Class teacher been charged with sexual offences :(

heretolearn_2

'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.'

They are still only allegations, just being charged doesn't make the allegations the truth. Innocent until proven guilty.

The school cannot go into any more detail but I do think they should send a letter or have a talk to all parents telling them to stop discussing the issue.
a)By all this gossiping and wild accusations these parents could actually threatening the prosecution case. If the children involved hear any of this, and being only 7, it either could, or at least could be said by a smart solicitor, that it is effecting their testimony, and make it invalid. They could be helping a guilty man get off.

b) Innocent until proven guilty and if he is found innocent, and people have been accusing him of raping children and that's not even what he has been charged with, those with the big mouths and imaginations could find themselves in trouble. If I were accused of something like this, then found innocent, I'd find out which people had been spreading these lies to destroy my reputation and sue them for every penny they had. Not about the actual charges of course, but all these fictions. If innocent, the poor man may never work again after all this.

sueeve

I suspect, if this is a state school, that any statement will come from the education authority. As a governor I have had in the past had to keep things confidential while waiting for the LEA to speak.
At least now that he is charged you know where you stand, and I am sure that it will be dealt with professionally. Keep right away from gossip (I'm sure you will).
This may be mega serious, on the other hand there is a fine line between a caring hand on the arm and accusation of abuse. Sometimes it is a judgement call on where that line lies.

bylromarha

What she said^

This will now be in the LEAs hands.

When teaching, our primary had a pupil who made the front page of national news, due to an incident at school. We were very strictly warned to refer any journalists who contacted us to the LEA. The school was inundated with phone calls, everyone we gave the name and number of someone at LEA.

What is probably happening at the school is frantic behind the scenes, with the chair of governors, the head and the LEA trying to arrange a conference call at the first opportunity in order that a response is a fair one for parents, children and the teacher.

You are doing the right thing by not getting involved, but wanting a response. I'm sure the school will respond tonight as there has been enough time for it to have happened.

Kaz2904

This happened at a local school in December. The school was a first school (Yr's R-3). I'm not sure if it actually came out from a child at that school at that time but all of the current Yr4 children at my DD's school who had attended that school were interviewed. The news was in the local paper with no ID of the school or the teacher.
There were school assemblies for all of the children to inform them what was going on (I think they were trying to support children who had attended that school). We had letters home after a few days which gave us a brief outline of what the children had been told. We later had letters which gave us information about press which asked us to refer them to the press officer but said we could speak to them if we wanted to.
The school had liaised with the local police too. They had also informed childline and the phone number was included in the letters.
FWIW, I think that the school handled it as well as they could. We had the opportunity to attend a meeting but felt there was no need for us as we weren't in any way involved. DD's class teacher did very well answering questions and steering the children onto other topics. Unfortunately, one of the children in DD's class has left the school now and I think it's related to this incident.
It's been very hard for us parents trying to explain to our children what !!!!!philes are and what goes on as they are only 8/9 and we obviously wouldn't speak about these things usually but I would rather that than the other option that some parents have had to deal with


ETA: Forgot to say, the school in question had children farmed out to other schools at the beginning of January. They were shut down in December but that didn't affect anyone because everywhere else was shut due to the snow! In January, the police needed to get into the school to investigate further so the children were moved to safe environments in blocks of friends.
The head teacher has also been suspended in this case but I don't know why. The teacher has been suspended and then charged.

meritaten

as its your childs class teacher I would be very surprised if your child with you present wasnt interviewed.
you seem to think that there is a difference between 'allegations' and 'being charged' - there isnt. this teacher is innocent until the Prosecution service can PROVE that he is guilty.
Your child is upset - understandably so, I would explain that someone has said the teacher has done something wrong and that people are trying to find out if he has or not. Keep it simple. Tell your child that if the teacher hasnt done anything wrong then nothing will happen to him. (not that I believe this - this teacher is now ruined as its gone so far).
and the school SHOULD be having a meeting with parents in this teachers class - ASAP.

edgex

meritaten wrote: »

as its your childs class teacher I would be very surprised if your child with you present wasnt interviewed.
you seem to think that there is a difference between 'allegations' and 'being charged' - there isnt. this teacher is innocent until the Prosecution service can PROVE that he is guilty.
Your child is upset - understandably so, I would explain that someone has said the teacher has done something wrong and that people are trying to find out if he has or not. Keep it simple. Tell your child that if the teacher hasnt done anything wrong then nothing will happen to him. (not that I believe this - this teacher is now ruined as its gone so far).
and the school SHOULD be having a meeting with parents in this teachers class - ASAP.

incorrect

a person is innocent until found guilty by a jury of their peers


as for the school having a meeting with parents, as others have said, its out of their hands.

melancholly

edgex wrote: »

incorrect

a person is innocent until found guilty by a jury of their peers

splitting hairs a bit! since the jury would find them guilty based on the case put forward by the prosecution service, i don't think it matters.

OP - have things calmed down at all?

Mankysteve

melancholly wrote: »

splitting hairs a bit! since the jury would find them guilty based on the case put forward by the prosecution service, i don't think it matters.

Not really just spillting hairs there huge and very important difference.

Gavin83

melancholly wrote: »

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)

There certainly should be, it's probably worryingly not that uncommon.

This actually happened at my school when I was there. Once the teacher was charged the school issued a letter informing the parents of the situation. They didn't have much choice though as it appeared in the local paper a few days after the letters arrived so they didn't want parents finding out via the media.

edgex

melancholly wrote: »

splitting hairs a bit! since the jury would find them guilty based on the case put forward by the prosecution service, i don't think it matters.

OP - have things calmed down at all?

also incorrect

a jury would attempt to come to a decision based on the evidence presented in court by both the prosecution & defence