Allegations of Sexual Abuse
	False Allegations
	John Edgar case
	The Daily News May 1, 1998 Worrying privilege of sex charges without evidence Editorial It is not so much the loss of John Timothy Edgar from the teaching profession that is both sad and worrying, but the loss of an unknown number of John Edgars from the future ranks of New Zealand teachers. The original Dr John Edgar was a rare thing among the country's primary school teachers. Not only was he one of a dwindling band of male teachers in an industry 80% dominated by women, but he had a PhD in history and a colourful, easy-going personality that made learning fun for his Hamilton primary school pupils -- at least most of them. More importantly, he loved his job that had stretched into a 12-year career, the last eight at Hukanui School. He was not afraid to give his hard-working pupils a congratulatory pat or hug. Then it all turned to mud. Six months ago a group of seven boys, the oldest now 15, decided that Dr Edgar had behaved improperly towards them over a six-year period from 1991. The boys, all under 12 at the time of the alleged offences, said he had touched or stared at their genitals. He had also taken one of the boys, against his will, from a crowded playground, with another of the complainants hanging on to his mate to try to rescue him. He had abused two boys on the same day -- the day an Education Review Office team was inspecting the school. He had not only abused another boy, but had told him he was going to put him in an oven. It did not matter that there was no other witness to the playground assault, despite the presence of other teachers and many children. It did not matter that a teacher would scarely put a piece of chalk out of line during an ERO inspection, far less his moral behaviour. It did not matter that the oven was a microwave, clearly incapable of accommodating much more than a small school bag. And nor did it matter that the boys were all friends. They said their teacher had touched them through their clothes, or looked at them in "icky" ways as they changed, and their word was law. The police felt obliged to investigate, at first one complaint and then, as the stories unfolded, seven more. John Edgar was acquitted of all eight charges, but his career is over. Mud sticks, and for a teacher of young children it is impossible to wash off. He leaves the profession bitter that his name could be trashed on the mere allegations of a small, connected group of children, possibly encouraged by well-meaning but blindly hysterical parents and other adults. He leaves with a warning that is certain to dissuade other young men from entering the classrooms, where male role-models are desperately needed. The toll of damage from this one incident is huge -- not least to the law. It brings one case nearer the inevitable challenge to the dubious legal privilege of laying -- and frequently winning -- a sex charge without corroborating evidence.