Dear Editor,

As the saga unfolds of principal of Hampton School, Heather Murray’s involvement in the matter of the accused minister Rupert Clarke, I think the culture of silence that we have embraced has been broken.

No longer is there hushed whispering on wrongdoing.

Also there must be no law that protects an accused from being photographed. Name them and shame them! Even if it’s my family member.

As I reflect on Murray’s presentation at a professional development conference in January 2016, how didactic in nature her presentation was as she urged us to love ourselves and take care of your image as well as mental wellness, I wonder. She also encouraged us to reflect on our journey and prepare a way to move forward in our lives as mothers, educators and upright citizens. What was she thinking when she impeded the reporter, and where was the display of moral conscience that she extols?

I am always saddened when matters of this ignominious nature shadow a career that much emphasis had been placed on character building and qualification. Teachers, and especially pastors, are expected to lead lives of unparalleled regularity. Predators can’t hide behind these professions that warrant trust. No child belongs to a lesser god and is undeserving of care and protection.

It is imperative to extricate oneself from matters that involve the police and close relatives which can jeopardise your livelihood and taint your image. We should seek to find out how the victim is managing, instead.

Nothing Murray says now justifies her stance. You must be willing to die for a noble cause not an ignoble one. She must not remain in her employ. Any professional who has been imbued with values of self-respect and common sense will be willing to walk the talk.

Boundaries are critical, she has overstepped this one.

Denise James

queenbungani@yahoo.com