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Probe into school trip 'red light visit' (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
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Probe into school trip 'red light visit'
7:20am Tuesday 10th November 2009
A head teacher has ordered an inquiry into claims that a group of his teenage pupils watched a live sex show on a school trip to Thailand.
Bingley Grammar School has received complaints that the group of a dozen 16 to 18-year-old male and female students visited Bangkok’s notorious Patpong red light district.
The group was on a month-long trip to Thailand and Laos last summer accompanied by a male and a female teacher.
Yesterday, school head Chris Taylor refused to confirm reports that two teachers had been suspended while the probe takes place In a statement to the Telegraph & Argus, he said: “I can confirm that 12 of our students aged 16 to 18 went on a visit to Thailand and Laos over the summer holiday period.
“A potential concern has been raised about activities during the trip.
“We are treating this with extreme seriousness, a full investigation is now being undertaken and Education Bradford is advising us.
“We will take appropriate action at the conclusion of the investigation. Until then, it is inappropriate to comment further.”
Mr Taylor also refused to specify to the T&A what “activities” he was referring to in his statement. It is understood that parents found out about the allegations when one girl posted pictures from the trip on social networking website Facebook.
According to reports, the picture shows a group of pupils, aged between 16 and 18, and two teachers sitting around a table littered with beer bottles outside a bar.
Stuart Herdson, Bradford branch secretary for the ATL union, said: “If teachers are going on a school trip, especially with 16 to 18-year-olds, you have got to be aware of the problems faced by the environment – teenagers are naturally curious.”
But he added: “Until a full investigation takes place you can’t judge and jury this situation.”
Pam Milner, deputy secretary of the Bradford branch of the NASUWT union, also said she was reluctant to pass any judgement until the school’s investigation was completed.
Mrs Milner said: “It’s so easy with Facebook, or any other social networking site, to paint a picture that can be interpreted in a misrepresentative way.”
e-mail: ben.barnett @telegraphandargus.co.uk
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Your Say YourBradford
Rambo, bradford says...
1:48pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Hewibaby, Long Lee says...
2:43pm Tue 10 Nov 09
NOTSOCOMMENSENSE, BINGLEY says...
2:51pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Up with the partridge, Norwich says...
3:03pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Leighann, Bradford says...
3:04pm Tue 10 Nov 09
Is 16 the legal age limit for having sex? And isn't 18 the legal age limit for alcohol consumption? The pupils are old enough to deal with the situation. Do we really live in a nanny state? I can guarantee that the pupils will have seen worse via the internet.
potterwatch, bingley says...
2:06pm Sat 5 Dec 09
He'll be a big loss considering all he's done in his few years there.
I know the two teachers involved and I can't imagine either of them letting this happen. It's just not something they'd do. You have to realise that a school trip can encounter lots of situations that couldn't be predicted before hand, particularly when traveling to the other side of the world to a completely different culture. Any teachers who find themselves in a situation they didn't expect have to evaluate as they go along. They can hardly be blamed.
I'm sure the pupils all had an amazing experience on the trip - we have to remember that teenagers often exaggerate experiences that they've not had before!
Head teacher at Bingley Grammar School Chris Taylor
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albion, west riding says...
1:37pm Tue 10 Nov 09