Such predatory practices have no place in the teaching system

Nov 26, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
The recent revelations of sexual misconduct and other related issues are being hotly debated in the public domain. It speaks to a teacher who is under the microscope for having inappropriate relations with his students and a principal who was complicit to such actions.
This is a very serious matter and must be seriously addressed by all the people involved. In fact, all are involved, especially when you are talking about young, vulnerable children, who are bombarded with lawless and out of place officials.
Now, it seems that this sort of slack behaviour was going on for some time with impunity, because when the accused came on television, he could have flippantly remarked that no one can stop someone from falling in love.
Whenever individuals are placed in positions of authority, they ought to conduct themselves in like manner. Nothing less than exemplary above board behaviour is expected of you. Barring this that person ought to be prosecuted to the maximum so that we can rid society of such parasites.
I know that some writers would want to suggest that I have taken the position of judge, jury and executioner in this matter, without careful examination of the facts or evidence from the accused party’s standpoint.
Well, this is exactly the point that I am making, why would kids for no apparent reason raise such an allegation? Isn’t it with good reason that they would make such a situation such an issue? And being minors, I am duty bound as a responsible adult who should be guardians of the children’s rights that I must investigate such allegations vigorously?
I am an educator and I know of these matters. You do not take these cases lightly; urgent action is required the moment you get word of such occurrences. This is what “The Rights of The Child” postulates.
Then I turn my gaze to the principal of that school. Did she hear something which elicited such a hostile response to the school? She must give reason(s) for her actions. She needs to tell education authorities what she knew and what she did with that information.
Why castigate the victim when the searchlight should be on the accused? Where is the school’s log book? Don’t they keep records of complaints from teacher as well as student? Then seize the log books to see what they contain? Where is the counsellor? I am sure students must have bared such personal information to the counselor. Let the counsellor speak up.
Where is the Ministry of Education on this?
Were they notified of this teacher’s conduct? If so, what was their response to that information? Heads need to roll here, folks! Sexual predators must be gotten rid of immediately!
Were I a parent, I would take this matter to court, principal, teacher and the Ministry of Education. My child deserves the right to be safe from sexual predators and persons who exhibit these forms of sexual deviancy. When I send my child to school he/she should be in an environment that is safe for their mental, physical and social development.
My child should not be subjected to harassment of any kind. No child should be bullied into granting sexual favours. In this regard, I would suggest the parents bond themselves together and litigate.
Such predatory practices have no place in the teaching system and soon as it raises its ugly head, it should be rooted out with the utmost ferocity any education system can muster.
Neil Adams

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