Teacher accused of abusing 15 teenage girls
A teacher who faces trial for dozens of offences of sexual abuse against children will be returning to school in October, writes SIC Notícias today, adding straight afterwards that “the management of the school where he has been placed – as well as the Ministry of Education – guarantee that he will not be teaching”.
“The school community is calm about the news that the teacher accused of sexual abuse is returning to work”, the station explains.
The teacher of religion and morals is on holiday until October 23, after which he will return to school (in this case, to the Escola Básica EB 2, 3 in Rates, Póvoa de Varzim), where he was placed in the annual ‘internal mobility’ placement process.
The school board has already assured parents that the teacher will not be teaching, but it admitted to SIC that it has not yet received any indication to this effect from the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry however has told Jornal de Notícias that this situation arose because it cannot legally extend the suspension from duty to which this teacher has been subjected since 2019, when disciplinary proceedings were taken against him following several allegations of child sexual abuse.
The case has since been tried in court. The teacher – who pleaded not guilty – faced 87 counts of sexually abusing 15 schoolgirls, aged between 14 and 17.
The verdict is expected to be handed down on October 4, i.e. before the teacher is scheduled to return to school.
What SIC’s report hasn’t explained is what might happen if the teacher’s ‘not guilty’ plea is upheld. ND
Source: SIC Notícias
