[SylviaPlath]

I came across this article in the Australian (dated 9th Janaury).

You can read the full article here: Rape secrecy 'puts children at risk'

This topic is very close to home for me, I am surprised by my own reaction, as I am of the view that the convicted should be allowed to attend school (provided that he is monitored the entire time he is there) and that his identity (and therefore past) should not be revealed to students of parents in the school.

I am curious to know what others think. What would you do if your child was at this school?

PARENTS will not be told that an 11-year-old boy was raped at a regional South Australian school, as the mother of the victim says children are being put at risk by the government's continued silence.

The now-convicted rapist, who was an older student, has been transferred to a new school, but teachers and parents have not been told of his conviction.

The mother of the primary school student, whose attacker was convicted of rape and given a suspended sentence in 2011, was shocked to learn late last year that parents and staff at the school where the assault occurred remained in the dark.

This is despite the state government vowing to ensure transparency with school communities in instances of serious sexual assaults following an audit, which resulted in three schools being belatedly advised of serious assaults.

The revelation is the latest twist in the scandal engulfing the state Labor government over its handling of sex abuse cases in public schools, which is the subject of an inquiry with royal commission powers.

In an email dated December 19, 2012, and obtained by The Australian, the education department's director of regional programs Anne Kibble advises the boy's mother that the school community would not be told of the incident because it involved a student-on-student assault.

"(His) case is not one that is being considered for informing the community, the media accounts are referring to cases of adult to child incidents," the email said.

The mother said parents should be alarmed by the government's decision and warns that students are at risk.

"How would parents feel knowing that their son or daughter is sitting next to a convicted rapist in a school and not being told about it?" she said.

"How are teachers going to keep an eye on him?"

The mother also said she was concerned that there may be other victims at the school where her son was raped who were yet to come forward.

[SylviaPlath]

Also, in another article I found, it referred to the convicted student/rapist was aged 13 at the time of the incident.

[skylark]

I am unable to have any kind of reasoned rational response, I cannot imagine how the parents of the child who was assaulted must feel knowing the risk is there for other children.

[howdo]

I think it's fair enough that this child's privacy is maintained. Schooling for him will be well monitored. I can't say any more than that, however.

[Jemstar]

Teaching staff wouldn't know because the perpetrator is also a child. He or she would have the right to suppression of identity, just as any other juvenile offender would. It is a very tough situation though, it would perhaps be pertinent for at least the administration of the school to be told, possibly they have been. There would be some sort of policy in place, but the department would be playing their cards close to their chest, the media is probably not that reliable in terms of what the real situation is. I have had occasion to teach juvenile offenders, but I have never been told what their offence(s) was, nor am I allowed to ask. Sometimes you do find out. I personally prefer not to know, knowing can sometimes make it difficult to teach them.

I have also taught adult prisoners, and while their crimes are not shared with you, you tend to find out what they are convicted of, sometimes you already know because they have been in the media. It is very difficult to put your feelings aside when you are teaching someone who murdered their wife and children, I really do prefer not to know.

This post has been edited by Jemstar: 24/01/2013, 09:29 PM

[FluffyOscar]

Schooling for him will be well monitored.

But staff at the school are not aware of his history.

A 13yo convicted rapist at my daughters' school? They would be starting elsewhere tomorrow. I don't care how that sounds.

[Jemstar]

Just because teaching staff are not aware it does of mean that there aren't procedures and policy in place. There could be a school police liaison, there could be school psychologist. We don't know the full situation.

And you wouldn't know if there are convicted juvenile offended at your daughter's school.

This post has been edited by Jemstar: 24/01/2013, 09:36 PM

[howdo]

As I said I can't say anything else such as the way in which he would be monitored. I can only say that he would be. I work in this system FluffyOscar. It's not for me to say exactly what steps, protocols and measures would have been taken.

[RealityBites]

I am usually liberal to a fault but I wouldn't be in this case. He should not be around children.

[FluffyOscar]

I find that very distressing considering an adult with the same conviction would not be allowed anywhere near the school.