Support for Mary Hare School for the Deaf

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This discussion topic has been automatically created of petition Support for Mary Hare School for the Deaf.

john
Guest

#1

2011-04-13 22:45

why support as it happen every school not just mary hare.
it have to be report as not to let that person get away with it as it happen as should be report no matter as it wrong .

Guest

#2 Re:

2011-04-13 23:15

#1: john -

We are not supporting what the person in question has done, but rather what the newspapers has said about the school. It has dragged Mary Hare's name through the mud, having thrown accusations about them without the school being able to challenge them. I do not support what the ex-pupil has done, I don't think anyone would (Unless they are idiots) but I do support the fact that Mary Hare is getting unfair coverage in the newspapers.

Linda
Guest

#3 Re:

2011-04-14 00:04

#1: john -  

 I am an ex pupil of Mary Hare.  That sort of thing happens in comphrensives all over the country.

It is negative pubilicity for my old school all over the press. I feel that Mary Hare has been singled out of all the schools in the country.

There are a lot of parents with deaf children faced with choices of where to send their child. Should they send their child to a mainstream school or Mary Hare or another deaf school with sign language?

It is entirely up to the parent to send their deaf child to Mary Hare if they want their child to get the best education and leave school with GSCEs and A Levels or a good chance of a life.

This recent press may put parents off sending their deaf child to my old school cos of an incident.


Guest

#4

2011-04-14 04:12

Indeed, 'this sort of thing happens in comphrensives all over the country'. However, as the defence pointed out, MHGS failed to report underage sexual activity in which the defendant himself participated in. Had it been reported to the appropiate authorites there and then (as stipulated by State Law) the School would have not found themselves in this situation.

Guest

#5 Re:

2011-04-14 09:46

#4: -

'Had it been reported to the appropiate authorites there and then (as stipulated by State Law)'

It was reported which the paper did not reveal and if the judge had asked for a response from the school he would have learned that the West Berkshire Social Services knew about it

 


Guest

#6

2011-04-14 10:14

I dont think Mary Hare knew about these incidences happening in the school until the later attack on the 17 year old girl. http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?articleID=16467

The school should not have their name dragged through the courts without having any defence prepared as the case was against the boy not the school!
Guest
Guest

#7 Re:

2011-04-14 11:41

 Comment no 5

The school did report and deal with this as it happened, the school had no opportunity to defend themseves and provide evidence against this.


Guest

#8 Re: Re:

2011-04-14 11:45

#5: - Re:  

 Absolutely true.


Guest

#9

2011-04-14 11:53

And people are still gullible about what they read in newspapers and see it as gospel truth. Wish certain people on here would educate themselves and read up on ALL literature and reports before making their assumptions. Newspapers like to sensationalise, and tend to leave out vital information.

Just out of interest- who do you think the appropriate authorities are?
when dealing with cases like these at schools? I think you'll find it's pretty much:
• Social Services
•Ofsted

You'll find these organisations backing MH!!

As said in other comments above the case was against the ex pupil in question and not the school.
winkywoo
Guest

#10

2011-04-14 12:28

my daughter attended mary hare and i had no problems about her supervision and i think she learnt more about morals than i could have taught her. i would not hesitate to send other children there and feel confident she or he will be well looked after
Alan
Guest

#11

2011-04-14 12:40

As a parent of a passed pupil of MH. I am in full support of the school it's staff both teaching and care, the rules and system in place to avoid such incidents. However this person found a way to break the rule driven from an inmoral home background. This is an extreme case and the judge was either over vocal for the media to go over the top or totally unsensitve to the true facts...One offender!
The deaf community is a more close than the that of the hearing world. The friendships also reflect that. the greeting or farewells are far more intense but should never be mistaken as promiscus.
I would still recommend to parents of future deaf students that this is the best school for the deaf and do as they say, just like the "ronseal"adverts
andy
Guest

#12

2011-04-14 15:47

The contentious part of what the judge said is that there was "a culture of underage sex at the school".
One or two isolated incidents I can understand but a "culture" implies that everyone knew about it, including the staff. I can't believe that could happen without anyone outside of the school knowing about it.
Dave
Guest

#13

2011-04-14 22:39

Let's cut to the chase here, this is really an 'attack' not only on the school and the school's name, but on the staff, the pupils and families, and also on the deaf community. My reality of interacting with the school and my son's reality of spending the past five years of his life at Mary Hare School is one of profound positive experience, critical development and integrity. No one can take away my son's development over the last five years, no one. I won't even go into the wrongs, the smears, the half-truth's and the heresay which has fueled this sickly, negative mass media campaign, but I know that I will always stand in truth and what is right, and I stand by the staff and school, especially Mr Shaw and of course the pupils. Be strong and the truth always wins in the end.

