Latest update April 25th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 26, 2017 News
By Leonard Gildarie
The debate is on. I am glad that it raised its head, though not happy that it had to start this way.
I am of course speaking about the highly contentious, sexual abuse allegations against a teacher at The Bishops’ High School.
There will, of course, be citizens that disagree with me and that is okay…we don’t have and never will have all the answers and dialogue, continuing dialogue, is where this country should be heading.
We have to, if we want to progress, take the issues and tackle them head on.
I have two kids in the public schools and they are jealously guarded. The attention in the home is focused on their well-being and pulling out the stops to ensure they have the right tools.
It is what we do as parents.
Every so often, I sit and listen to the mom warning the kids about going alone to the washrooms or leaving the confines of the school’s compound.
I was in office last year, when my wife called in a frantic state. She could not locate my son. She started to search the washrooms and classrooms. She went home in tears and found him waiting. He had taken a lift.
I was preparing to rush down when I received the update that he was found sitting at home, waiting, and smiling. Of course, he had an earful. He is so much wiser now after those lectures.
Last week, I received a call. Two four-year-olds walked out of a classroom and ventured out from a public school on Camp Street. They were later found safe and sound.
The family, instead of denying the incident ever took place, was quick to note that they made no complaints. I silently gave thanks.
A few months ago, a youth while riding ahead of his sisters in Berbice, was snatched by a deranged sexual predator who I believe have no place in the prisons. The body of the youth was found in the Berbice River days later. He had been viciously raped. His bike too was found in the river.
Two men, known to the community, were charged.
On Friday, I woke up to the news that a little guy, less than three years old, was crushed to death in Newtown by a minibus that was being driven by his father.
I feel for the family. It is truly heartbreaking. I am not likely to read the story.
These issues are being raised to illustrate a simple point that many people are missing in the entire issue at Bishops’.
Parents, I am sure 99-plus percent of them, are highly protective of their children.
We expect schools to be custodians of our children in our absence. I can’t speak of what is happening at the privately-run schools.
What I am sure of is that there are rules of engagement regarding the handling of students while they are at the public schools.
How often are workshops held to remind the management and teachers of these policies?
From the indications of what is coming out from the Bishops’ story, the complainant, a government official, raised the allegations months ago with a senior official of the ministry.
By the very admittance of the teacher, he had relations with two former students. The issue is whether the students were groomed from their high school days, with the offering of better grades. Was the position of trust as a teacher used to twist the arms of these two girls? How many others are there?
Do the rules of engagement bar a teacher from engaging with students after their school life?
What struck me is that the teacher has simply resigned himself to the recognition that his teaching life may be over.
If he is cleared, I am not sure where he goes from there. The allegations are highly damaging.
With regards to the head teacher, I don’t know her. From what I am told, she is an experienced educator who seemed to have suffered a knee-jerk reaction when the news started to furiously be plastered on social media.
She reportedly held a general assembly meeting where students were told that they too were to be blamed for possibly encouraging it. A student recorded the event, and the head teacher is under the spotlight now.
On Friday, it was announced that the matter has been handed over to the police to investigate whether there is any truth to the allegations that the teacher would have been involved in grooming students for sex.
The head teacher has been reprimanded by the Ministry of Education and is to offer an apology.
I am more concerned over plans by the ministry to ensure that systems are in place to not have a repeat.
In my case, I love my kids. I invest heavily in them.
Of anything that can happen which I will have no control of, the last thing I would want to hear is that the school has failed in its duty.
We have to immediately take stock of what we have and tweak the systems to improve on them.
It is clear that even the senior education officials are unclear what to do when situations like this arise.
I would even venture to say that this situation was very badly handled.
If it is true that students were being groomed at Bishops’, the thought to my mind is whether any such alleged situation is happening at any other school?
Some students at Bishops’ have come out in support of the teacher and head teacher.
The issue has raised another major topic that seems to be a hot one in US circles…sexual harassment at the workplace. How widespread is it here? It seems to have become a phenomenon.
These are issues that we have to address as we move this country into a modern one that is serious about ensuring the protection of its vulnerable.
Jagdeo giving Exxon 102 cent to collect 2 cent.
Apr 25, 2024
By Rawle Toney Kaieteur Sports – The French Diplomatic Office in Guyana, in collaboration with the Guyana Olympic Association and UNICEF, hosted an exhibition on Tuesday evening at the...Kaieteur News – Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party, persists in offering... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]