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WEBVTT TEACHER TURNED A BLIND EYE. OUR JOE RIPLEY IS DIGGING DEEPER TO BRING YOU THIS STORY YOU’LL SEE ONLY ON WYFF 4. JOE: MICHAEL CASSBON SAID THE ABUSE STARTED MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO. HE FIRST REPORTED IT IN 2013 WE CALLED THE TEACHER HE’S ACCUSING OF FACILITATING HIS ABUSE. THE TEACHER HUNG UP, AND THEN HE DIRECTED US TO SAINT JOSEPH’S HEADMASTER. >> I WAS A JUNIOR AT ST. JOSEPH’S. JOE: MICHAEL CASSABON REMEMBERS WHEN THE ABUSE FIRST STARTED. HE SAYS HE WOULD MEET THEN-FATHER HAYDEN VAVEREK AT CONFESSION. CASSABON SAYS OVER TIME, A TEACHER AT ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL WOULD DRIVE HIM AN HOUR TO THE VAVEREK’S HOUSE IN GREENWOOD. >> WHO HAD DEVELOPED A FRIENDSHIP WITH THIS PRIEST. I WOULD EVEN SAY THE TEACHER WAS ENAMORED WITH THIS PRIEST. JOE: WYFF NEWS 4 INVESTIGATES FOUND VAVEREK AND THE TEACHER SHARED THE SAME ADDRESS AT ONE POINT. CASSABON SAYS THE TEACHER WITNESSED THE PRIEST VERBALLY ABUSE HIM, TOUCH HIM INAPPROPRIATELY, AND KISS HIM. >> THIS TEACHER SAW AND WITNESSED THE PRIEST INSIST I SLEEP IN THE SAME BED WITH HIM ON THIS TRIP JOE: CASSABON SAYS VAVEREK TRIED TO GET A JOB AT SAINT JOSEPH’S, WHICH SPURRED HIM TO ACT. >> IT WAS THE HARDEST THING I EVER HAD TO DO. YOU HAVE SUCH MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THE PERSON WHO DID THIS. JOE: CASSABON REPORTED THE ABUSE TO THE DIOCESE OF CHARLESTON. THE VATICAN FOUND THE ALLEGATION CREDIBLE AND REMOVED HIS RIGHTS AND POWER AS A PRIEST. AT THE SAME TIME, CASSABON ADMITTED TO PROTECTING THE TEACHER TWICE BY SAYING HE WAS UNAWARE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT AFTER LEARNING THE TEACHER AT SAINT JOSEPH’S WAS STILL RAISING MONEY FOR THE PRIEST, CASSABON WANTED THE TEACHER FIRED. >> THIS IS RIDICULOUS. HOW CAN YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN? HOW CAN HE STILL BE EMPLOYED AT ST. JOSEPH’S? JOE: IN LIGHT OF THE ALLEGATIONS, THE DIOCESE DENIED ANY COVER UP OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT. THE DIOCESE ALSO SAID IT HAD NO CONTROL OVER SAINT JOSEPH’S STAFF. THE HEADMASTER OF SAINT JOSEPH’S, KEITH KISER, SENT A LETTER TO PARENTS. HE SAYS HE CONSULTED WITH SCHOOL OFFICIALS AND THE DIOCESE AND DETERMINED THE TEACHER DID NOT KNOW ABOUT ANY MISCONDUC IN HIS LETTER, SAINT JOSEPH’S HEADMASTER SAID THE SCHOOL HAD AGGRESSIVE POLICIES TO SAFEGUARD THE WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS. CASSABON FEELS AS LONG AS THE TEACHER HE SAYS ENABLED HIS ABUSE REMAINS ON STAFF, THE SCHOOL DOESN’T HAVE SAFETY IN MIND. >> NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE TO HOLD PEOPLE WHO ABUSE ACCOUNTABLE, WE HAVE TO HOLD PEOPLE WHO ENABLE AND FACILITATE ABUSE ACCOUNTABL JOE: NEITHER PRIEST NOR TEACHER HAVE FACED CRIMINAL CHARGES IN THIS CASE. HAYDEN VAVEREK’S RIGHTS AS A PRIEST WERE REMOVED IN 2013. WE CALLED HIM AND DIDN’T HEAR BACK.

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A former Upstate student wants a teacher fired for letting a priest abuse him. Michael Cassabon said the St. Joseph’s Catholic School teacher would drive him an hour to Greenwood to Vaverek’s house as part of a mentorship program. Cassabon first reported the abuse to the Diocese of Charleston in 2013. Cassabon said the priest would abuse him verbally, touch him inappropriately and kiss him on the mouth. Cassabon said the abuse started in 1998, during his junior year at St. Joseph's. WYFF News 4 Investigates found the teacher and Vaverek lived at the same address in Simpsonville at one time. “He had developed a friendship with this priest,” Cassabon said. “I would even say the teacher was enamored with this priest."When Cassabon reported the abuse to the Diocese of Charleston, the Vatican found the allegation credible and removed Vaverek’s power and rights as a priest. At the same time, Cassabon admitted to protecting the teacher twice by saying he was unaware of what was going on. After learning the teacher at St. Joseph’s was still raising money for the priest, Cassabon wanted the teacher fired.In light of the allegations, the diocese denied any coverup of sexual misconduct. The diocese also said it had no control over St. Joseph’s staff. St. Joseph’s headmaster Keith Kiser sent a letter to parents, saying he consulted with school officials and the diocese and determined the teacher did not know about any misconduct. In his letter, the headmaster also said “aggressive policies to safeguard the wellbeing of students.”Cassabon feels as long as the teacher he says enabled his abuse remains on staff, the school does not have safety in mind.“Not only do we have to hold people who abuse accountable, we have to hold people who enable and facilitate abuse accountable," Cassabon said.WYFF News 4 called the teacher, who hung up and then emailed back directing a reporter to Saint Joseph’s headmaster. Neither Vaverek nor the teacher have faced criminal charges in the case. Vaverek’s rights as a priest were removed in 2013. WYFF News 4 called him and did not hear back. Cassabon left South Carolina in 2016, moved to Canada and has since married. The teacher remains employed at St. Joseph’s Catholic School.