The priests abuse scandal...

Easy Money wrote: Epignosis wrote: Once a teacher in the USA has been accused of inappropriately touching a student, it doesn't matter if he is not proven guilty.  His career is effectively over.  Done deal. Although it is extremely rare, I can recall one instance where a child was clever and precocious enough to tell a teacher (not me) that if he did not get his way, he would report the teacher for inappropriate touching. The teacher was a veteran and knew to report this conversation immediately. There are precautions that any teacher can take, if I am with one child, or a very small group, I leave the classroom door open and all blinds and shades on the windows up. Having an always open and easily visible presence is your best defense.

Yep- absolutely John. While it didn't happen often (I taught all boys), if I were even with a female student (escorting her somewhere, or something like that), I made it a point to find a third person to be with us. 

Fortunately, we had a wonderful administration that recognized that we were dealing with "at-risk" youth who were not the most trustworthy of people, so any accusation was treated with a cool head

I was once accused by an entire class of using racial slurs at them, and nothing ever came of that (except one drunk, pissed off teacher that evening ).

_____

It's just that people automatically assume someone is guilty, especially when it is reported in the media. 

Paranoia  !

I worked in the corporate world after leaving the military for a few years before I discovered that money wasn't anything. There was this one particularily heavy unattractive girl who worked in customer service and she was always complaining about being sexually harassed which unfortunately resulted in the dismissal of one ( the few ) friends I had in the company. She accused the guy of touching her on the behind. I didn't believe it for one second. My friend said to me that he would rather fondle a sack of potatoes. Make a long story short this girl was let go for crying wolf once too often and my friend moved on to a better job with a better company.

I sometimes tutor entry level university mathematics to physiotherapy  and biology students but I have yet to feel uncomfortable or experience what you guys have mentioned. I guess it's a liitle different because I do this by referal and  everyone who refers me knows me personally because I also play on a McGill University slow pitch team. One thing I do when the weather permits is to go outside on the campus grounds away from the clinical environment of the classroom not because I'm afraid of being accused of sexual harassment but because it is more conducive. 
I dunno, the world just gets wackier and wackier. Or has it always been wacky and we just haven't noticed it?

Like I said, the world has gone wacky.

The T wrote: Now a big catholic priest equated pedophilia with homosexualism....  How great these people always are, aren't they?  But hey! Funny Old Ratzinger apologized The Beatles!

The T wrote: seventhsojourn wrote: The T wrote: Now a big catholic priest equated pedophilia with homosexualism....  How great these people always are, aren't they?  But hey! Funny Old Ratzinger apologized The Beatles!    Generalisation... not all are the same.  True   So, in attempting to diffuse the abuse scandal the Pope's number 2 has made things worse by offending gays. Worse still, he made his comments on a trip to Santiago where a priest was retained at an all-girl school despite many complaints about him abusing the girls. SMH.    Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens want the Pope arrested if he visits the UK...   That will never happen. First the charges against him should be made official, not just media noise. Second, I don't think no police force and no judge will have the strength and fortitude to dare to incite the hate of millions of catholics around the world... And no president or country's authority will want the weight of such decision upon their heads.... No. Ratzinger will not face anything. Dawkins and Hitchens, with who I agree most of the time, are certainly just trying to become more notorious with this. Unless there's POSITIVE PROOF, none will raise a finger towards the Rome Guy.

Don Cherry's wife said that he could get into more trouble in 7 minutes than others could in a lifetime. My wife has said similar things about me. So for now I'll just clam up.

Much too complicated.

Anyone who abuses children can't possbly believe in the existance of hell.
If you don't believe in hell, you can't believe in God either, they just go together as a package.
So, as a priest, if you don't believe in God, you shouldn't be allowed to stay a member of the church.
On top of that, if the swines' heads roll, it's good PR for Pope Rottweiler, the effin' hypocrite.


Edited by npjnpj - April 22 2010 at 06:15

Thank you, aim to please.  

But honestly, I realise how overboard it is, but this business makes me so unbelievably angry, that I have to vent my feelings a bit.

You mean you get to pick out the raisins?  

Sorry. Means you get to choose what suits you best and disregard any negatives.