Dulwich College a “breeding ground for sexual predators”

[rosemary201]

Another day, another school
Interestingly, the first letter from a boy

Dulwich College is today accused of being a “breeding ground for sexual predators” in an open letter organised by a former schoolboy that contains more than 100 anonymous accounts of assault, harassment and sharing intimate photos online.

The letter, written by Samuel Schulenburg, 19, a former pupil at the south London private school, said “experiences of assault, revenge pornography and slut shaming were exacerbated by ... young men who ... laughed at stories of sexual violence”.

His letter includes about 100 anonymous testimonies written by girls who went to neighbouring schools, such as James Allen’s Girls’ School (Jags). One claims there was “an established rape culture” at the school.

@Legoninjago1

The article is linked above ( with a free token). People have referenced it already and particularly its claims of "I do not believe I am exaggerating when I say this risks damaging an entire generation of innocent boys" and other laments of : what about these poor boys and their reputations, their mental health, their chances of getting into university etc.

So no, I didn't find it "excellent" or "balanced" at all really.

My SIL ( JAGS & DC parent with children 20 years old +) basically says " yes, it's about time". Some of the DC parents on here are also generally shocked by the teen behaviour ( drinking/ sex etc), whereas parents of older children have already dealt with this stage of parenting.

Everyonesinvited has now stopped publishing the names of institutions. In an interview today with the Observer, its founder, Soma Sara, said she was concerned that a handful of high-profile independent schools are taking a disproportionate amount of the blame for a culture that is pervasive in both private and state schools.

“This is a universal problem. It’s a global issue,” said Sara, 22. “And I think it’s so important that we don’t narrow our focus to private schools, because it risks making these cases seem like they’re rare or anomalies, or that these patterns of abuse can only happen in certain places. But no, they happen everywhere, all the time. And they can happen to anyone.”

"Overall, more than 5,000 anonymous testimonies have been collected on the site".
"An investigation by the online magazine Schools Week found more than 400 testimonies name private schools, but there are also many accounts from pupils of grammar and state secondary schools."

In England, over 7% of children attend private schools.
Of the 5,000 cases posted on Everyonesinvited, 400 were reported as involving private schools. This gives us about 8%.

@Breds

Everyonesinvited has now stopped publishing the names of institutions. In an interview today with the Observer, its founder, Soma Sara, said she was concerned that a handful of high-profile independent schools are taking a disproportionate amount of the blame for a culture that is pervasive in both private and state schools.

“This is a universal problem. It’s a global issue,” said Sara, 22. “And I think it’s so important that we don’t narrow our focus to private schools, because it risks making these cases seem like they’re rare or anomalies, or that these patterns of abuse can only happen in certain places. But no, they happen everywhere, all the time. And they can happen to anyone.”

So if this was about named state/grammar schools would you be in here making sure everyone knew this happens everywhere,including in private schools? Including your son's school?

There are state and grammar schools listed.
My children's school isn't in the press as there's no famous alumni. Famous schools are great clickbait.

@Notmynom I completely agree. If this has been ignored by senior leaders, and they had knowledge of it - the Head has to go. Now.

Also, if this behaviour has been known to all 3 Dulwich private schools for so long why on earth didn't the heads of JAGS and Alleyn's push for more action?

To what extent did they know? Genuine question to anyone in the know.
And perhaps they did escalate?
The current heads of both schools are new so accountability falls to prior heads, senior staff and governors.

The previous heads at JAGS and Alleyns knew of allegations and were in contact with DC about it. I think that is mentioned in the article in The Sunday Times.

Five years ago, a letter of sexual offense charges was signed and posted to Dulwich College. Why was it not handed over to the police? There is a legal requirement for anyone who knows about a crime to be reported to the police. In this case, the obligation to notify the police is to:

1. The author of the letter
2. Addressee, that is, the school.

Has this obligation been fulfilled? If the police were notified, what were the results of the investigation? I think there is no clear information from the police on this matter.

@Beetle11- thanks, couldn’t access the full article

@Breds - was the author also a victim? AFAIK they don’t have to report to the police. They reported to the school who then have to follow the safe guarding guidelines.

According to the Times article all 3 heads were aware of the allegations 5 years ago and dealt with them between themselves with one DC boy being suspended and a "letter of apology" sent to JAGs.

.

@365sleepstogo
Sorry, you're right. I checked it wrong.

"Generally speaking, most people are under no legal obligation to report a crime, whether they knew about it in advance, witnessed its commission, or found out about it after the fact"

It also says in the article
"Department for Education said its guidance was clear that allegations of abuse, including peer-on-peer abuse, should be referred to the police and/or council safeguarding officers."

None of the 3 schools seem to have done this so all have questions to answer (although the heads of JAGs and Alleyns at the time have already moved on).

@MsTSwift

The beauty of comps is they are so big the clever sensitive boys can find their tribe and there is safety in numbers. Several friends with sons like this are absolutely fine in our local large state all boys school.

I have heard no equivalent reports to the Everyone’s invited about our local boys school my girls are at the sister girls school. I am sure it’s not perfect but the hideous toxic combination of the elitism and entitlement and collusion of the school eloquently described by Accidentally simply aren’t present.

