What will it take to shut down these sick private schools who think they are above the law
I'm not a big fan of private schools, though I'd caution against assuming that this issue is specifically related to the fact that these schools are private.
If a school is public, does that make the teachers any less likely to abuse students, or the administration any less likely to cover it up? It's not as if public schools have round-the-clock police monitors making sure that the teachers behave themselves.
I suppose the consistency test would be "if this same exact thing happened in a public school, would we shut down the public school system?"
The school should have contacted the police immediately, and given that they didn't, I hope some pious and contrite resignations follow. But it's an absurd leap from this to shutting down private schools because this somehow proves that they're all "sick" and think they're better'n us.
I suppose the consistency test would be "if this same exact thing happened in a public school, would we shut down the public school system?"
The school should have contacted the police immediately, and given that they didn't, I hope some pious and contrite resignations follow. But it's an absurd leap from this to shutting down private schools because this somehow proves that they're all "sick" and think they're better'n us.
I think the OP's reasoning might apply to, say, religious schools, in communities where that particular faith enjoys a prestige that places it beyond the law, if only informally, in the minds of many people.
So for example, Father O'Malley is accused by a parent of molesting children, and Archbishop Harrigan can call up Chief O'Reilly and lecture him about how O'Malley is just a man of God tempted by the sins of the flesh etc, and there is a reasonable certainty that O'Reilly will be moved by all the histrionics to quash the investigation.
That particular "breastplate of righteousness" didn't really apply to the teachers at my Catholic schools in Alberta, almost none of whom were clergy(or in a few cases, even Catholic). They really didn't enjoy much more prestige than the average public school teacher(which is what they basically were). In the case of the one teacher I know of getting away with sexual abuse of students(he was finally caught many years after the incident), I think it was just for the same reasons that anyone might be able to get away with it, eg. victim afraid to come forward etc.
Should point out that from what I have read in the link above, the school may have not been aware of the nature of the sexual assualt? And that the alleged assailant are classmates and not any teacher or older adult. If this is actually the case, then those acused, if under 18, will be tried as minors.
Should point out that from what I have read in the link above, the school may have not been aware of the nature of the sexual assualt? And that the alleged assailant are classmates and not any teacher or older adult. If this is actually the case, then those acused, if under 18, will be tried as minors.
That goes to the question "how do you PROVE they were aware?" "We didn't know", or "I don't recall" are, in the court systems of today, pretty much legal forms of perjury.
Should point out that from what I have read in the link above, the school may have not been aware of the nature of the sexual assualt?
Evidently they had the video. If so, it's pretty implausible that they didn't know this matter warranted calling the police.
Apparently they've expelled eight students -- four for the sexual assault, and four for an unrelated hazing. No matter how crappy your day might have been, at least you didn't need to tell your Catholic parents that the school they've been paying $21K to mold you into a young man of character just expelled you for raping your teammate with a stick. That's got to be a tough chat to have.
If the issue is hazing, that might be something that survives more in private school culture than in public schools. The tendency of authority-figures to cover up wrongdoing in their domain, not so much.
TBH, I had assumed that the broomstick assault was hazing, but it's looking like the boy who was sodomized wasn't a new member of the team, but rather just a grade niner asking around for a ride home. If that's true, even the (insufficient) explanation of "it's a team-building tradition" or the rationalization of "other teams have taken hazing too far too" doesn't address what happened.
TBH, I had assumed that the broomstick assault was hazing, but it's looking like the boy who was sodomized wasn't a new member of the team, but rather just a grade niner asking around for a ride home. If that's true, even the (insufficient) explanation of "it's a team-building tradition" or the rationalization of "other teams have taken hazing too far too" doesn't address what happened.
Indeed. That's just plain extreme bullying there.
beyond "extreme bullying" imv.
it's assault with a weapon.
beyond "extreme bullying" imv.
it's assault with a weapon.
OK. I defer to your wording. My phrase there was simply meant to convey that this was far beyond anything connected with "building the team" or any of that dying patriarchal rubbish. Assault with a weapon is a better way to put it.
