Claims Sex Complaints Were Ignored by School Principal

The News.com.au
December 9, 2012

www.news.com.au/national/claims-sex-complaints-were-ignored/story-fndo4cq1-1226532829904

POLICE have launched an investigation into the handling of complaints by a former school principal, who is still a senior teacher, of child sexual abuse for almost three decades.

The investigation comes after concerns were raised with the Victorian Institute of Teaching about Jewish communal leader and former Yeshivah College principal Rabbi Abraham Glick.

While Rabbi Glick is not accused of any sexual misconduct, it has been alleged he failed to handle complaints appropriately.

The former Yeshivah College principal still holds one of the most senior positions at the school despite being publicly accused of failing to report numerous alleged incidents of sexual abuse to authorities while in charge between 1986 and 2007.

The complaints relate to at least three alleged offenders and are believed to include allegations of child rape.

Rabbi Glick was in charge of the school when Rabbi David Kramer was hurriedly shipped to the US after complaints were made by parents alleging serious sexual misconduct in the early 1990s.

Kramer was extradited to Melbourne a week ago to face a string of charges involving four victims. He has been remanded in custody pending a trial.

Despite the police probe, Rabbi Glick was still working as the head of Jewish studies at the college last week.

Rabbi Glick also is the head of the council that presides over the religious ethos of the Yeshivah Centre, which is at the centre of the child sexual abuse allegations in Australia's Jewish community.

The new Victoria Police investigation into Rabbi Glick has renewed calls for him to be stood down and his teaching licence suspended pending the outcome.

At least one Yeshivah College teacher is believed to have made a statement to police, alleging he first told Rabbi Glick of abuse allegations in the early 1990s.

An alleged perpetrator has since been charged with offences involving 12 victims.

One victim said he complained to Rabbi Glick about being raped in the early '90s but nothing was done.

Another former teacher, who was at the college in the 1980s, has told the Herald Sun that Rabbi Glick told him he "didn't want to kick anyone out" of the college.

"His attitude was you have to give (the alleged perpetrator) a chance." the former teacher said.