Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Jun 17, 2009 News
(By Mondale Smith)
“It is professionally and ethically wrong for a teacher to propose or force a student to have sexual intercourse in exchange for better grades and anyone who does that should lose their job,” says Guyana Teachers’ Union President, Colwyn King.
There is yet to be an official ruling or announcement of an investigation being launched into allegations against the teacher who was found in a hotel with his student last Saturday.
King said that a teacher is at school to teach but if he and a student intend to have a love affair they should wait until they are at the right age and once both agree then that’s their business away from the school environment.
He said that in this case it is ultimately left to the teacher to resume regular duties at the institution but after a meeting yesterday King has advised him against returning to the institution at present.
He said, “There is no excuse that one can give for not performing your duties. Proposing to give grades in exchange for sex to students should not be tolerated, should never happen; it is dead wrong,” King said.
Released from police custody without charge, the teacher met with King and other Guyana Teachers’ Union officials yesterday and from initial conversations with the 24-year-old, King dubbed the situation “a sad reality in the school system.”
He noted that this report is not unique. He said that while he stands as a representative of the teacher, if an investigation is launched and it is found that the teacher was making advances to the student at school he should lose his job.
The decision however rests with the Education Ministry, which to his knowledge has not launched an investigation into the teen’s allegations of being offered better grades and cash from the teacher for sexual favours.
King said that based on his conversation with the teacher he has not received any logical answers to refute the allegations or to understand what was the driving force behind him taking the student to the hotel.
Regarding a way forward on the matter, King said that from his end nothing much could be done until the school and the Education Ministry carry out their responsibilities as they see necessary.
Contrary to the teen’s allegations of the teacher’s advances King said based on reports received from the school’s head mistress “nothing happened in the school environment and it’s so far not a school matter according to the head teacher.”
He said too that to date neither the student nor the teacher has reported any of the allegations to the head teacher and that she’s only aware of the unfolding story based on story published in the newspapers.
Yesterday a beleaguered teacher began meeting with officials, including Colwyn King, President of the Guyana Teachers’ Union and shared his story.
King said that from his interpretation of the law nothing illegal occurred. The teen involved is 16 years old and was not forced to enter the hotel or the hotel room.
From initial reports, Kings said, it is to be proven that the teacher abused his authority and forced the student to submit to his biddings.
King said that he cannot approach the parents of the student or the parents of other students who may have had similar experiences but hinted, that if they want to they can contact him at the Guyana Teachers’ Union.
The Teaching Service Commission has said that it cannot get involved until it receives a report from the Education Ministry.
Meanwhile, yesterday an Alpha Hotel official confirmed that indeed a guy in the company of a young lady was arrested on Saturday at the hotel. However, she hastened to state that according to hotel policy no person in school uniform is ever allowed in the hotel and that the young woman was not in school uniform.
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
Apr 19, 2024
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