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Missing Schoolgirl Megan Stammers.

(227 Posts)
dorsetpennt Wed 26-Sept-12 09:33:10

In the late 60's my then husband and I attended a dinner dance and met a school friend of his - we were in our early 20's. This chap had a History degree from Oxford and had taken a post-grad course in teaching. He was extremely lucky to get a post at a well known excellent London state school teaching history to 5th and 6th formers. He loved teaching but found the girls particularly difficult. Bearing in mind his age and that of the other teachers, he was their generation, enjoyed the same music, fashion etc. The girls were overtly sexual towards him, dropped off little love notes in his brief case, followed him home and knocked on his door, found out which pub he frequented etc etc. Unlike the teacher in Megan's case, he did not take up any offers and kept himself as aloof as possible.
We met him again a year later and by then he'd left the school and was teaching at an all boys grammer school and was much happier.
I'm not condoning Jeremy Forrest's behaviour, as an adult man in his 30's he should certainly know a lot better. Does he really think he can get away with this, that he won't be caught, that she isn't going to start to miss her mum and friends. She is only 15 years old for goodness sake. He will be on the sexual criminal register and will never be able to teach in this country again.
My point is that Megan may have behaved like the girls I talked about and he encouraged it [probably jokingly at first] and took it further.
With help she will get over this, in time realise what a creep he is and she will meet a decent boy nearer her age.
He on the other hand will have lost his job, his wife, probably most of his friends, no one will trust him near their young daughters, he has ruined his life. GOOD

FlicketyB Tue 02-Jul-13 21:33:26

A person in a position of a authority over a vulnerable person should not breach that trust by having a sexual relationship with someone in their care.

It doesn't matter whether they are a teacher, religious pastor, counsellor, therapist, doctor, or anyone else in that situation. Doctors get struck off pastors defrocked or whatever the appropriate word is. You do not do it and accept the consequences if you do. If the relationship is developing the person in the senior position should end their formal relationship with the object of their affections.

Time and time again we have these modern Juliets professing their undying love for their teacher, best friend's Dad, Turkish waiter or Egyptian bar man. I have yet to hear of one that doesn't end in years. Two years after the great romantic abduction/elopement. they are back home with Mum and Dad sadder and wiser and often with a child.