy News by committee chairman Gregory B. Blasbalg. The student reported he was clothed during it and that Thomas did not touch him.
Blasbalg declined to comment further.
Then, in February 2021, another former student said Thomas did “fat testing” on him while naked — and alleged he inappropriately touched him, the school committee said, according to the TV station.
More former students came forward in 2021, detailing allegations against Thomas, the Boston Globe reported.
The former coach is accused of asking “Are you shy, or not shy?” during the alleged body examinations, the newspaper reported, before some students would remove their underwear.
One member of the North Kingstown School Committee, Jennifer Lima, said in an interview with the Globe her son came forward saying Thomas recently “checked” him. She said she might have consented to a body examination form but did not agree to her son stripping naked in front of the former coach.
Lima told the newspaper she has received backlash from others during committee meetings where signs were held saying “What if it was your kid?”
“Well, it was my kid,” she told the Globe. “It shouldn’t matter if it was my kid or someone else’s kid. … We need to make sure it’s no one else’s kid.”
Thomas began teaching at Monsignor Clarke middle school this year after his resignation from North Kingstown High School, according to WLNE.
However, he was fired on Nov. 5, the TV station reported, after the school said it learned of the allegations against him.
This story was originally published November 11, 2021 at 11:19 AM with the headline "High school coach accused of asking athletes to strip for ‘fat tests’ in Rhode Island."
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