There's something about Peter Richards

It would seem that Peter Richards, a teacher at the problematic Carenne School is like a cat with nine lives, being protected by someone high up in the department.

Peter Richards' behaviour first came to SEA staff's attention when he was reported for using inappropriate behaviour management techniques. A parent complained that they had gone to the school and observed their son sitting at a desk outside the classroom with one arm tied to the desk. The parent untied their child and had a heated argument with Mr Richards.

When Lyn Duncan was asked about the arrangement, she denied that it happened and claimed that she was aware of who made the complaint and that they were known to staff at the school for being liars.

Complaints have been made about Richards leaving his classroom through the middle of the day, leaving students under the sole supervision of the class' aide so that he can go outside the school for a cigarette. This is a serious breach of both the department's duty of care to students and child protection guidelines.

Richards was then under the spotlight when it was discovered that he had been having an extra-marital affair with an aide at the school - Prue Luffman. This was not behaviour which upheld the reputation of the department or acting ethically and responsibly and breached the code of conduct. Despite this, nothing was done about it apart from Prue Luffman being offered no further work at the school.

In what should have been the straw that broke the camel's back, it was learned in April that Peter Richards had a drug problem, being a habitual marijuana smoker for years. He was admitted to hospital to get off the drugs but later relapsed, with his addiction being so bad that staff at Carenne have smelt the smell of marijuana on him when he is at school.

Richards' use of marijuana breaches the code of conduct, yet Peter Harvey has done nothing about it. The department has in the past dismissed employees who were charged with drink driving, claiming that it proved that they had an unaddressed alcohol problem.

Why Peter Richards receives special treatment compared to other teachers in the district remains a mystery.

Is Angie Cranston the aide from hell?

The Carenne Saviours have contacted Carenne Gate concerned about staffing adjustments being made at Carenne Special School due to her relentless bullying and harassment of other staff. Despite a history of incompetence, sexual misconduct, misuse of school equipment and being named in bullying complaints, Neil Moon does nothing about Cranston's misconduct.

"Angie is part of Neil Moon's inner circle" said one Saviour.

The Saviours allege that Angie Cranston, along with Simone Russell, Michael Auld and Margaret Rowe was responsible for spreading rumours throughout the school that Prue Luffman was having an affair with Peter Richards, leading to Mrs Luffman's nervous breakdown and resignation from Carenne. They also claim that along with Lucy Thornton, Angie Cranston hid or destroyed evidence that Carenne Support were not providing therapy to students which they had claimed they were doing therapy on.

The Saviours claim that Barbara Woolfe resigned from Carenne after working with Mrs Cranston, who made several serious allegations about her including claims that Mrs Woolfe was abusing children.

Earlier in the year, Kelly Thompson, a teacher highly regarded by parents was forced on to stress leave after she was bullied and harassed by Mrs Cranston. The department has since relocated her to Bathurst West Public to take her out of the stressful environment at Carenne.

The latest teacher to fall victim to Mrs Cranston is Matt Casey, who now refuses to work in the class despite being offered block work on that class. According to the Saviours, Mr Casey claimed he could not work with a woman like Mrs Cranston who pushed staff around and who neglected the welfare of students.

The failure of Neil Moon and Peter Harvey to take action against Mrs Cranston shows the special treatment members of the so-called Carenne Klan receive from the department.

Jake Rosenberg provides report showing condition of shafted Carenne employee

Following yesterday's revelation that staff in the department's Bathurst District Office had corruptly interfered in the worker's compensation claims of department employees, Jake Rosenberg has provided a copy of an incident report she was given by Michael Auld to take to Prue Luffman.

Rosenberg claims she was also given an email which was previously posted on this blog which Mr Auld asked her to take to Mrs Luffman because it would show she was subject to complaints and it would force her to drop her complaints against Carenne.

Rosenberg claims the incident report proves the condition that Mrs Luffman was in due to constant bullying and harassment by Carenne employees. She claims that Mr Auld provided her with a plethora of documentation which Mr Auld had asked for her to deliver to Mrs Luffman in an effort to have her drop her worker's compensation claim.

Terry Neal labels Carenne staff as gossipers

In an email between Terry Neal and Peter Harvey discussing Prue Luffman's situation, Terry Neal has admitted to telling Mrs Luffman that female Carenne staff are gossipers.

In the email, Mr Neal says -

I also told her that she was working in an environment with significant female colleagues and that may at times, lead to other females noticing what may, or may not, be happening and the potential to spread gossip.

The conversation came about when Mrs Luffman approached Mr Neal about a female Carenne staff member (believed to be Margaret Rowe, but not named in the email) at a local hotel who accused her of inappropriate behaviour around another staff member. Mrs Luffman didn't tell Mr Neal who the person was and Mr Neal provided advice on dealing with the matter.

During Mrs Luffman's employment at Carenne she was subject to a complaint by the teacher of her class Nadine Dwyer, according to the email.

The email also mentions the employment arrangement between Carenne and Mrs Luffman during 2009. Mrs Luffman has claimed that she was promised full-time work past the end of the year, yet according to Mr Neal he told Mrs Luffman and the class teacher Mrs Dwyer that the class was temporary and may or may not be extended at the end of the year.

Hatho claims that Mr Neal is lying about this as it was Lyn Duncan who gave Mrs Luffman and Mrs Dwyer the jobs and she overheard a conversation between the trio where Mrs Duncan told them the job was temporary to begin with but would become permanent next year at which time Mrs Duncan and Miss Churches would ensure Luffman and Dwyer got through the merit selection process.

When the class was extended Mr Neal claims that the school executive decided to fill the positions by merit selection. Hatho claims that Mrs Luffman went on stress leave due to marriage difficulties and to get back at Carenne for offering her no further full-time work.