BishopAccountability.org
	Cops Never Contacted about Abuse By David Nesseth Standard-Freeholder January 29, 2009 http://www.standard-freeholder.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1409811 A retired superintendent of education for the Prescott and Russell Separate School Board said he and his staff never contacted police after sexual abuse allegations surfaced against a teacher at La Citadelle Catholic Secondary School in 1976. Jean-Paul Scott, who served as the school board's superintendent from 1972 to 1980, passed on the voluntary resignation of teacher Robert Sabourin to the school board, but said he didn't include to the board the allegation or circumstances surrounding Sabourin's sudden departure. "Is this now a trial for me, or what?" Scott asked Inquiry commissioner Normand Glaude while he was questioned by a lawyer at the Cornwall Public Inquiry Wednesday. Glaude responded that Scott would have to face some tough questions in the witness box. Several lawyers questioned Scott about why he didn't take the sexual abuse allegation to police or the Children Aid's Society (CAS). The educator of 37 years said he didn't feel he had the proper evidence. He said verbal statements wouldn't have held up in court. "We were on shaky grounds," Scott said. "We had no evidence as such. It was mostly hearsay." Juda Strawczynski, lawyer on behalf of the Citizens for Community Renewal, asked why Scott felt he was in a position to make decisions about evidence or lack thereof. He asked why that determination wasn't left to the police. "But neither you nor Ms. Seguin are trained investigators, right?" Strawczynski asked. Scott agreed. High school Principal Jeannine Seguin had learned of the abuse allegation through Sabourin's wife, who claimed she had been presented with questionable photographs found by her son. Sabourin's wife allegedly ripped up the photos. Scott testified that nobody followed up with Sabourin's wife or son to identify potential victims. Scott said the school board, who hired Sabourin in 1967, didn't seek legal advice about how it should proceed with the allegation. Scott also launched no internal investigation into the allegation. He also said he was unsure whether the board's director of education had been informed about the allegations that Sabourin, who taught photography, French and drama, had been abusing students in special rooms he'd requested, at least one of which was intended for use as a darkroom for photograph development. Sabourin claimed to be the personal photographer for the Bishop of the day.
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