A Message from the new headmaster of St James

Discussion of the children's schools in the UK.
Parent

Postby Parent » Wed Nov 17, 2004 9:58 pm

Dear Katherine,

I might like to take up your very kind offer of discussing all that I have now read.

I would also like to see the two headmasters - Paul Moss and David Boddy!

As mentioned earlier, I stumbled upon this forum by abs. default and all that I have read has horrified me. I have now (painfully) shared this information with my dear wife.

As a parent who has nothing to do with the SES, it is very very distressing. I hope and pray that all the children that have suffered so much and are now pouring thier feelings out through this forum, get the justice and hearing that they deserve.

Parent

Postby Parent » Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:05 pm

Sorry I mis-spelt your name Katharine!

Katharine

Postby Katharine » Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:10 pm

Dear Parent,

I hope you will really take up my offer. I would be very pleased to meet you. Please just call the boys' school. If I'm teaching, leave your name and phone number and I'll get in touch as soon as I can. If you tell the receptionist it's about a conversation you want to have with me, I'll know it's you. (I get cold calls from people wanting to sell my department something.)

The same offer applies to anyone else who might want to talk things over with someone who is actually working at the school, by the way. (I feel fairly confident of not being swamped, judging by the response to invitations to come and visit the school - namely, zilch. It seems people aren't too interested in the truth after all. Or only the kind of truth they are determined to hear. Sorry, mustn't get too cynical.)

Katharine

Postby Katharine » Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:19 pm

TB wrote:Hi Katharine,

For the sake of the same people that are challenging your (and your husbands) integrity I sincerely hope you find the strength to hold your path.

I cannot speak for others on this forum, who might be silent on this, but I watch and will you to succeed and not become disillusioned. Good luck


Thank you, TB, for these encouraging words.

nonanon

Postby nonanon » Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:23 pm

Katharine wrote:

"Anyone who has bothered to read this website properly will know that I have from the beginning unfailingly supported those who have suffered abuse."

Don't delude yourself. While claiming to be a neutral, caring observer of our claims, you have infact repeatedly shown yourself for what you are: a stooge for Boddy in his attempts to cover up the truth and push our claims aside.

Time after time you unwittingly show your true postion, most recently when you compared the use of abusive language used by victims of child abuse in recalling and discussing their brutal experiences with the abuse itself. In using such language, are we not much better than the abusers, you asked. Do you really believe that abusive language on an internet board is comparable to sadistic child abuse? Do you think you will be emotionally scarred for life as a result of reading abusive language on an internet board? Will you still have nightmares and periods of deep turmoil and depression in twenty years time as a result of the language?

No, the two are not comparable at all. But it is so telling that you think they are. What a hideous, ignorant and grossly insensitive comparison that was that you made. And one that could only be made by someone with, however much she claims to the contrary, no concern for us but heaps of concern for St James, a school that still happily employs some of the teachers whose actions you claim to be so appalled by.

Indeed, you laughably claim that "everyone" there is appalled by the allegations. Don't be so silly. Some of the current teachers are the very people the most serious allegations are made against! And these sorts of allegations have been around for over 20 years in the public domain in a series of newspaper investigations and in a book. (And in a shortly forthcoming magazine article.)

You are just Boddy's stooge in his attempt to cover up the past abuse. As such, you are part of that chain of abuse that started two decades ago. You are backing it up, however much you claim (and quite possibly actually believe) that you are not.

You should realise that we are talking about child abuse here. Sadistic, intentional child abuse. Get real about it and get real about your own part in the chain.

To current parents reading this. I would suggest you ask Boddy a few questions:

* In the 1980s the book Secret Cult and a series of articles in the Daily Telegraph and the Evening Standard by award-winning journalists exposed serious abuse at St James school. So why did Boddy defend the school then? And why did he allow his own son to stay in the school?

* Why does he continue to entrust the care of innocent children to two of the teachers against who serious allegations of abuse have been made by a series of former pupils?

* Has he asked former head Nicholas Debenham to explain why Dr Charles Guttman suddenly left the school in the late 1980s?

You may, current parents, also like to ask yourselves whether you really want to entrust your childrens' care to a man like Boddy.

Parent

Postby Parent » Wed Nov 17, 2004 10:43 pm

Nonanon,

As a current parent, rest assured - I am reading very carefully!

