R. Thornton
|
Downloading PornSo Mrs Coupe is not on her own in how she decides what information is allowed out of school. I duplicate here (with names omitted as obviously the case is continuing) a report from a local newspaper (the Guardian) which I came across this week. I am sure that the content will appear very familiar to many who have read this forum.
I would like to point out that the school in question is a high school, so the 50 parents mentioned in the report will certainly have been a minority. I wonder if this 'minority' received the same vilification from the local authority, governors and other parents as the Action Group, for bringing the incident to light ?
This was brought to light immediately. In Marton's case Mrs Coupe managed to keep it hidden for months - until the establishment of the forum and the action group. Alas, by then parents in general were unable to be made aware of what happened.
Parents' anger to school's response
Thursday 2nd Feb 2006.
DISGUSTED parents have vented their fury over a scandal in which the head teacher implored them not to speak to the press.
The media studies teacher admitted downloading pornographic images on to his school laptop. Illicit conversations from Internet chat rooms were also recovered.
The school headteacher has incensed parents in a letter asking them not to express their concerns in the press.
A woman, whose daughter was in the teacher's form, said: "This letter was given to pupils at the 11th hour to cover up the deceit that had been going on over the incident. The head has no right to say that the pupils were never in danger or it did not happened at school."
"We, the parents, have put our trust in the school to safeguard our children from harm. This is a disgrace," added the mum of two.
Just 12 hours before the report appeared in the local Guardian, the school stated 'no pupil has ever been at risk' and asked pupils' families 'to support our school by giving no encouragement to the press in making more of this case than really exists'.
Parents say they have yet to receive an apology from the head over the situation.
Another concerned parent, speaking on behalf of 50 others, said: "The school is in total denial, some of this material was found on his school laptop, so they cannot be sure nothing happened at school. There has been no apology for potentially exposing our children to danger and this letter disowns any responsibility."
The Borough Council and the High School declined to comment.
GUARDIAN COMMENT OVER THE HEADTEACHER'S STATEMENT:
OUR report on the case has certainly attracted some attention.
But the letter from the school's head teacher is unacceptable.
He says it is "unwelcome" that the teacher's activities have come to light and supposes that the press will "try to make as much out of the case as possible".
This letter was sent to parents even before the Guardian reported on the case.
Parents have a right to know what has been going on.
The Guardian is a family newspaper and it would be unacceptable and "unwelcome" for us to go into detail about the nature of the pictures.
This is something all parents should know about and the school should understand that.
The school is not to blame for what the teacher did - but neither is the press and neither is the Guardian.
|
