Something terrible happened during the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA). It’s something the Department of Education (DepEd) should deal with quickly and decisively if only to deter similar abuse in the future.
An 11-year-old athlete complained of being molested by his Physical Education (PE) teacher one evening at the Asturias Elementary School where athletes were housed for the sports competition staged in Balamban town.
He wasn’t just groped in the dark.
The boy said the teacher took him aside in a room and made him perform a sexual act. To hide his deed, the teacher allegedly gave him P100 and warned him to shut up.
Talisay City Mayor Johnny V. delos Reyes, who was supposed to visit Asturias town presumably to meet with the student athletes, canceled his trip.
He called for the removal of the teacher from service. We can see why the mayor was doubly upset. The complaint was the second black eye Talisay City received following the shooting of three foreigners in a McDonald’s outlet.
Charges of child abuse have been filed against the P.E. teache, who has been lying low. He sent word that he would take a leave of absence.
For his sake, the teacher should step up and face the music. It’s either that or remain a fugitive.
Sensitive stories like this involving minors and public school teachers, whose standing in the community should ideally be protected, prompt the media to withhold their names.
It’s enough to report that harmful and perverted actions are allegedly taking place and that the perpetrator is suspected to be one with influence and even control over children.
The student didn’t let misplaced shame overcome his sense of outrage.
He managed to tell it to friends and a coach, who acted quickly and made sure the complaint reached the Asturias police.
It falls on the school environment to provide the support and respond quickly when situations of abuse appear.
CVRAA organizers which includes the Department of Education would do well to brief young athletes to be mindful of these possible dangers, and show them how to reject any sexual overtures from elders and then, instead of nursing the shame in private, report the offense – if only to stop a predator from moving to the next young victim.
What else can be done to prevent similar incidents from taking place in the future.
These twisted behaviours have no place in the wholesome pursuit of youth sports.
As Talisay City Councilor Richard Francis Aznar said in his privilege speech, teachers should act as role models and second parents to their students and not be their abusers and tormentors.
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