Judge’s review of investigations of North Kingstown coach’s ‘naked fat tests’ released Monday

The Town Council will discuss the report’s findings and recommendations at its 7 p.m. meeting.

The North Kingstown Town Council on Monday will discuss a new report about the investigation into former North Kingstown High School basketball coach Aaron Thomas.Paul J. Spetrini/The Independent Newspaper

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. — The Town Council will publicly release on Monday a retired judge’s review of the investigations into former high school boys basketball coach Aaron Thomas and his “naked fat tests.”

Retired Superior Court Judge Susan McGuirl was hired by the Town Council in November to analyze the findings of investigations into Thomas and accusations that he had performed “body fat tests” on nude teenage boys since at least the mid-1990s. Her role was to give legal opinions on whether school policies were followed and recommend actions the town council could take.

Council Chairman Greg Mancini said Thursday the report will be posted on the town website on Monday at 5 p.m. The Town Council will discuss the report’s findings and recommendations at its 7 p.m. meeting. McGuirl is not expected to attend.

“We can let the public know what the facts are and transmit the recommendations we agree with to the School Committee,” Mancini said.

The Town Council doesn’t have the authority to do more, he said. “However we are the highest elected government in our community and we want to make sure our citizens know the facts,” he said.

Thomas, 54, is under criminal investigation by the attorney general’s office and North Kingstown police after former athletes going back to the mid-1990s alleged he had performed “body fat” tests on them while they were naked and alone with him, in either a closet or a small room attached to his office. Some said he used skin-fold calipers to explore their groin and buttocks, measured their bodies, and had them do stretches while nude. One former student told the Globe that Thomas used his bare hands to perform a “hernia check.” Another said Thomas was “visibly aroused” while touching him.

Thomas’ criminal defense lawyer, John E. MacDonald, said there were consent forms for the body fat tests signed by students and their parents — although they did not mention nudity. MacDonald previously told the Globe that Thomas found it easier to test the boys when they were nude.

The School Committee had hired its own independent investigator, lawyer Matthew Oliverio, to find out how much school administrators officials knew about what Thomas was doing — and what they did to stop him and protect students. His reports from last year and in March were scathing about the administration’s response to complaints about Thomas dating back to 2018.

As part of her review, McGuirl, who is also a former deputy attorney general, was reviewing Oliverio’s reports, interviewing witnesses, police reports, and information from the attorney general’s office, as well as an investigation by lawyer Timothy Conlon, who is representing some of the former athletes.