In the wake of two high-profile cases involving teachers in eastern Ontario accused of sexual crimes against students — one charged, the other convicted — parents and other advocates are calling for better oversight to protect children, including an independent body to investigate complaints.
Rick Despatie of Ottawa, also known as Rick Watkins, is awaiting trial on nine counts of sexual offences against children, while another teacher, Jeff Peters, is serving a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence for two sex-related convictions involving his former students at a high school in Perth, Ont.
Though unrelated, in both cases multiple former students and their parents told CBC News they had complained to school administrators years before any charges were laid.
CBC isn't aware of any reprimands stemming from those earlier complaints, and parents worry their concerns were dismissed or ignored.
Part of the issue lies with school principals, who aren't always objective when it comes to investigating their own teachers, according to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. (more...)
Independent body needed to investigate teachers: Canadian Centre for Child Protection
No comments:
Post a Comment