Mum speaks out over claims of historical abuse on pupils by teacher at Sutherland primary school
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Highland Council education bosses have been accused of major failings lasting years in their duty to protect pupils from a teacher accused of being severely abusive at a Sutherland primary school.
Persistent complaints first emerged about the treatment Rosena Wilkie is alleged to have meted out to pupils at Gledfield Primary in 2012 by a pupil support assistant.
Nikki Beesley “made weekly verbal complaints” to the head teacher at the time Kirsten MacNeil, but it is claimed she did not act on them amid closure fears due to a shrinking school roll.
The allegations broke in the Sunday Times last week as more and more information has emerged indicating the maltreatment goes back many years before 2012 allied with a pattern of silence from the authorities.
Now a mother has come forward stating that had the council acted promptly on the allegations her daughter would not have suffered physical and mental abuse that caused her significant psychological problems.
Stacie Brix and her daughter Amelie have been dealing with what their lawyer describes as the “devastating consequences” of “severe allegations of abuse of pupils” – something attested to by fellow pupils, staff and others.
The problems for Amelie started in November 2017 in Primary one at Gledfield – five years after the first allegations were made by Ms Beesley – when Mrs Brix observed a worrying change in her behavior and character.
Arriving at the school for a meeting, Mrs Brix saw Mrs Wilkie pin Amelie in a doorway and just inches from her face was pointing a finger aggressively while “intimidating” her in a “low tone of voice.”
Mrs Brix immediately wrote a complaint to the head teacher, quality improvement officer and copied it to the parent council, but Mrs Wilkie got wind of the complaints and the next day tried to stop Amelie from having lunch.
The incident was reported to the head teacher and was apparently checked with no lunch order placed for Amelie – but none of that was reported to the parent by the school.
The abuse was said to be both physical and verbal and included shouting at and belittling pupils as well as those with additional support needs, physical violence leading to injuries such as bruising.
What is established is that Ms Beesley made a complaint in February of 2017 about Mrs Wilkie, which was followed by another complaint in November of 2017 by Mrs Brix.
It is not certain what happened but it appears that either Mrs Wilkie was suspended for an uncertain time period or was moved to another school – what is certain is that the council was moving slowly in the matter.
According to a complaint written jointly by Mrs Brix and Ms Beesley: “It was not until September 2018 that an education official from Highland council took down her formal statement as part of an investigation into Wilkie, who was suspended three months later.”
Stacie Brix only wishes the local authority had taken the initial complaints seriously, saying: “If Highland Council had acted at an earlier stage then this could all have been prevented.
“I do think it is worth making the point that nothing that is frightened can learn and nobody should expect their child to be unsafe in a school setting and frightened.
“The complaints began before Amelie was born and what is emerging is a picture of career long abuse going back three decades and all of it was known as some point by the authorities who took no action.”
She added: “And now five years on we are still waiting for an outcome.”
Unanswered questions remain, however, as Highland Council refused to address questions put to it by the Northern Times.
A spokeswoman said: “We do not comment on personnel matters. The council has strict child protection and safeguarding policies in place and any complaint received is treated seriously and thoroughly investigated in line with policy.”
Mrs Wilkie is now awaiting a GTCS (General Teaching Council for Scotland) panel hearing next year with the dates expected to be confirmed in December.
