I started in radio when I was doing Year 12 at Northam Senior High School in Western Australia. I lived in a little town called York which was 35 ks from Northam and I would catch a school bus in the morning very early. My first radio gig was a 6 week night shift on the radio station at Northam which was called 6AM. At the time that the opportunity arose, we weren't sure how I was actually going to get out to the radio station for my 6pm shift. My parents couldn't really help because they were running a 7 day supermarket in York.
My long suffering English teacher came to the rescue. Mrs Prentice was a gem. She taught me in English and English Literature and we found each other challenging in a positive way. When the radio gig came up, Mrs Prentice made a wonderful offer which I took up. She offered to have me at her house in the afternoons after school and then to drive me up the 5 or 6 Ks out to the radio station at around 5:30.
That's what we did for 6 weeks. After school, I would go to the staff room and wait. Mrs Prentice would then drive me to her house and offer snacks and a quiet place to do my homework. Then she'd drive me up to the radio station. She did it because she was a caring teacher who was trying to help one of her students. My father used to pick me up at the end of the shift which was around 9pm.
Why am I telling you this story.
Well, I'm telling you in support of Tania Tominac, the former St Francis Xavier teacher.
Think about this scenario. If I had somehow had a falling out with Mrs Prentice and had wanted to wreak havoc on her life....can you imagine what would have happened if I had accused Mrs Prentice of being a sexual predator and of preying upon a young innocent lad like me. Once those allegations were on the table, the rest of the world would have looked so suspiciously at the fact that Mrs Prentice took me into her home for a couple of hours every day. Whatever the verdict in any trial that may have followed, Mrs Prentice would have been considered by many as being totally guilty. It wouldn't have mattered what other evidence was offered, the fact that she had taken me to her home every day for 6 weeks would have buried her in the eyes of most people.
Truth be known Mrs Prentice was the best teacher I ever had. Her influence on me continues today. She was just doing her job and acting well and truly above and beyond many of those around her.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Mrs Prentice
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I had a close friend who ended up falsely accusing a school teacher of molesting her. Her family were a well know and respected family in the town we lived in and he was a young student teacher who was just trying to develop relationships with his students - she took it too far. He lost his job immediately. It took over a year to go to court and the day before she admitted it was all false. The parents at the school did not want him due to the 'tarnished' reputation. To this day I still feel so much anger and bitterness about this, and I was not even a part of it. I understand he moved interstate and is now teaching at an all boys school - but it amazes me that an immature 14 year old could so easily ruin a persons life.
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