Inquiry Reveals Child Sexual Abuse Cover-Up at Victorian State-Run Schools: Teacher Convicted of Indecent Assault Given New Job. Inquiry into the actions of four teachers who abused primary school children in Victoria has uncovered a disturbing pattern of cover-up by the education department. One teacher convicted of indecent assault was transferred to a new school after facing court, with the department organizing the move. The inquiry is examining historical child sexual abuse at 24 schools, including Beaumaris Primary School. The education department’s deputy secretary admitted that known child predators were often shifted to other schools without informing the new school of the potential risk.

Accident – Death – Obituary News : In a shocking revelation, an inquiry into alleged child sexual abuse at Victorian state-run primary schools has uncovered that a teacher convicted of indecent assault was transferred to a new school by the education department. The inquiry, which is examining the actions of four teachers who abused dozens of primary school children over several decades, has shed light on the disturbing practice of moving known child predators to different schools.

The inquiry heard that in 1985, members of the Kunyung Primary School board were instructed to describe the departure of David Ernest Keith MacGregor as “an administrative transfer.” However, it was later revealed that MacGregor was actually transferred by the education department due to his conviction for indecent assault. This case is just one example of what appears to be a systemic issue within the education department.

Under cross-examination, the Victorian education department’s current deputy secretary, David Howes, admitted that there seemed to be a historic practice of district inspectors relocating known child predators to other schools. While there was no formal policy in place, it was a mechanism used by people in authority to manage these circumstances. Shockingly, the incoming schools were not informed that the new employee posed a potential risk to students.

The inquiry also heard details about the actions of Grahame (Graham) Harold Steele, another perpetrator who taught at Beaumaris Primary School in the 1960s and early 1970s. Steele, who was described as “charismatic, suave, and sophisticated,” was an influential figure over the children he taught. One witness even made three separate complaints to the police about Steele, wearing a covert recording device in an attempt to gather evidence against him. However, Steele was never convicted.

The education department has identified 44 child complainants linked to the four perpetrators under investigation, but it is believed that the true number of victims is much higher. The inquiry has also highlighted the prioritization of the reputation of schools over the wellbeing of children within the education system. Concerns about child sex abuse in Victorian schools have been a topic of discussion since a Royal Commission in 1882, and a memorandum was issued in 1952 warning teachers against physical contact with pupils. However, during the period when these four men abused students, there were no formal policies in place on how to handle child sexual abuse complaints.

The deputy secretary of the education department, Dr. David Howes, expressed deep regret over the failures of the system at that time, acknowledging that the reputation of schools took precedence over the safety of children. He also admitted that serious concerns raised by parents and teachers about one of the perpetrators, known as Wyatt, were not acted upon.

Survivors of the abuse shared their personal accounts with the inquiry, highlighting the lasting impact it had on their lives. Former Beaumaris Primary School student Tim Courtney spoke about the destruction of trust in authority that he experienced as a result of the abuse. Other survivors expressed their desire for meaningful change rather than empty apologies.

The inquiry into the actions of these four teachers and the alleged child sexual abuse at Beaumaris Primary School and 23 others continues. The revelations have shed light on a dark chapter in Victoria’s education system, prompting calls for a thorough examination of the failures that allowed these abuses to occur and ensuring that such incidents are never repeated..