Yes. I despair at the cries on MN that "oh I have super bright and sensitive boy who I can't possibly send to the local school". Where do these parents think the bright and super sensitive boys of poor families go? Yup. To the local school. There really is no need to avoid state schools like the plague, believing your child is somehow better because they take all comers.

I do also feel that some private schools were promising so much, I truly wondered how on earth they would actually deliver, especially where they made out that my typically average son was some special amazing person who could fit into their values, blah blah blah...I felt it was all for our benefit and they wanted the cash.

But yes surely DC Head has to go. If DC was sent serious allegations 5 years ago then that is reprehensible.

I found the rugby story extremely upsetting, where 2 black boys had to fight each other as part of some slave reenactment, and that happened on a school trip and must also be recent say about 5 years ago.
I can't see why anyone would want to send their child to DC now.
I would be interested in hearing from someone who will still send their children to DC now?

This kind of stuff can happen to anyone and anywhere but if as it seems DC knew and did not act then surely the school is not a safe one.
I do realise that some of this abuse happens off school ground too, but it is the culture.

Extremely sad.

There is also another point that the defensive posters are missing. Their quiet,sensitive kids can and do become victims themselves in an environment like this. Either by being bullied ,harassed,ridiculed themselves ,by witnessing such awful behaviours or attitudes or by (at it's worst) becoming accomplices and supporters of the offenders in an attempt to keep themselves safe.

If you think such a culture and environment is detrimental just to girls,think again. Your boys are more harmed by living this day to day in complicit challenge than by having it all out in the open, with hopefully change following soon.

If you care about your boys, you'd be grateful to know what they might've witnessed and experienced (since by your own admissions you have been completely in the dark) , rather than furious at it coming out and blaming the girls for what happened to them.

Yes, as in Lord of the Flies, children need protecting from themselves. Whether they are victims/ complicit/ trying not to be disloyal/ trying to fit in with peers. .... thinking it is cool to be dominant, porn saturated, given sex workers by their fathers instead of learning loving respectful relationships.

Just got out and got today's Sunday Times. In it, there is an anonymous letter from a DC boy's mum claiming "I don't believe I am exaggerating when I say this risks damaging an entire generation of innocent boys", etc. Having read it, I don't find the letter balanced, I am afraid. There are occasional generalised statements like "we must speak up for girls" but the author's emphasis is strongly on the damage done to the boys' "personal reputations' and to the image of private schools in general. Personal stories are all from the boys' parents' perspectives, e.g., "the mother of one boy told me she fears his mental health has declined over this public shaming". I am sorry but it can't be remotely compared to what the victims went through. Because of this contrast, the author sounds a bit pathetic imho.

There is a letter from Heather O'Donnell, a former pupil at Alleyn's about the 2016 letter signed by 160 pupils. This was mentioned in the above posts. What was not mentioned (or maybe I missed it) is that there is a testimony from a former black DC pupil who was forced to participate in a mandingo (slave) fight with another black pupil during the DC rugby tour of America. The school's culture was such that he didn't even question it at the time as "the banter" was so normalised. It beggars belief but the Times notes that his account "was corroborated byt the pupil he was ordered to fight". I am just speechless

OMFG

@snowdropsinapril “ I would be interested in hearing from someone who will still send their children to DC now?”

I wish it was that simple. We have informed the council so our state school application is no longer in the mix. We have already turned down another independent school. We can inform the council we need a state place, but we will be bottom of the list, so goodness knows how far the school will be from our house. We both work, full time, I work shifts. So we can’t homeschool. We don’t have any drop off/ pick up support and we have a younger child at nursery which could be miles from the school. What do you suggest we do?

Utterly shocked at the rugby tour. I literally feel sick. This is a top down leadership issue, the whole place needs a complete overhaul

[quote DirtyDancing]@snowdropsinapril “ I would be interested in hearing from someone who will still send their children to DC now?”

I wish it was that simple. We have informed the council so our state school application is no longer in the mix. We have already turned down another independent school. We can inform the council we need a state place, but we will be bottom of the list, so goodness knows how far the school will be from our house. We both work, full time, I work shifts. So we can’t homeschool. We don’t have any drop off/ pick up support and we have a younger child at nursery which could be miles from the school. What do you suggest we do?[/quote]
We are in a similar situation, except we got a place in the Upper School. DH is now completely against DC but I just feel shell-shocked at the moment.

[quote DirtyDancing]@snowdropsinapril “ I would be interested in hearing from someone who will still send their children to DC now?”

I wish it was that simple. We have informed the council so our state school application is no longer in the mix. We have already turned down another independent school. We can inform the council we need a state place, but we will be bottom of the list, so goodness knows how far the school will be from our house. We both work, full time, I work shifts. So we can’t homeschool. We don’t have any drop off/ pick up support and we have a younger child at nursery which could be miles from the school. What do you suggest we do?[/quote]
I honestly hope and keep my fingers crossed that there will be a swift change in policies and attitudes in the school, and if your son stays he'll have a safe ,good and educational life there.

But keep looking for options and your eyes and ears peeled in case there isn't.

Accepting that there might be an issue already puts you in a better position than "head in the sand" parents to protect him .

@DirtyDancing - your son has another 4 years until the senior school and I would be surprised if Dr Spence managed to hold onto his post. It may be enough time for a new incumbent to turn the culture around, as the current year 9-13 would have left by the time your son starts senior school.