While the Police are yet to make substantial headway in their investigation into the alleged sexual misconduct of Bishops’ High School teacher Coen Jackson, the Old Students’ Association is expressing concerns over the lack of compassion of the current student body.
Embattled teacher: Coen Jackson
The Bishops’ High School Old Students’ Association (BHSOSA) held an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday to address the issue and its impact on the current student body.
At the meeting, three male students addressed the gathering and during their address, they were mainly concerned about law, logic and due process, but wanted little or nothing to do with the emotional aspect of addressing the issue. This caused some of the past students to register their concern over the lack of compassion for the survivors that may be in the midst of the current student body.
The BHSOSA also noted that the teachers in the school were in crisis and there was a lack of leadership to help manage the grieving process. The body is also working on a counselling/education plan for the students and teachers of the institution.
Additionally, the students at the BHS are reporting that they are being harassed on the road resulting in at least one physical encounter.
The BHSOSA, at the meeting, also chastised the School Board for not making a statement to condemn the violence and to identify a way forward to ensure such an issue did not reoccur.
Jackson is being accused of abusing his position of trust as a teacher when he began grooming female students for sexual activities after they would have attained the age of 16 – the legal age of consent. Jackson has vehemently denied the accusations, but did admit to having sexual relations with two former students who are both in their early 20s.
One of the victims related that Head Teacher Winifred Ellis was aware of her teacher’s predatory behavior, but did nothing to address it. Sources close to the institution related that the Head Teacher was expected to proceed on leave this week. There were protests calling for Ellis to be removed from the school after she berated female students for not defending Jackson after the allegations were first aired.
