Stranger’s behaviour causes concern for school
(CNS): A man who was reportedly showing inappropriate and possibly pornographic material to primary school students has caused the Head of School at St Ignatious serious concern. In a letter sent to parents yesterday Tom McGrath told them that on Tuesday afternoon an unregistered visitor to the school site engaged some upper primary boys in conversation at the football field at the rear of the school and then handed them a sheet of paper with a pornographic text. The head said that while the boys immediately reported the problem the stranger quickly disappeared from the campus. Police have reportedly stated however, there was “nothing to suggest that pornographic images” were shown to the students.
According to a police statement issued to Cayman 27 a police spokesperson confirmed that the school had reported the incident and enquiries into the matter are still ongoing.
“We are actively working with staff and students at the school to establish what took place and the exact nature of the information passed to the children. We will supply further information as and when available, but in the meantime we would ask parents and staff to remain vigilant. If you see anyone acting suspiciously then please contact the police,” the RCIPS said.
McGrath echoed the sentiments and said the school was also considering a range of improved security measures that will keep the site safe.
Category: Local News
what about the man they are trying to investigate for showing some of the young children at John A Cumber (west bay primary) the same thing? How come there is no mention of this? Makes you wonder how long this has been going on for?
Many, many years ago my child was molested by another child at school here inCayman. It transpired that the other child was being molested by a parent at home. I made all of the reports that I could make to whomever would listen, but nothing was done. I could give all of the bazaar details of the story, however this would be pointless now. But I had to suffer the torment of being investigated by Social Services and I was accused of molesting my own child which was ludicrous. For years after, whenever there was an excursion from school grounds and there was only one adult or just the teacher accompanying the class, I went along in the event that the teacher might later be blamed for some unfounded accusations and to protect the children of the class. Later the school that I transferred my child to also here in Cayman seemed to think t I was being very helpful and all were unaware of my true motives.
Cayman is a game of survival of the fittest, and fortunately my child and I were strong enough to survive this ordeal. Our young people need protection until they are fit to play the game in the grown up world. We have a Children’s Law in print, but it is high time we enact it. Every election seems to come with the promise of the Children’s Law. I haven’t heard mention of it in a very long time.
Right now we need to take our focus away from Immigration Law and policies and entertaining visitors from other countries for the sake of the almight Cayman Islands Dollar, and concentrate on doing housekeeping at home! We need to protect our children and the people who protect our children.
And furthermore when a police report is made, it should be allowed to be given at any police station without the argument at the front desk with the person making the police as to where the boundaries of the districts are. The senior officer in charge should then decide which station handles the report and pass along to the appropriate district.
I don’t see that there is enough being done in Cayman ( we cannot call it a society because we have lost our genuine character and culture that no longer exists as it once was – we can only refer to Cayman) to protect our integrity as individuals and as a country.
Nothing lasts forever – but we should evolve, not regress.
my question before i get riled up is, what was the item shown these kids?, i cant shout with a mon mentality until i know what was shown. he could have shown a Victoria Secret catalog for all i know.
This adult should not be there let alone showing anything adult to kids. He is preying on kids nonetheless, even if it was a VS catalog; he is sick and just feeling out the territory….just p.rv.ted. Don’t try finding excuses for this behaviour. There are none. It is sickening to the stomach.
Please be mindful of the many abductions & murders of kids, especially school girls and also young women occurring nearby – just horrible
maybe it was photos of Miley Cyrus
This is a very serious issue and should not be taken lightly as your post suggests.
My post stands. I am making a comment on everyday porn. Where do YOU draw the line?
So if this was reported to the Police before and the individual got no response, then my question is: WHO CAN WE TURN TO??????
As a parent with a child at Catholic School, I COMMEND Mr. McGrath for his swift thinking and his prompt actions in advising parents via mass e mailing.
Couldnt the Police not arrest this man for TRESSPASSING considering he has NO RIGHT to be on the school grounds.
Come on RCIPS, take action just as the school did, or you may have some angry, irate and fuming parents demanding action and should action be absent then be prepared for us to handle the situation.
This same monster approached my child in Sept 2010. I spent numerous weeks trying to get the police, the probation department, social Services to hear our story and do something about it. No one helped!! No one wanted to help and, our effects were wasted. At the end of the day NO one will care until a helpless kid is raped or murdered.
As a St. Ignatius parent , I too aplaud Mr. McGrath for his actions taken thus far on this matter, re: swift notification as well his intent to consider arange of improved security measures for the saftey of the children.
It behoves the police and the wider community to consider this occurrance as a very serious one and not an isolated insignificantevent.
Remember, we don’t whay the Police stated that they didn’t think images were involved. To my reading it sounds like a statement in response to someone elses quesiton (which CNS didnt’ see). So question comes in, general statement comes out and the police soudn a bit silly taken out of context. Thats all that happened.
Surely in an instance such as this the only correct response is that "we are actively investigating this situation and take any and all incidents such as this extremely seriously"? To issue a statement which even vaguely implies that the situation is not serious is an injustice to every child on this island, not just those who go to St. Ignatius. Have the police even spoken to the students involved yet? Does it really matter if the pornographic content was words OR an image? As aSt. Ignatius parent I applaud the ensuing support and investigation into this matter that the Head of School Mr. Tom McGrath has taken and I would urge the police to follow up on this immediately.
