HOME | IMC UK | Editorial Guidelines | Mission Statement | About Us | Contact | Help | Support Us

Oxford Indymedia

Accusations of Student Abuse

annon | 05.12.2011 18:06 | Analysis | Policing | Liverpool | Oxford

Child Pornography Cover-up at Oxford & Cherwell Valley College

Sally Dicketts - Head Of Oxford & Cherwell Valley School

Nestled in David Cameron’s Conservative heartland, this leading college, states that it is the largest provider of further education training in Oxfordshire. According to the web page of college Principal and Chief Executive Sally Dicketts “We pride ourselves on the fact that we have something for everyone, we are all members of a vibrant and diverse community, and we are passionate about helping each individual to achieve their potential.”

Despite this welcoming accolade, former pupils and members of staff accuse Oxford & Cherwell Valley College management of collaborating in a calculated cover-up of a series of perverted and unpleasant activities in the college which started to manifest around 2007.

Allegations suggest that aside from sexual assaults on girls, students were encouraged to drink alcohol in classrooms and were shown pornographic material on college computers - in some cases on the private mobile phones of staff, including images involving children. Boys and girls also suffered bullying at the hands of staff, and those who attempted to warn senior managers of the horrendous activities, were reportedly warned off or pressurised to keep quiet.

Repeated complaints by staff and students did eventually force an investigation, but those present at the college at the time claim that the investigation led by Mr Ray Tregear, was biased so as to protect the college and cover-up the abuses.

Informers also claim that although Thames Valley Police did make some enquiries into abuse and pornography allegations these were low key, incompetent and involved officers working outside normal codes of conduct. Most surprising is that police did not impound computers for detailed forensic examination.

In February 2010 the Oxford Mail newspaper revealed that a Lecturer from the college had been suspended from his employment following complaints that he was showing pornography to pupils. Sources stated that he was later dismissed. It is alleged that this was most likely under a so called voluntary compromise agreement and gagging order. It is also understood that the college has spent some £233,000 on similar compromise agreements since January 2010.

The UK Column has recently learned that OCVC suddenly replaced some 200 computers in July 2010 after the accusations of abuses refused to die down. A local Oxford IT supplier apparently decommissioned the old machines including wiping hard drives.

Oxford and Cherwell Valley College Head Sally Dicketts and Thames Valley Police Chief Constable Sara Thornton are both connected with the Women’s Leadership Network and political charity Common Purpose.

annon

Download this article in pdf format >>

Email this article to someone >>

Submit an addition or make a quick comment on this article >>

Comments

Display the following comment

  1. not the only cover up of assault — victim
Publish your news

Kollektives

Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
World

Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland

Oxford Topics

Afghanistan
Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-Nuclear
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Policing
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista

IMCs


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv

Africa
ambazonia
canarias
estrecho / madiaq
kenya
south africa

Canada
london, ontario
maritimes
ottawa
quebec
victoria

East Asia
japan
qc
saint-petersburg

Europe
abruzzo
alacant
antwerpen
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
bristol
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
euskal herria
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
london
madrid
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
nice
northern england
norway
oost-vlaanderen
paris/île-de-france
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
ukraine
united kingdom

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
melbourne
qc
sydney

South Asia
india

United States
arizona
atlanta
austin
baltimore
big muddy
binghamton
boston
buffalo
charlottesville
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
la
madison
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new mexico
new orleans
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
seattle
united states
urbana-champaign
western mass

West Asia
beirut
israel
palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech