Class teacher been charged with sexual offences :(

bad_situation

The title says it all really My childs class teacher (male) has been finally charged after the police have gathered evidence against him after being accused of 'touching boys privates' in class. It is an awful situation, not just for the children in our class but for the parents too. (This is in primary by the way).

We have had a meeting were we have not been told very much by the authorities, and rumours throughout the school have been rife, mainly by the parents of the children in other classes. Some of the things being said are awful, and actually untrue, eg they are saying he raped the boys in stockroom etc (I know these are untrue as I know the children involved and their parents have said what has happened - however, our class are not gossiping due to the fact that it is so awful). These parents are then saying these things to their children and school environment has been awful for my childs class due to all the things that have been said in the playground.

Anyway, the school have never officially announced/sent letter/reassured parents about what has happened. That I can understand as he wasn't charged until yesterday. Now he has been charged EVERYONE has got something to say about it, mainly untrue gossip that they have heard.

At what stage should our school be doing an official announcement to tell the truth about what is happening to put all these rumours at rest so people know the truth? In my eyes, we should have all had a letter last night after it became official that he has been charged.

Opinions please as I am going into school tonight if we haven't been officially told. I just don't know where the school should be on this, this is not the sort of situation that can be googled for answers.

If I have rambled, let me know and I will try to clarify things as best as I can.

Gigglepig

How horrible. I don't think the school is doing itself any favours by not communicating with parents straight away. Obviously all parents are going to be incredibly concerned. You're doing the right thing though by not participating in gossip.

melancholly

oh no, how awful. i have no idea what the school should do in that situation (and i bet there isn't any policy to cover that). i assume that as he will be assumed innocent until proven guilty, it would be difficult for them to circulate a letter listing the allegations..... hope your little one is coping ok with the stress (although in this situation i bet the kids are much better than the parents).

maplegirl2011

don't want to read and run but i don't know what to say. i would think that the school has strict guidelines to stick to as to what they can and can't do or say in a situation like this. the only thing i can suggest is that it will be "old news" as such, to the rest of the parents and pupils of other classes after the easter holidays and perhaps things may have calmed down by then.
my son is 7 and i dread to think what i would do in this situation.

puddy

how awful for you. its unlikely the school can say very much to be honest because there is clearly an ongoing police investigation. by giving any information, even limited information, this may affect evidence giving and proof for any forthcoming trial, if it gets that far

are you able to talk to any community liaison officers for some reassurance. are you worried about your own children, have they been interviewed?

bad_situation

My child has not been interviewed, however some have, as the person who made the original allegations mentioned other pupils names who he said were involved. These children got interviewed, however, some got interviewed and insisted nothing has happened and they have seen nothing, some said the same/similar had happened to them. I have had a chat with my child, and am confident that nothing has happened to my child, however my child is very upset that the lovely class teacher has been accused of such an awful thing.

I really can understand the school not saying anything until this point, as they were merely 'allegations'. However, now he has been charged surely it is a different story and the truth should be told to stop the other awful rumours.

It is such a hard situation for all, worse for those whose children were involved of course, but still hard for us all.

ilikewatch

A very similair thing happened at a primary school local to me. A male KS2 teacher was arrested and charged following allegations made by 3 pupils, he was suspended from work for 6 months, until the case went to court and he was aqquitted. During the 6 months until he appeared in court the school did not discuss the situation with any parents other than those whose children had made the allegations, and would only confirm that the teacher in question was not currently working there.

lucylucky

We had a letter from the school informing us that in the recent past allegations had been made against a teacher. These were found to have been unfounded and malicious.

Only once the investigation by the school and police had been exhausted did the school inform parents.

I believe this was done so as not to influence and interfere with the investigation.

fannyanna

Other than confirming that the teacher has been charged (and is presumably suspended at the moment) there really is nothing that the school can say.

This is now a matter to be handled by the legal system and as such the school will be unable to comment.

If it turns out that the teacher is innocent I would imagine his career at that school will be over. Unfortunately mud sticks.

bad_situation

fannyanna wrote: »

Other than confirming that the teacher has been charged (and is presumably suspended at the moment) there really is nothing that the school can say.

This is now a matter to be handled by the legal system and as such the school will be unable to comment.

If it turns out that the teacher is innocent I would imagine his career at that school will be over. Unfortunately mud sticks.[/QUOTE]


This is one of the many reasons I have not been involved in gossip, as if he is innocent, he could never return to our school.

Thank you all for your input, I am torn between thinking "those poor kids" and if it is not true "that poor man" It truely is an awful situation for all involved.

borokat

The school is probably limited to saying nothing more than is in the public domain, because they have to protect the identidies of the children involved. What a dreadful situation.