Catholic Educators Sacked, The Chronicle, December 10, 2009

Catholic Educators Sacked

The Chronicle
December 10, 2009

http://www.thechronicle.com.au/story/2009/12/10/catholic-educators-sacked/

Bishop William Morris announces the sacking of the principal and two Catholic Education officials over a sex abuse scandal at a Toowoomba Catholic primary school.

THE Toowoomba Catholic primary school principal and two Catholic Education Office superiors at the heart of a child sex abuse scandal were sacked this morning.

Bishop William Morris announced he had terminated the employment of the principal and managers Christopher Fry and Ian Hunter during a meeting with the trio in his office.

Bishop Morris said he conducted a further review after the principal’s not guilty verdict was handed down in the Toowoomba Magistrates Court on December 1.

“The principal’s admission during the hearing that he suspected sexual abuse came as a great shock to me,” Bishop Morris said.

“While the principal reported the information to the Senior Education Officers (Christopher Fry and Ian Hunter), I do not consider, in light of his suspicion of sexual abuse, that he fulfilled his duty.

“His actions show a clear lack of understanding of the expected level of behaviour of a principal in whom I reposed a high level of trust.

“Despite his suspicion of sexual abuse, the principal did not remove the teacher from his position as one of the school’s two Student Protection contacts.

“Unfortunately, I cannot reverse what has happened. However, I am committed to doing everything in my power to ensure events such as these never happen again.”