Wouldn't it be sexual assault?
And on that note, why have we not heard of any arrests? It's all on video, and if the school expelled the students on the video then they know who those students are and where they live. Hard to imagine an easier arrest.
national tonight called it sexual assault. said nothing about charges just 11 have been expelled.
testimony to the religious power in AB.
Should point out that from what I have read in the link above, the school may have not been aware of the nature of the sexual assualt?Evidently they had the video. If so, it's pretty implausible that they didn't know this matter warranted calling the police.
Apparently they've expelled eight students -- four for the sexual assault, and four for an unrelated hazing. No matter how crappy your day might have been, at least you didn't need to tell your Catholic parents that the school they've been paying $21K to mold you into a young man of character just expelled you for raping your teammate with a stick. That's got to be a tough chat to have.
Not so sure the school was aware of the video before it was brought to their attention? I’m just going by the limited info I have read.
Ok there are now 6 students charged with sexual assualt in this case.
Real sad for the victims here, real sad.
And here's a link that I find real odd. Please check this out and tell me what you think
https://ca.yahoo.com/news/police-offer-probe-alleged-sexual-143453280.html
In the video clip of the principal, he clearly says he called 13 division and spoke with seargent Smith to inform him of what was happening on the Monday, but in the written part of the link there's this:
The school initially said it had informed police of two incidents, including the alleged sexual assault of a student, on Monday. However, the school's principal, Greg Reeves, admitted in a series of media interviews on Sunday that he did not report the alleged sexual assault on Monday because the alleged victim had not yet told his family about the incident.
Are the police wrong/lying or is the principal wrong/lying?
Should also point out that everyone is innocent until proven guilty.
Thanks for the link quizzical.
Again this principle says that on the Monday, he told the police what he was in possession of(the video) and that he was told by the officer that it was up to the victim to request charges!
At this point I wouldn’t necessarily blame the principal for failing to report this incident in a timely manner. To me it sounds like the police gave this principal improper information or should have reacted immediately and send an officer to the school immediately.
There were two incidents (one somewhat tame, and the other involving the broomstick). Police counselled him with regard to only the first incident; he didn't mention the second.
Now he acknowledges not bringing the broomstick incident to the police on Monday, but claims he did this because the victim had not yet informed his parents of what happened. I'm really not convinced that makes any sense at all.
Ok thanks Mr Magoo. I seen that mentioned in another clip.
But there’s still some questions here. I believe, now correct me if I’m wrong, charges of sexual assaults arising from the first clip? Or the first video could will or may be used as evidence in support of the charges?
If this is in fact true, then I suspect the police are at fault.
What I find troubling is this first video was enough for the school to call the police, the police fail to act more assertive, then the school finds an alleged second more severe video and don’t report in an timely manner as in the first????
The other thing I got a problem with is the media. They are asking them next to no questions as compared to the principal of the school
I could also be wrong, but my understanding is that the school called the police regarding the first incident primarily to ask for advice as to how to proceed. If you heard something about "the victim must press charges" then that probably relates to that. In Canada, the victim of a gang rape would not have to "press charges".
My honest guess is that the school kept the second incident under wraps while they figured out some damage control, and/or hoped to come up with a way to handle it internally.
They are asking them next to no questions as compared to the principal of the school
There really aren't a lot of questions to ask the police (that they could answer). Why the boys behind this weren't arrested and charged last week, on the strength of the video evidence against them, is about the only one I can think of at the moment.
Ok thanks again mr Magoo
I went back to the original cbc link in this thread and pulled this out:
Const. Caroline de Kloet said the school had contacted police on Monday to seek advice on how to deal with an incident that was not the alleged sex assault.
"Advice was provided to the school and no further action was taken or received," de Kloet said.
The police do not mention that the first incident was recorded and the school had it. Nor do they mention the advice they had given. In my opinion, the police are intentionally vague! And as well could have acted in a more pro active manner!