Dulwich College a “breeding ground for sexual predators”

Thanks all, didn't realise my post would strike such a chord.

Doom ball is spot on. Surely schools reflect the society they are in?

As an afterthought I don't see, for example, these stories about the boys at City of London School which is also a completely all boys school but has a different demographic (not saying it doesn't go in of course).

I agree with this 100% and have posted in the past about it suiting alpha Male, city type families. These seem to be the families/boys it sets out to attract and why we didn't take up a (very) good offer.

It's a shame as there is much to admire about the school. I know a couple of boys who are more sensitive who attend and their experience isn't generally a happy one. I hope the school look beyond the hype and address these issues.

But my question is do boys at private schools really feel 'more power over girls' than boys do anywhere? The stats are so high that it can't just be private school boys. Only 7% of kids are privately educated but 59% of allbschool girls reported suffering sexual harassment. It is not possible for the private school boys to have been that busy. Yes it is publicising the issue but not in a way that is likely to lead to any long term solution because it is conflating two separate social issues.

I think there is a discussion about why so many fee paying schools are mentioned in allegations but it isn't really about the press coverage (the press publish what people will read, they analyse the clicks they get and they feed what interests people based on this, and clearly the two extremes of the spectrum are going to appeal to people's reading interest - private schools and children taken in to care.)

But why do SOME boys seem to feel so much power over girls at these establishments? That is a much more nuanced and important thing to consider -
www.telegraph.co.uk/education-and-careers/2021/03/22/six-things-state-schools-always-do-better-private-schools/

@Jamiebond789
Nonsense, they would report on this if it was children in care and people would rightly be flabbergasted. They are currently reporting because there are so many allegations in such a short space of time and the topic is in peoples' minds due to the horrible murder in London. Young girls in London are feeling fragile at the moment and they are using the opportunity to speak out. Bravo.

@dillydaffy the press SHOULD be reporting on this sort of thing regardless of the school as it goes on in ALL schools. It’s disappointing that they seem to believe that it’s only newsworthy if its a famous school.

@Jamiebond789 I disagree - I think the vast majority of people would be horrified and 'interested' (your words) to hear these types of stories about any school or establishment that looks after children, or if it was about children in care. Good on these journalists for bringing it all to light for a wider audience.

I find it really depressing that the press interest in the harassment teen girls suffer has only been piqued now that they can link it to boys from 'famous' schools.

Various organisations have been highlighting the problem of teen misogyny for years - there was a government enquiry back in 2016 which heard 59% of girls had experienced sexual harassment in school and 1/3 had suffered 'unwanted sexual touching'. It didn't generate anywhere near the press interest the school specific stories have this week.

I think the common thread that links the schools that make the press are they are famous. The Oratory School is well known if only for the fact Tony Blair sent his kids there. No one would be interested if the story was about a local comp.

@Jamiebond789 Yes state school. Many different types of schools have been involved in the accusations, not just fee paying. But there is a staggeringly high proportion of fee paying ones mentioned in allegations.

Jamiebond789 its a catholic school and is state.

So, my story is not about any of the schools here. But my friend is a teacher at a private school and he mentioned that the biggest issue they are facing currently is the amount of girls they are having to take to A and E for prolapse- due to a porn culture. Now, I don't know the volume, but surely one is too many.

Looks like London Oratory School is up next - an article in the Times accusing it of "fostering rape culture"...isn't this a state school and co-ed?

I read it very differently - we are ready to act at any stage...

“We stand ready to support the government in any way that we can to strengthen safeguarding across the independent schools.”

Mr Shafiee went on to say that all allegations of sexual assault and harassment at schools should be dealt with “firmly”. He added: “There is no place for the kind of allegations that we have heard to take place in schools.

"Children need to be safe in schools, parents need to feel that their children are safe in schools and as I said we stand ready to help the department to make sure the schools do a good job by their children.”

[quote Dillydaffy]I think it is very appropriate that Ofstead is now prepared to get involved;
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/23/private-school-rape-culture-row-ofsted-stands-ready-intervene/[/quote]
I read that as we are not getting involved as all these schools are inspected not by Ofsted but by ISI!

I think it is very appropriate that Ofstead is now prepared to get involved;
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/03/23/private-school-rape-culture-row-ofsted-stands-ready-intervene/

Interestingly my DD has told me that some girls are planning a protest outside of DC today.

Drinking culture doesn’t help the situation does it...I’ve had countless rows with family members who believe it’s a “rite of passage” for young kids to get drunk and who believe they are teaching kids to be responsible by letting them drink at home or hosting parties with 15/16 year olds where booze is freely available. As parents I think we can all be subject to peer pressure as we want to be “cool” parents and are told if we lay down the law our kids will just rebel. My SiL thought that allowing co-ed sleepovers for her 16 year old DS and his friends in their games room was perfectly fine until she walked in on what could only be described as some sort of orgy....(comprehensive school kids in this instance).

Thanks Doomsball for saying what a lot of us are thinking but too scared to say. The rot is in the whole of society. I’ll add it’s shocking when we read of 13yr old girls getting completely drunk out of their minds, unable to walk & vomiting but then also read from parents on MN, sending their young adults going off to university with loads of alcohol (sometimes hidden in luggage as a surprise for them) so they can ‘party’. These kids are simply doing what society is telling them is cool.

doomball agree with you

It does seem the private schools are being targeted; however, my DD goes to the outstanding state school in the same area as Dulwich College and there are issues there too. One boy in the school has been accused of rape. I know a lot of boys on my street that went to DC are shocked at the article as are some of the parents. My other son is at a different boy’s school and there not mentioned on anything yet, everyone count website has nothing about his school either. So will watch this space.

I think people need to remember this is an all-boys school and the incidents occurred off site. I feel strongly that parents have a strong part to play here. The school has a tough disciplinary system in place already. My own DS school has zero tolerance and regularly hands out duty slips, detentions and headmasters’ detentions. They can also be expelled whether private or not.

I however don’t think it is a 'private school' issue only. I think it is a current issue about the attitudes boys in general have towards girls and girls thinking these attitudes are 'normal and acceptable. My DD old (private) school heard about some of these attitudes two years ago and did groups sessions with boys about relationships, attitudes towards females and respect. Girls had group discussions too and my DD said there was a lot of tears.

My DD and her friends have been targeted by boys from different schools, using snap chat to groom over a period of months. Boys being nice over time, making them feel liked and boy builds up to sending a dick shot and then asking the girl for a nude. It goes on and on and after months the girl sends it. Then boom the boy screen shots it and sends it round his groups. This is not new; I have had to have conversations with my DD about this. At the time she was targeted she was 14, the boy was 17.

I think the Sarah Everard issues has set it off as girls and woman have had enough. So, I expect to see more testimonials coming out

@doomball I applaud you for a very well written post. I would add that individually naming and shaming “famous” private schools in this way will not make the problem go away. Parents with DCs at these schools who ARE totally innocent will feel aggrieved and will be less likely to support the victims if they are being asked to admit that their sons are complicit to the problem. Parents with DCs not at these school will breathe a sigh of relief that it’s just a problem with rich entitled white boys from certain establishments. The net result is that no-one takes any accountability. I think the original everyonesinvited concept was excellent at getting the conversation started but these additional headlines have undermined things.

And I'm beyond fed up of the fact schools are increasingly demanded to be the sticking-plaster.

It's a pattern. And there's a reason for it: money.

The public sector has been ravaged by austerity. Schools are one remaining locus where public sector interventions can be suggested in a low-cost way.

But it would be far, far more sensible to demand a widening and re-funding of the public sector.