ST. LUCIA’S education code may have been violated following reports over the past few days of teacher/student sexual relations.
The reports, which are being uncontested by education authorities, have been widespread and identify a secondary school principal as being the individual in that particular situation.
There has been no official word that such an act/s took place between the principal and students under his charge. However, Education Minister, Dr. Gale Rigobert confirmed that authorities are looking into the allegations.
A terse “investigations are ongoing” came from the Teaching Service Commission yesterday when asked about the allegations.
Meanwhile, the Royal St. Lucia Police Force says that it has yet to receive a complaint from anyone in respect of the allegations of inappropriate behaviour between the principal and student/s.
According to the allegations circulating, the principal in question had been involved in inappropriate text messaging with students as well as sexual acts.
It is unclear where investigations into this matter may lead seeing that a report has yet to be made to the police, without which they could do nothing.
The Education Act does not specifically deal with teacher/student sexual abuse cases, particularly if that abused student is 16 years old of age, which, in law is the age of sexual consent.
Perhaps the closest the Education Act comes to that is under the section ‘Duties of Teachers’ in which it states that the teacher must report to the principal and to the proper government official responsible for child welfare that a student is in need of protection when there are reasonable grounds to believe that the child is in need of protection as defined under any legislation enacted by Parliament.
But what if the child/student is in need of protection from the principal?
The government’s Education Sector Development Plan for 2015 – 2020 speaks of revising the Education Act to reflect a number of things; however it does not indicate whether it will look at inappropriate conduct between principals and students 16 years and older.
The Criminal Code, however, deals with the matter if the student is below age 16 and speaks of 15 years as penalty for carnal knowledge.
Regardless of whether the child was of legal age to have fellatio with the sad Principal, there is a basic ethical and professional boundary which was crossed. The particular texts and messages are being prepared to be leaked to the public if something is not done very soon. Early retirement is not an option and transfer to the adult education unit is also not an option. This guy should be fired and his firing should be reflected on his professional record. Lastly a calypso about being stuck on the moon after being a predator to young women under one’s care should be written forthwith and played on the radio throughout the length and breadth of St. Lucia.