My child was directly involved and I couldn’t agree more with Kathy. Tom McGrath is an asset to our school and a champion to our children. I am personally disappointed with how the authorities have handled this situation thus far and wholeheartedly disagree with the headline on Cayman 27 and the police spokespersons statement to the press. This was a pornographic offence to children and the paper given to the boys was not "age appropriate" for any living being on this planet! Rather than simply talking about it….I am going to stand up and take action. I thank God that my child was physically unharmed, but I fear this man has or will hurt a child and I have immediately committed myself to this cause – my conscience will allow no less. As parents and adults we are given the responsibility to protect and nurture our children and their innocence…mine and yours. I am thankful for the petition presented by Sandra Catron and I urge all of us to stand together and fight this atrocity.
Okay, who are the MORONS who gave "thumbs down" to Paula’s post?
You are so right, Paula. We should be looking out for each other’s children. It takes a village to raise a child.
Wrong again. It takes a mother and a father to raise a child. Once our society has that figured out then the "village" can act as an external support structure.
Unfortunately, presently in the Cayman Islands, it takes a helper to raise a child. Stop and think about that for a minute, then get your ass home and hug your child and tell them how much you love them.
Finger broken from trying to give you 1000+++ thumbs up…
When will my fellow Caymanians WAKE UP and realise WE SHOULD BE RAISING OUR CHILDREN???
Nannys, helpers, whatever you want to call them, are there to ASSIST us. We hire them to take care of our kids while we cannot, as we are trying to work to support them – BUT, and a REALLY BIG BUT….
WHERE ARE WE when we are not working – if we are REALLY parents, we should be with our kids, instilling discipline and supporting them, encouraging them to grow in the right direction.
Sadly, with the entitlement mentality of today, so many "parents" (cause they ain’t if you look up the TRUE definition) are passing the buck, killing thier own kids future, all in aid of themselves living their own lives
NEVER did I think I would wish back the smoke pots and whompers – but you know what – when we had them, we REALLY had our families…
Thanks to My mate Squit (I got it right, no?) for pointing out the obvious, no, can we look to REALLY becoming a family, and then a village, and then…
"NEVER did I think I would wish back the smoke pots and whompers – but you know what – when we had them, we REALLY had our families…"
1. This was a village raising a child. All the families looked out for your children. If I was doing something wrong, another parent saw me, they would chastise me and then I better hope they don’t tell my parents because I would get it from my parents too.
2. We still didn’t have a normal family consisting of fathers and mothers because the men were at sea almost all of the time. The only difference now is that they are in the bars in Cayman instead of the bars in foreign countries.
People need to realize that those days are gone. The men used to go to sea to send home money to support the families. You know like the expats are doing now?
Now the cost of living is so high, everyone has to work to support the family. No, I don’t have a BB, expensive SUV, make trips to Miami, etc
First, a poster who does not believe in their comments enough to put their true name is lacking in credibility from the start….then to go further and acknowledge they are simply a "S.Stirrer" truely has no place commenting on a subject of such severity. Clearly these posters have no children and that is probably for the best.
The majority of people have to work to support their family. To suggest that having a helper, BB, SUV or trips to Miami are indications that the children are not loved or cared for by their mother and father is rantings of an ignorant and I understand why they would not want to put their name to the post.
The primary responsibility of parenting is to raise a loving, independant, productive and compasionate member of society. The written Commondation by the Commissioner of Police awarded to my 5 year old son in the aftermath of Ivan and the quick and responsible way he and his friends reacted to this situation confirms….we are doing a fabulous job on the front lines of parenting.
However, it is worth noting that in this exact instance, I was at the school within minutes of the episode to collect my other children (with my BB and SUV having just won 2 free tickets to Miami which I will use with no shame from "S. Stirrer" LOL!). The approach and presentation of disgusting and disturbing material to my son and his friends is no fault of our parenting and it is the useless diversion from facts by people like S. Stirrer and Anonymous that contribute to the ablity for these monsters to hide in the midst of our children.
A village consists of families and caring citizens who as in days past, watch each other and care for children when their immediate parents are not in sight. It is clear from the events, aftermath and my continued committment to ensure this matter is dealt with to the fullest extent of the law, that me and my family are a part of such a village mentality despite the existence of S. Stirrer and anonymous.
This website could be so much more valuable if there was a way to restrict "S. Stirrers" from spewing negative, unproductive rants.
I have two young children. My wife and I both both work. We make many sacrifices in order to be be able to raise our own children without the need for a "helper". The helper mentality grew out of a the great quest for the almighty dollar and I personally want no part of it.
You do as you choose"Paula", I’m sure you think you are right.
I won’t even start with the spelling and punctuation of someone who think they are good post comments such as "is rantings of an ignorant". That’s for another day.
Now let the police do their job and quit the knee jerk reactions, they help no one.
How does ANYONE not like any of these comments?
This incident is another reminder that more people need to get behind the Sex Offenders Registry that Ms Catron has lobbyed so hard to make a reality.
3 thumbs down? I’m pretty sure I know what type of people would put a thumbs down to this entry….you should be behind bars!
Yep! Behind bars for 100 years before a chance of parole.
The police should have had a sketch artist at the school immediately for the boys to give details of what the person looked like and sent the sketch to all schools. I guess we will wait till something actually happens. And yes I will be sitting in Jail as well if this person comes near the children.
I wonder if this person understands the consiquences if a parent such as me catches him anywhere near my children?? Trust me Your Honor I will do time for him!!! And smile about it!!!
Excuse me, but why would "pornographic images" be worse than "pornographic text"???????
Pornographic images is instant gratification on the eyes and stimulates the average human almost immediately, we use our eyes more often for "seeing and looking" and reading pictures and images in our everyday life as we walk around
Pornographic text requires reading, imagination, and thinking… this already rules out a bunch of people who just don’t have the time and energy to read and understand.
Therefore images in this human world are super effective and worse them text!