"Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

This section was setup in August 2018 in order to move the existing related discussions from other sections into this new section to group them together, and separate from the other CH-related topics.

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coliemore
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"Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by coliemore »

Building on the Way Ahead proposed by Foureyes for a "Truth & Reconciliation" inquiry via Council, a "Petition 2018" could be now launched to Council by a small group of London-based Old Blues (including perhaps senior legal, educational, psychology professionals) on the model of the successful "Petition 1552" of 2015.
Avon
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by Avon »

Focus on getting 1552 right. This isn’t your expertise, or era.
yamaha
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by yamaha »

I think this would do more harm than good.
It would attract negative attention from those who seek to harm CH and similar schools.
It would prejudice the school's civil litigation.
The school are too sensible to get involved.
In short, it is a truly daft idea.
coliemore
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by coliemore »

Petition 2018 is simply a suggestion for others to consider and perhaps progress based on the idea of Foureyes..
yamaha
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by yamaha »

Sorry ... for the avoidance of doubt, I was of course referring to the idea of there being a T&R inquiry.
Last edited by yamaha on Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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jtaylor
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by jtaylor »

I would suggest that, whilst there are still ongoing police investigations, a further recent charge, and the school/council I guess are already engaged with the police and the local authority, the last thing they need is another petition AT THIS POINT distracting them from dealing with the contact from Old Blues, and working with the police.
I agree with the concept of an inquiry/full investigation of some sort, and definitely want the truth, and the whole truth, to come out about what staff at CH were up to - but we need to let the authorities do their thing for now, support the victims however we can, and we all need to provide any and all information we may have to the police to act on as they see fit, and then see what comes out of that.
I would suggest that it's premature to be "rallying the troops" at this point - particularly with victims still coming forward, and as others suggest potentially much more information coming out. Listening to James O'Brien on LBC today, he was talking about Ampleforth College's recent convictions (he was a pupil there) - he was saying that a number of the ex-pupils received phone calls from the police to ask for information, so who knows what else might be to come in the future as the police investigation continues.

Badging this as similar to the 1552 petition feels inappropriate - it is wholly different, and we need patience and empathy for victims which have come forward, and may come forward, before getting too energetic in feeling like we're doing things, or co-opting others into action.

So Watch and Wait would be my view for now - let's see what the police do. Premature to do anything else at this point?
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Avon
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by Avon »

jtaylor wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:31 pm So Watch and Wait would be my view for now - let's see what the police do. Premature to do anything else at this point?
I think that this is sound counsel. However, I think that we should set the expectation that an independent enquiry is demanded when the time comes.
yamaha
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by yamaha »

If you want something good to come out of this, then campaign to make misprision of child abuse a serious crime with severe penalties. You could call it the Paulton/Cairncross Law.
Last edited by yamaha on Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
coliemore
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by coliemore »

Many thanks, Julian. Hoping others will weigh in just as thoughtfully to further the debate - especially Katharine & Foureyes. The ITV report regarding the interview with Simon Reid is encouraging. We all want CH to come out of all this - and the whole Reid Era - stronger, and even more committed to the charitable ethos and to unimpeachable child protection. The key is indeed an Independent Inquiry as Avon writes.
yamaha
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by yamaha »

The best thing Reid could do is send a memo to all the staff telling them there will never be another cover up and that the police will be brought in at the earliest stage of every incident without the school making a judgement of that incident's severity.
Scazza
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by Scazza »

jtaylor wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:31 pm I would suggest that, whilst there are still ongoing police investigations, a further recent charge, and the school/council I guess are already engaged with the police and the local authority, the last thing they need is another petition AT THIS POINT distracting them from dealing with the contact from Old Blues, and working with the police.
I agree with the concept of an inquiry/full investigation of some sort, and definitely want the truth, and the whole truth, to come out about what staff at CH were up to - but we need to let the authorities do their thing for now, support the victims however we can, and we all need to provide any and all information we may have to the police to act on as they see fit, and then see what comes out of that.
I would suggest that it's premature to be "rallying the troops" at this point - particularly with victims still coming forward, and as others suggest potentially much more information coming out. Listening to James O'Brien on LBC today, he was talking about Ampleforth College's recent convictions (he was a pupil there) - he was saying that a number of the ex-pupils received phone calls from the police to ask for information, so who knows what else might be to come in the future as the police investigation continues.

Badging this as similar to the 1552 petition feels inappropriate - it is wholly different, and we need patience and empathy for victims which have come forward, and may come forward, before getting too energetic in feeling like we're doing things, or co-opting others into action.

So Watch and Wait would be my view for now - let's see what the police do. Premature to do anything else at this point?
Well said, sir. I am impatient for answers and want to get them but more time is required by the police. When they confirm enquiries are complete, we can move forward.

Imo it would help in the more immediate interim to put together a brief letter with multiple signatories to explain the strength of feeling from old pupils (+parents whos trust was breached when they sent us!) our concerns and future expectations for openness. We don't want to make a fuss and distract from the important stuff.

In terms of future process, I'd be massively grateful for explanations of 1552 etc!

A sound internal process is a fallback but imo we need a view on how this dovetails with the IICSA work on boarding schools. Its naive to think CH won't be near the front of the queue in their enquiries given the proximity in time and with the CoE hearings.

More importantly the IICSA have process, clout and resource to deal with institutional cases like this.
They can call Poulten et al. although perhaps pending civil litigation might complicate that. Imo litigation will not equate to truth finding and openness but fair play to any victims seeking reparations, if money ever can make good.

The IICSA would be embarrassing but brief, maximum exposure to find the truth and we all move on, the school united with the OBs once again.
coliemore
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by coliemore »

All details of Petition 1552 are on the thread here "Is n FFP of 26% too high...".
yamaha
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by yamaha »

Truth and reconciliation is a process between the victims and their oppressors.
The only party that will engage with the victims in reconciliation is the school.
It is unlikely that any of the perpetrators will cooperate - in any case they are being punished and will not be granted amnesty for their confessions as a means of getting to the truth, which was the purpose of Nelson M's T&R process in SA
I am confident that Reid will do everything he can to help the victims find closure.
Those of us who are not victims of these crimes already know enough from the trials.
People should trust Reid to handle the aftermath and stop flaunting their virtuosness with petitions for T&R inquiries.
Last edited by yamaha on Thu Jul 19, 2018 2:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
richardb
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by richardb »

I think we would all have to recognise that the overall issue of child protection has moved on since the days when Karim/Husband/Dobbie. The procedures now effectively forced on the school should ensure the safety of the pupils and that past mistakes are not repeated.

I have two aims that I would like to achieve.

First off I would like to see those who have been abused suitably compensated without protracted legal proceedings and on a no fault basis. Instead of spending money on legal costs, put it towards compensation.

Secondly whatever inquiry there is now will not put right what went wrong. I would the school to confirm whether Burr, Webb, Husband and Karim left the school (whether jumped or pushed) because of matters which formed charges in the proceedings against them. And if that was the case, an acknowledgement that the school was wrong.
coliemore
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Re: "Petition 2018" to Council for a "Truth & Reconciliation Inquiry"

Post by coliemore »

"First off I would like to see those who have been abused suitably compensated without protracted legal proceedings and on a no fault basis. Instead of spending money on legal costs, put it towards compensation".

I strongly support this recommendation. Some of the victims have suffered especially horribly - and have been immensely courageous.
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