‘Teachers fear unfair label of child abuse’

Teachers’ union president Kevin Bonello has bemoaned the end of an ‘era of charity’ where volunteers working with children and disabled people risk being the targets of frivolous abuse allegations.

“The era of flexibility, charity and duties extra and above one’s remit is unfortunately over,” MUT president Kevin Bonello said in the light of accusations of child abuse brought against Anthony Callus, a 46-year old MUSEUM (Society of Christian Doctrine) volunteer, who was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to abusing a 10-year-old boy.

On 24 August, during a MUSUEM swimming outing to Bahar ic-Caghaq, Callus was said to have lifted a 10-year-old boy out of the sea from his waist. The boy perceived this as ‘abuse’ because, according to him, Callus “slightly touched his genital region”.

Callus was kept in police custody for five days, with the courts allowing the publication of his name.

The case is still ongoing but many people have taken to the social media to defend Callus and to criticise the justice system for the way this case has been handled. Siggiewi mayor Karol Aquilina and Marsaxlokk mayor Edric Micallef have both gone public with their support for Callus.

“Many teachers and volunteers are highly concerned that they might get unfairly labelled as child abusers,” Kevin Bonello told MaltaToday. “Church-related NGOs and NGOs which work with children have contacted me with these concerns.

“The way these incidents have been dealt with has delivered a severe blow to voluntary work,” Bonello said.

“People are now arguing that it is insane to volunteer for work with children, including in NGOs which deal with special conditions and disabilities. Excellent teachers might be tempted to find a less risky job too.

“They are exposed to risks that are wholly dependent on interpretation, with little investigation carried out.”

Paul Attard Baldacchino works as a child psychologist in Maltese public schools. “Teachers have told me that they are afraid of getting unfairly labelled as child abusers,” he said.

“I’m sure that teachers will now approach students with more caution. For example, in primary school it is common for teachers to have some form of physical contact with students – hand holding in corridors, hugging, helping them put on their jackets. Some teachers are likely to get more anxious about this sort of contact.”

And a spokesperson for the Malta Scouts Association also confirmed that “an element of fear” existed “among most, if not all, youth workers.”

 “The very nature of some work, including teaching children life-saving techniques such as CPR, water safety and swimming, requires physical contact with children.

“This is by no means a new phenomenon either,” the association said. “Adult professionals have been adopting a more distant and less caring attitude to children they work with for quite some time now.”