Latest update April 20th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 21, 2017 News
– calls made for establishment of Predation Investigative Committee
Social Media in recent days has been abuzz with chatter about what has been described in some factions as an especially appalling case of sexual misconduct within the public education system. There are reports that a senior educator is at the centre of the state of affairs.
While some individuals have restricted their comments on the matter to Social Media sites such as Facebook, there are others who have been taking action to ensure that the matter is addressed by the relevant authorities.
Taking the lead in this regard is Cultural Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Social Cohesion, Mr. Ruel Johnson. Johnson has inked a letter in this regard to Chief Education Officer [CEO], Marcel Hutson, and has even proposed that moves be made towards the establishment of a School Sexual Predation Investigative Committee.
Based on Johnson’s missive, he had in fact brought to the attention of the CEO – some five months ago – the dilemma that had reportedly occurred on multiple occasions at a senior city secondary school.
“I initially heard anecdotal representation of [name withheld] inappropriate relationships with students at the school. A month later, I received incidental repetition of this information, inclusive of his sexualization of lessons, inappropriate conversations with female students, and claims of multiple sexual relationships with female students,” Johnson outlined.
He further disclosed that after inquiries, a former student confirmed that she had entered a sexual relationship with the educator in question while she was yet in Fifth Form at the school in question.
“She related that he made sexually inappropriate contact with her a month before her 16th birthday, reminded her a few days before her birthday that she was approaching the age of consent and a few weeks after that, began a sexual relationship with her inclusive of penetrative sex. This would be a pattern I would come to recognise from multiple victims who have confided in me since,” Johnson noted.
According to Johnson, the alleged incident took place sometime after the passage of the Sexual Offences Act (Cap. 8:03) of 2010. He noted that “What is infinitely more troubling to me as a [former] senior advisor within the Ministry of Education is the evidence so far of the massive scope of [the teacher’s] predatory activities. I have been contacted by former victims and friends and relatives of former victims who were subject to or aware of his targeting of young students through several educational institutions.”
Johnson added too that the stories of abuse started in the late 1990s beginning at another city secondary school, and followed the teacher’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. By my estimation, this is the worst single incident of teacher sexual abuse that I have encountered globally, on par – perpetrator to victim ratio – with the worst excesses of the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal of recent history,” said Johnson.
However, the most disturbing allegations are the most recent which were perpetrated at a school that the teacher has served for some 10 years, Johnson noted. He disclosed that “Not only do most of his victims seem to come from this institution, but I have received multiple reports, some posted publicly on social media, that accusations of harassment and predation by [the teacher] have been systematically met by mockery, disapproval, and even condemnation by the school administration,” said Johnson.
He added too that, “Some students have contacted me privately identifying key persons responsible for this systemic repulsion of complaints…”
Another notable commentator on the situation yesterday was, Ronald Austin Junior, who sternly worded his disapproval on how the matter is being handled.
“What failed leadership. In response to a public outcry about a Predator under her watch, the HM [principal of the school in question] holds an assembly and blazes the female students, essentially saying to them that you are the reason the predators exist, you are too slack and loose,” Austin’s comment reads.
He went on to share, “Really sad day for Guyana when the HM of a senior secondary school that is under fire for inappropriate behaviour by a male teacher under her watch, could verbally scold female students for being ‘slackers’. According to audio I listened to, which was recorded secretly and which I have, she says ‘I saw female students with their legs opened when male teachers were teaching’. She drives fear into the hearts of those female students, nobody will report anything to her. She enables the system and should go. [It’s a] Really sad day.”
Meanwhile, Johnson said he will be willing to provide information in his possession, to the relevant authorities on a basis of strict confidentiality, since “I have no confidence in the school administration to internally deal with this issue at any level, and am adamant that this is a serious enough issue for the Ministry to act condignly and comprehensively upon.”
Johnson in his letter too outlined a number of recommendations including the immediate location of the ‘predator’ teacher and the securing of his passport or, failing this, an alert at all ports of entry barring his exit from Guyana and his detention if he tries to do so.
Regarding the establishment of the Sexual Predation Investigative Committee, Johnson shared his willingness to assist with the creation of its Terms of Reference [TORs]. In fact, he went as far as recommending a multi stakeholder mechanism comprising, but not limited to the following persons: Head of the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ms. Ann Greene; Member of Parliament, Ms. Priya Manickchand; Dr. Melissa Ifill; Vidyaratha Kissoon; Anita Madray; Mosa Telford; Akola Thompson and Ayo Dalgetty-Dean.
The Teaching Service Commission and the Guyana Teachers’ Union should also be invited to be a part of this venture, Johnson has proposed.
Attempts to contact CEO Hutson on his mobile device last evening to comment on the matter was met with an automated recording suggesting that he was not available.
Where is the BETTER MANAGEMENT/RENEGOTIATION OF THE OIL CONTRACTS you promised Jagdeo?
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