Private school in the spotlight

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This article was published 15/04/2010 (5627 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The allegations surrounding an elite private school in Winnipeg are not what you’d expect from a storied institution at which boarding students pay up to $40,000 a year to attend.

According to reports emerging from the well-groomed campus in Fort Garry, senior male boarding students at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School forced younger schoolmates to the ground and held a stick up against their buttocks. Already, two students have left the school voluntarily after a disciplinary committee called for their expulsion.

Two other male students are serving suspensions in connection to the incidents, which are making headlines across the country.

Child and Family Services will be looking into the alleged incidents that may have included as many as 15 victims, and an investigation by the Winnipeg Police Service child abuse unit is already under way.

Stephen Johnson, head of St. John’s-Ravenscourt, said two Grade 12 students are no longer at the school after reports of abuse surfaced. Johnson said he could not comment on allegations boys were sexually assaulted with items like sticks, citing the ongoing police investigation.

"I have to stand back now and let (police) do their job, and not interfere, just support and do whatever they want us to do, and just hope that it will be done expeditiously," Johnson said.

"Everybody wants to know, especially the families of the kids affected in particular," he said.

Johnson said the alleged abuse happened during the fall term of the current school year.

He said he now must regain the trust of students and their families.

"Whatever happened was serious, they didn’t talk about it, and they didn’t talk about it for a long time, and that’s a problem," said Johnson. "In terms of whether the boys were fearful of retribution, whether there was a code of secrecy, whether they didn’t think adults would do anything, clearly something painful or awful was happening."

At least four male boarding students in grades eight, nine, 10 and 11 were victimized, he said.

Three alleged perpetrators are boarding students in Grade 12 and one is in Grade 11.

Johnson would not comment on reports from parents that as many as 15 students were victimized, or what allegedly happened to them.

"I think the challenge has been, with our board of governors and some of the parents who are big supporters of the school, or involved with our parents association, there’s a real tension between how much to talk about and how little to talk about," he said. "Some of the people are very experienced in the business world, or in public life, where they know the role of the press, they know the role of information, and they know the power of reputation.

"And it’s very difficult… to steer a middle course with the ultimate aim of protecting the kids and their families."

Johnson said CFS officials could be at the school as early as Friday.

"I’d like the police to wrap up their investigation tomorrow and say, ‘Here, this is it. Done.’ And we’ll say, ‘Fine, thank you.’ And we’ll use that as the basis for our further review, further study, further counselling support," Johnson said.

A four-day wait before school officials contacted police was not excessive, he said, adding the decision to involve officers was guided by a lawyer.

"I’ve erred on the side of being — I’m sure it will be perceived as very conservative in terms of information release — and that’s all been done with legal advice about, ‘You’ve got to protect the kids, you can’t defame a student who hasn’t been charged by virtue of a letter that suggests something, so don’t say that or else his lawyer’s going to be suing the school.’ So I can’t," Johnson said. "Nothing will be covered up."

Johnson said two of the boarding students will be finished their five-day suspensions today.

However, he said it’s unknown if those students will return to live in the dorms. Officials are awaiting the results of the police investigation before they make that decision, Johnson said.

"There’s a fair bit of concern among the boys… are they safe if these two guys come back," he said.

The school has about 50 boarding students. About 830 attend the school.

A letter sent to parents Wednesday said two students voluntarily withdrew from the school after the disciplinary committee recommended expulsion.

"We continue to provide counselling to our staff and students and review our procedures in house to make sure something like this never happens again," said the letter. Johnson said no parents have said they’re withdrawing their students from SJR yet in light of recent revelations about the abuse.

Johnson said one boy, who is 18, did not bring his parents to the disciplinary committee meeting. The other Grade 12 student brought his parents, who live outside Manitoba.

"(The parents) are stunned… they don’t know what to say," said Johnson.

"I said, ‘You’ve got to spend some time with your son now. He’s done some serious things.’"

Johnson said that indicates to him the evidence presented to the parents was "overwhelmingly compelling."

"Usually as a parent, you’re going to fight for your kid’s right to stay in the school," he said.

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca