Hong Kong EFL Teacher Quits Job: Parent finds Website Accusation
A Hong Kong EFL teacher recently quit his job after the school found numerous websites claiming he was found guilty of molesting a 14 year old boy 50 times. The 50 year old American teacher (name not released), and former religious figure, began working at ‘Pegasus Primary School’ last year and was brought to attention by one of the student’s parents.
Hong Kong does require foreign teachers to declare they have no criminal record; however it is easy to get around the system. Speculation says that the government will soon require foreign teachers to submit a police record check from their respective home country in the near future. This check, controversial, time consuming, and expensive to foreign teachers, should sift through potential problematic and clear the names of falsely accused teachers.
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A website called BishopAccountability.org carries a report claiming he was charged with molesting a 14-year-old about 50 times between 1999 and 2001 when he was a pastor in Rochester, New York, the papers said.However, the charged teacher claims that the websites does not portray the full truth. The freedom of the internet often blows situations out of proportion. The alleged convicted teacher (at the time priest), was arrested in 2005. If the teacher was truly arrested for sexually molesting an under-aged child 50 times calls to question of sentencing. Generally US citizens are sentenced for more than 3 years and have difficulty moving from one country to another due to criminal records.
The website said he pleaded guilty to attempting to endanger the welfare of a child and was sentenced to a year of probation. - News Asia One
Hong Kong does require foreign teachers to declare they have no criminal record; however it is easy to get around the system. Speculation says that the government will soon require foreign teachers to submit a police record check from their respective home country in the near future. This check, controversial, time consuming, and expensive to foreign teachers, should sift through potential problematic and clear the names of falsely accused teachers.
It seems to me that the article did nothing to refute the charges against the un-named teacher. Stating that the usual amount of jail time is three years does NOT in any way prove that this person is NOT guilty and was not guilty in the past. There is simply no logic to the argument!
As for Criminal Record Checks, I have never held any position in which I worked with children or any other vulnerable population that did NOT require me to submit a criminal record check. They are neither costly nor a waste of time but provide reassurances that those convicted of crimes against children and other vulnerable populations will not be allowed to work in a field where they are responsible for the safety and well being of these people.
Of course there are those who would argue that this method filters out only those who have been convicted of such crimes and not those who have eluded detection but doing something is better than tossing the baby out with the bathwater and deciding that since we can not stop all abusers, we should stop none.
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Not sure if the article was meant to 'refute the charges' or prove them. Nor was the article trying to argue against or for criminal record checks. Reading over the article, it appears to just state both sides.
"Stating that the usual amount of jail time is three years does NOT in any way prove that this person is NOT guilty and was not guilty in the past."
Yes, this does not prove the innocence, but I think what the author was getting at, it does not prove guilt. The actual criminal record check is a solution to the problem. If the teacher was guilty in the past, the criminal record check would show it and he would not have been hired in the first place.
However, I do agree that the criminal record check can be time consuming and costly for many teachers (depending on current location and nationality). I myself was unable to receive a criminal record check while over seas. It cost me an airplane ticket and over 10 days (about $1500 return ticket & $1000 lost pay). I have heard of some States that take up to a month to process criminal record checks.
However, like you I agree that it is a necessity for teachers, there should just be a better way of getting them while overseas.
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