- Girls’ secondary school admits sexual assault by a staff member
- The director has written to all parents confidentially
- Do you know more? Email candace.sutton@mailonline.com
The headmistress of a prestigious girls’ secondary school has sent a confidential letter saying one of the pupils was allegedly indecently assaulted by a staff member who has now been charged.
In a confidential letter obtained by Daily Mail Australia on Thursday, the principal of Roma Mitchell Secondary College has written to all parents and guardians of the school’s 500 female students.
Principal Toni Carellas wrote, “I regret to inform you that a member of staff has been charged with indecent assault on a child,” trying to reassure parents.
“The staff member is not allowed to do child-related work and has been instructed not to attend school,” she wrote.
She reports that the staff member, who Ms. Carellas does not identify as a teacher or other type of school employee, has left the school and emphasizes the need to “protect the identity of the victim.”
South Australian police confirmed a man has been charged with two counts of indecent assault in connection with the school.
Toni Carellas, headmaster of an all-girls school (pictured), has written to parents in which he ‘regrets to announce that a staff member has been accused of sexually assaulting a child’
The alleged assault by a staff member was of a schoolgirl at the Roma Mitchell Secondary College (above) for girls in Adelaide’s north
In her confidential letter (above), written by principal Toni Carellas, she said there was no evidence of other alleged victims at this stage, but ‘I am concerned for the welfare of any students… (who) may be in contact had with the employee
“There is no evidence at this stage that students at the school other than the victims are involved in the alleged offence,” Mr Carellas said in the letter.
‘However, I am concerned for the welfare of all students at the school as they may have had contact with the member of staff.’
Roma Mitchell student campus, one of only two all-girls public schools in South Australia located in a northern suburb of Adelaide, prides itself ‘on promoting leadership, academic excellence and equality within an all-girls learning environment’.
According to its website, it offers a “safe and supportive” community and “attracts students from across the state and the world.”
The alleged indecent assault by a school employee at the girls’ school has so far involved only one victim, but the school principal is concerned for any schoolgirls who may have had contact with the suspect
The school was founded in 2011 by combining four now defunct secondary schools in or near the Adelaide suburb of Gepps Cross.
It offers specialist programs in mathematics, science and technology, as well as AFL, cricket, football and basketball, and vocational training programmes.