Only Following Procedures ...

----- Original Message -----
From: Anne Callander
To: False Allegation
Sent: 05 January 2010 15:49
Subject: Anne Callander sent you a message on Facebook...

Look through my “intrusion” so far and compare it to what you have written. It is you who started the intrusion and it is you have forced me into what follows:

As a Headteacher myself I know that the safeguarding and protection of a child is paramount, above all other concerns, and there are procedures that simply have to be followed.

The outcome would have been so different and Jane would still be teaching today if she had accepted that she needed support during the difficult time she was having. Instead she chose a different route.

The Jane I once knew would have taken the correct advice and accept the support offered from the start. She would NOT have ignored the advice from her union, her friends and the supportive network at county. She would NOT have followed the corrosive and destructive path that was advised by her partner whose first contact with her after the suspension was to tell her to “Shut up and don’t say any more”.

None of this was reported at the hearing. I could have done had I chosen to, but I wanted to say as little as possible whilst still telling the TRUTH.

This was the stance I had taken all along which I now know was “sitting on the fence”. I also took this attitude during the phonecalls that I received from Jane possibly giving the impression that I was agreeing with her by responding with “mmmm” and expressive “oh nos” and the like.

I should have been more brave and admitted that I did have grave concerns about her behaviour over the years, and that I was now concerned that she was changing her story.

She had already relayed the whole story to me on the car park was now telling me that she had “no idea what I’m being accused of”.

If I am guilty of anything it is the dreadful weakness of being unable to confront her. I am guilty of not reinforcing my initial advice to listen to what her union advises and to take all the professional support she can.

No doubt this is what led to Jane expecting me to lie for her at the hearing. However, there I had to draw the line.

Jane DID admit to me that she had smacked the child. I could not lie about this. Friendship or no friendship I could not stick up for her and call the child a liar. And as a friend she should not have expected me to do so.

I repeat. This did not need to happen. The outcome would have been very different if the correct advice was taken. Support could have been given officially and she would have been supported by her colleagues too if she could have admitted that her actions were due to the enormous pressure she was under.

Jane chose this path herself. It is her OWN ACTIONS (on the ill advice from her partner) that have led to her “life of hell”, not my actions.

I hope Jane gets to read this and it is not kept from her by her partner who will know that all I am writing is the truth.

I pity her and what has happened and I am very sad that she is not happy. But it wasn’t down to anything that I did.

In response to her e-mail, albeit 8 years late, it was all down to you. You poisoned any opportunity for Jane to substantiate her innocence by telling your story to everyone you could and that’s why you had to change your statement to the brief two inconsequential sentences that you finally submitted.

You never actually knew Jane; that is so evident. If you had then you’d have known the impossibility of Jane ever assaulting a child. She’s professional and no matter what the circumstance, she’d never resort to temper, aggressive behaviour or assault – a 30 year unblemished career showed all that anyone wanted to know. She helped you through your times of need and loss. Jane has a real heart and is the best friend that anyone could ever wish for.

Did you consider recording the misery of her phonecalls to you when she believed you to be a friend ? She discussed the death of her dear father at these times too.

In your own words :

I also took this attitude during the phonecalls that I received from Jane possibly giving the impression that I was agreeing with her by responding with “mmmm” and expressive “oh nos” and the like.

(Maybe we could send some ? Why not enjoy her personal suffering during the arrest interview - something that Jane can never listen to yet it contains the whole story in every detail. Can you lie under such stress ? Maybe you can but Jane couldn’t ! You could listen to another of your ‘friends’ who were too frightened to submit a statement. Or possibly more of your ‘friends at county’ when Jane didn’t know anything about the allegation ? Union support - another fallacy ! If you want to see what Jane experienced watch her video - you can’t beat NASUWT racist jokes !)

You alone judged her that day in her car; a decision that nearly destroyed her life and caused so much damage to her family and mine – something that we’ll never forgive or forget.

Few can appreciate what an allegation of child assault feels like and how it tears apart your very heart and soul. It is one of the worst crimes imaginable – to intentionally harm a child. An allegation such as this causes such anguish, pain and suffering – worse when you realize that this suffering will never diminish and will last a lifetime.

Almost everyday there are dramatic stories of abuse - sexual and physical - some celebrities and others just ordinary people. The stories MUST be true ! What did Anne Callander say in her e-mail ?

As a Headteacher myself I know that the safeguarding and protection of a child is paramount, above all other concerns, and there are procedures that simply have to be followed.

That’s good, start with another lie - Anne Callander never did reach the dizzy heights of head teacher !

Everyone realizes that child protection is paramount; we all should live by that most basic and natural instinct.

“... procedures that simply have to be followed” - sadly over the centuries there have been so many who made the claim that they were only obeying rules ! Egotists and narcissistic sociopaths love the feeling of control and power over others but it should come down to accountability and responsibility in the hands of those who can appreciate commonsense.