Monday, September 7, 2009

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School sex abuse allegations overshadow low GPA By JASMIN BONIMY ~ Guardian Staff Reporter ~ jasmin@nasguard.com: A dismal national grade point average and overcrowding at some public schools were overshadowed this year by various cases of reported sexual molestation that have rocked the education system. Over the past eight months, allegations of sexual misconduct involving teachers and students have repeatedly surfaced, sparking numerous investigations at some school campuses in the country. The most recent allegation became public on Monday after it was revealed that a 16-year-old male student at C.C. Sweeting Senior High School alleged that he was sexually assaulted by a male teacher at that institution. That teacher was released from police custody after he was taken in for questioning last week in connection with molestation allegations, according to police. Yesterday, Central Detective Unit (CDU) commanding officer Superintendent Elsworth Moss said investigators will determine sometime today if or when charges would be filed against the teacher. As thousands of students continue into their first week of classes, police said they are still actively investigating several other highly publicized cases of alleged sexual misconduct in local schools. In March, the arrest of a former Eight Mile Rock High School teacher accused of molesting a former student at the school focused the national spotlight on instances of child sexual abuse at public schools. Andrea Birbal, a 47-year-old Trinidad native, left The Bahamas for the United States earlier this year reportedly after police questioned him. He was later arrested in New York on May 3 in relation to a traffic violation, authorities said. Allegations have been made by a former male EMR student that Birbal had repeatedly molested him since he was in the seventh grade. He graduated in June 2007. Birbal is said to be fighting extradition to The Bahamas, where he will face charges. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said there were as many as 15 public school teachers against whom allegations of sexual abuse were being investigated. A parliamentary select committee was formed in April to investigate allegations of sexual abuse at public schools. Last month, yet another Grand Bahama teacher was arrested after being accused of molesting a minor. In mid-August, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Marvin Dames confirmed that a Jack Hayward High School teacher was taken into custody after being accused of assaulting a 12-year-old girl. But Dames made it clear that the girl was not a student at that school. Allegations of sexual misconduct have also been made against at least one teacher in the private sector. In mid-May police confirmed that they were investigating a sexual complaint made against a male teacher at the Church of God Academy on Joe Farrington Road. At the time police said the complaint was made by a female high school student. While charges have not been filed in any of the cases, police said the bulk of the information obtained during their investigations have been turned over to the attorney general's office. Despite the recent allegations, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Elma Garraway stressed on Monday that students are safe in schools and there are thousands of teachers who do their utmost to ensure that children are protected within the public school system. Wednesday, September 2, 2009