Another Parent

Postby Another Parent » Wed Nov 17, 2004 11:23 pm

The following teachers are in contact with my child:

Knox, Peter Sawicki, Paul Moss, Bedford, Frances Lacey, LucyStory, Weigel, Jessop and Derek Saunders. They all seem dedicated, kind and honest.

Does anyone of you know them?

I will be speaking to the parent earlier on this post too. More of us are now logging on and will keep a very close eye on proceedings.

Has anyone gone to the Police? The allegations I have read here are very serious and require professional advice and counselling too.

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Postby a different guest » Wed Nov 17, 2004 11:28 pm

Has anyone gone to the Police? The allegations I have read here are very serious and require professional advice and counselling too.


Good question "another parent" - I suggested ages ago that they should just sue the buggers. Surely a court of law would be more impartial than any "internal enquiry".

Katherine - I am sorry you are copping some abuse - but that IS the nature of the net as well. And you are the only "face" from the school that is talking on these boards.

I have another question for you - you say you are not SES - but is your husband?

sparkss

Postby sparkss » Wed Nov 17, 2004 11:40 pm

Katharine,

Although I regret it, I'm not surprised that you have been on the receiving end of some hostile posts recently. As survivors of abuse we have dealt with our experiences in different ways. Perhaps the common element is anger, real anger at what happened. We were violated by adults who damaged us when we were children, vulnerable and unable to protect ourselves, and who then (comfortable in their smug self-righteousness) left us to pick up the pieces.

As you are an advocate for the schools - and virtually the only one on this board - its understandable some anger is being directed at you.

Personally, I find myself (amazingly) agreeing in part with TB's post and don't in any way support attacks on your integrity. I believe you are genuine in what you say in your postings and am grateful for your response to some of those who have posted accounts of their traumatic experiences. However I believe you are misguided and, in respect to SES, just a little naive - but that's just my opinion, something I am entitled to hold (something which as children we would be beaten for) .

So please don't fall into the bad old St James practice of judging, dismissing and labelling.

TB

Postby TB » Thu Nov 18, 2004 10:25 am

Hi sparkss,
I find myself (amazingly) agreeing in part with TB's post

You are too hard on yourself, I bet you agreed with the whole thing.

Another Parent

Postby Another Parent » Thu Nov 18, 2004 2:09 pm

Will current parents be notified on the findings and results of this enquiry? Whom do we contact?

Katharine

Nonanon's views

Postby Katharine » Thu Nov 18, 2004 3:33 pm

Nonanon may believe what he likes. However, I have no interest in trading insults, and can see no point in taking part in further dialogue with people who simply attack from behind the cowardly shield of anonymity.

To those of you whom I have in a way got to know and respect through this board, I wish you all good luck in your efforts to obtain redress for past wrongs, and - I sincerely hope - the final reconciliation which will allow you to move on with your lives. I hope you can understand that, given the recent responses to my posts, I no longer feel there is anything useful I can contribute here.

One final thought. If you have a complaint against the school, how about writing to the Chairman of the Board of Governors, who is not, as it happens, a member of SES? The ironic fact is, no-one has ever actually complained to the school or the governors? Just a thought.

Best wishes. I kind of got to love you all - the ones with names, anyway.

Over and out.

Katharine

nonanon

Postby nonanon » Thu Nov 18, 2004 4:11 pm

"can see no point in taking part in further dialogue with people who simply attack from behind the cowardly shield of anonymity."

Again, she doesn't understand or sympathise at all about why victims of child abuse may wish to remain anonymous in recounting the experiences that scarred them for life.

And her supposed dislike of "cowardly" people doesn't stop her from working alongside cowardly child abusers from the old days. Nor does it stop her defending them.

Interesting that as soon as her real motives and position were revealed, she chose to run and hide.

nonanon

Postby nonanon » Thu Nov 18, 2004 4:15 pm

and on the police question, that's a good point. I am taking legal advice about where I stand. until it distances itself publicly from the past and removes all teachers from the past, st james will pay for its history. big time. we must give current parents the truth.

Guest

Postby Guest » Thu Nov 18, 2004 10:36 pm

TB wrote:Hi sparkss,
I find myself (amazingly) agreeing in part with TB's post

You are too hard on yourself, I bet you agreed with the whole thing.


TB

I used to find your posts intensly irritation - with all that unnecessary verbage and complete lack of ablility to stick to a thread. Now I just ignore them. I read and am responding to your post now because it was just 1 line.

Well done - see if you can keep it up!!

...and no I didnt agree with the whole thing.


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