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2011-04-17 17:29


Mags Adams-Aston
Guest

#15

2011-04-21 02:36

I've signed it, supporting my old school Mary Hare.

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2011-04-21 23:11



Guest

#17 Re:

2011-04-23 16:08

As an ex-pupil from another deaf school, I sympathise with MHGS because of unnecessary appalling smears received from the national and local press...

 


Guest

#18 Review

2011-05-01 13:42

See http://www.maryhare.org.uk/index.php?cID=176&cType=news

Sir Roger Singleton CBE, Chair of the Independent Safeguarding Authority, and formerly the Government's Chief Adviser on the Safety of Children, is to conduct the Independent Review of Safeguarding and Care at Mary Hare commissioned by its Governors following the conviction in April of an ex-pupil for serious sexual offence.                                                                                                                                                                                                                Comment?

24dreamer
Guest

#19

2011-06-19 23:29

i am horrified by this report, while I certainly do not endorse such abuse by pupil concerned & should be suitably dealt with via correct channels, I refute the way the press have tried to tarnish the school's reputation!Bed hopping is not the norm. While it's true that it's not possible to supervise pupils 24/7, staff are more than vigilant and in my experience very strict. If caught, appropriate action is always taken as far as I am aware & in my experience at Mary Hare!To say that staff turn a blind eye is slanderous at best!As a parent I would not turn a blind eye? Would you? So why should we believe that these hard working staff would either? Had this been a celebrity the paper would be sued for slander!Newspapers should not be allowed to print false, inaccurate information & be made to make a retraction & pay the price for such slander!Use your power of reason, does it seem reasonable to you that staff & head would really turn a blind eye to this?!!Would you?

24dreamer
Guest

#20 Re:

2011-06-19 23:34

#13: Dave -

I concur! Those who have actually been there, like myself know from experience what slanderous lies these are. I'm not saying no mistakes were ever made, of course there are like anywhere else, but with Mary Hare they are always dealt with, either in suspension or expulsion or some other form of suitable discipline. No one has ever turned a blind eye! So yes, truth will stand the test of time in face of many witnesses. Truth will always out in end!!

24dreamer

#21 Re:

2011-06-19 23:44

#1: john -

john it's not the reporting that's the problem here. If you read the reports you will see that the problem lies with the slanderous way this has been reported. While it's true that Mary Hare is not immune to incidents, what is not true that Mary Hare staff turn a blind eye, or that there is a culture of bed hopping with staff knowing about it! That's the slanderous part hence the petition! Plus the fact the school were not given opportunity to defend itself in court. No wrong doer should get away with it so to speak. Yes, it should be reported, but lies should not be told about staff or slanders made about the school in general. Only accurate facts should be reported which was not the case here. Hope that clarifies things with you.


Guest

#22 Re: Re:

2011-08-12 01:48

#21: 24dreamer - Re:  

Mary Hare does not deserve this, lets tell people that it is brillant school, especially for people like you and I. And it is. Perhaps the Judge lived near the Fox and Hounds? (who would not be there if it was not for the sixth form).

 


Guest

#23 Re:

2011-08-12 01:59

#13: Dave -  

 You are right.


Guest

#24

2011-09-07 01:27

I am angered and disgusted that such allegations have been made against such an excellent school, by a self-confessed sex offender, in an attempt at mitigating justice once it was clear he could no longer escape it.

Worse still are the remarks from the judge who took the statements of the defendant at face value and criticised the school from the safety of the bench.

I trust that the Ministry of Justice will respond promptly and appropriate to Stephen Dering's letter to them and his MP.

There should be some legal redress for the school from being so vilely slandered in court by this convicted sex offender, and from the disgraceful and prurient coverage by certain sections of the tabloid media.

Guest

#25 Re:

2011-09-07 22:14

#24: -