|
New
Zealand Listener
November 2-8 2002
Published October 28, 2002
Letter to the Editor
by Alan Wilkinson, Russell, Northland
Lynley Hood said
nothing about school teachers who have sex with students. "Purient
computer technicians are determining what responsible adults should be
allowed to see, read and hear. Respected school teachers - who have been
abusing nobody but themselves - have had their careers and reputations
destroyed." It was clear that she was referring to recent cases of
teachers dismissed for downloading pornography.
John Read also claimed that she "tries to educate us that it isn't the
abuse of the children we should be concerned about, but the allegations
against the [Catholic] priests". Her single reference was: "The
explosion of historic allegations against Catholic priests escalates daily.
In my view, we're as much at risk today of having our lives, our families and
our communities ripped apart by false allegations of sexual abuse as the
people of Christchurch were in 1992."
Nobody wishes to see child abuse protected or overlooked. But false
accusations (and bureaucratic and professional incompetence) must be
relentlessly exposed to preserve liberty, justice and a free society.
My personal stake is that my wife, as a worker at the Christchurch Civic
Creche until only a year or two before the hysterical debacle there, could
have wound up in the dock as several of her colleagues and good friends did -
the subject of false and indeed ludicrous allegations. Dr Read should
consider seriously the impact of his ill-considered and intemperate
statements.
|
