School under fire after it failed to tell parents a teacher was convicted for child molestation.
Mum who found out via Twitter that a paedophile teacher had been working at her daughter’s school says she may never send her back, reports Courier Mail.
The mother, who does not wish to be named, says she found out about the allegations made by Senator Hinch on Twitter.
Redlands College has come under fire after it failed to tell parents and students that the recently resigned teacher had been convicted for child molestation.
In an explosive speech in the Senate last night, Derryn Hinch revealed Redlands College, Brisbane, failed to notify parents that a Year 2 teacher, who resigned at the end of term 3 last year, had been found guilty of indecent treatment of a child under the age of 16.
A Brisbane mother told AAP today: “I never, ever expected to find out via Twitter that there had been a teacher at that school that had abused a child – that’s not OK.
“I just couldn’t believe it, we were just in shock.”
Based on the information provided by Senator Hinch, the mother said she’s disgusted with Redlands College, which educates children from prep to year 12.
“They just completely swept it under the rug and just negated what’s happened,” the mother said.
Senator Hinch said the school community remained in the dark as to why the teacher had unexpectedly tendered his resignation.
“When a concerned parent wrote to the school principal to confirm the story – and to question whether there had been a cover-up – he received a series of letters from the school board chairman,” Senator Hinch said.
“Surely, if a teacher is charged and convicted and jailed for the prolonged sexual abuse of a student, the school has a duty to inform parents who that teacher is … And maybe alert them in case there were other victims.”
The Courier-Mail understands the charges related to a teenage student who had been groomed at a church Sunday school and that none of the abuse occurred on Redlands College grounds.
Redlands College principal Mark Bensley last night defended the decision to keep the school community in the dark about the conviction.
“Throughout the investigation and after the trial, we were specifically directed by police not to make any public statements or to notify the college community in order to protect the victim,” Mr Bensley said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the student. From the moment we learnt of these allegations, we provided the student and the family with ongoing support and counselling.”
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