Teacher accused of sexual misconduct arrested

Dec 04, 2017 News

– released on $100,000 bail, lodges passport

Embattled teacher, Coen Jackson who is at the center of allegations of sexual misconduct was arrested on Saturday.
He was released on $100,000 bail after he was questioned by ranks at the Brickdam Police Station.
Kaieteur News understands that the teacher visited the Brickdam Police Station, accompanied by his attorney after a female came forward with accusations against him. This newspaper was informed that a formal report was made by a former student of a school at which Jackson previously taught.
The complainant, now 22-years old, is said to have alleged that she had sexual contact with the teacher while she was still a student of the school.
The incident is said to have occurred at Durban Street, Lodge between December 2010 and May 2011.
The 39-year old teacher denied the allegations and was placed on bail. He has also lodged his passport at the station.
Jackson, an Economics teacher attached to the Bishops’ High School, was sent on administrative leave after allegations of sexual misconduct were leveled against him.
The teacher is currently under investigation by the Guyana Police Force. However, as recent as last week, ‘A’ Division Commander Marlon Chapman had stated that witnesses in the matter have not been coming forward.
Chapman said that the Force’s investigation will require that a witness or witnesses in the matter come forward before a process of interviewing commences.
The accusations against Jackson were first brought to the fore by Cultural Policy Advisor within the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Mr. Ruel Johnson. But, Jackson retained legal representation and denied the allegations of sexual abuse of students under his instruction. He has accused Johnson of taking such action, because he had been in communication with Johnson’s girlfriend, with whom he (Jackson) had also shared a relationship.

Embattled teacher, Coen Jackson

Johnson, in a letter of complaint to Chief Education Officer, Mr. Marcel Hutson, suggested that Jackson has been sexually abusing female students for many years.
Johnson alleges that the stories of abuse started in the late 1990s, beginning at another City secondary school, and followed Jackson’s career through attachments at several other schools.
“I’ve also gotten reports of his activities extending to private lessons. His victims altogether may very well be in the hundreds over the past 20 years,” said Johnson.
The Cultural Advisor’s letter of complaint was also sent to the Ministries of Social Protection, Legal Affairs, Public Health, Public Security and Social Cohesion.
The complaint had forced the Education Ministry into investigation mode. Jackson was sent on administrative leave to facilitate the investigation. At the end of the process, the findings were sufficient to warrant a police investigation.
In a statement, the Education Ministry said of its investigation, “The Ministry of Education’s Welfare Department in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Protection concluded its investigation and handed the matter over to the Guyana Police Force.”
Also, a committee, which was established to investigate the actions of the head teacher, concluded that she be reprimanded and offer an apology to the teachers and students of the school.
Comments on the matter from the school’s Head Mistress [HM], Ms. Winifred Ellis, had sparked public outcry. Based on a recording during a school’s assembly, the HM was heard referring to some girls of the school as “slack” and “loose” and suggested that they were to be blamed for any resulting sexual misconduct.
Protest action had in fact ensued, with protestors calling for the termination of both Jackson and Ellis.

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