MARIST COLLEGE INQUIRY

BerraBoy: I bet most of the Brothers knew of Kostka’s (and others)actions…and I know that some of them certainly knew.

Good idea on O’shea’s book. You should talk to the eros foundation about publishing a book on Marist College Canberra. In April 2000 the Eros Foundation in Australia published a book entitled “Hypocrites” focussing on the high incidence of sexual crime in the church. I bet they would be happy to publish an update that targeted marsit.

E-mail was sent to Old Boys assoc on Weekend asking for their response to the current scandal. To date Ive heard nothing back. Although interestingly, two of the three e-mail addressees I tried for various C’ttee members were invalid!

I also doubt the legacy of the much venerated Bro. Mark, who is now dead. I doubt any of the Brothers know of Kostka’s and Lyons actions.

BTW: When O’shea’s book comes out about marist’s 40 years, I’m writting a review for the Canberra Times. Seems only fair as he reviews other authors books. My review however, will include marist’s dark history of systemic abuse (Sexual, physical and mental) as well as question why various Headmasters failed to acknowledge or stop it. I feel its only right to provide balance when writting an official history lest those that follow get the sweetness and light view of history.

from the mockery

Why wouldn’t seizing the old boy’s assoc. help? They’re unlikely to share their records willingly (too close to school). And the committe are my peers. I know them. They are those who benefited within a culture of systematised violence. They’re rugby fraternity; need I say more?

Will advise when a website is created you can link to. May have to be hosted OS to obviate libel issues. I’d want it to be very frank.

Br Joseph’s maxim was “Boys don’t receive respect [inherently]. Boys must EARN respect!” Says it all really, doesn’t it? He operated on the basis that none of us had any inherent or inalienable right to respect. Perhaps we earnt it by keeping our mouths shut….

Well, I’m prepared to “lose my self-respect”.

True, you do all have something in common.

But for the moment, you’re all more than a little divided and looking to achieve a wealth of ends and havent yet decided on a means (other than “maybe having a meeting”).

The guy who introduced himself wanting to “seize back control” of a position he once held 20 years ago won’t help your cause in the public eye though. From experience there are far more lurking readers than vocal posters or active contributors to The-RiotACT.

But re: “special link on the front page”, if you create a new posting you’ll get a unique address (eg: http://region.com.au/?p=6748 is this thread) but if its not to your liking you can use http://www.tinyurl.com or http://www.snurl.com to make it shorter.

You’d probably want to have a word to one of the admins (Jazz tim@region.com.au , Kramer?, Che(?)) about using their webhosting, bandwidth, and business profile, or some kind of reciprocal logo credit or other arrangement (not being an admin, I don’t know what their views are)

It looks like we are all on the same page to me. We are just coming at it from slightly different angles: Through my eyes:

We want an open and honest (independent) forum to report on the abuse;
We want those individuals (and the institution) to take responsibility for their actions and the effect that they have had on so many of us;
We want those individuals (and the institution) to pay for its actions (I am taking about public apology, public humiliation, jail, and maybe some bucks to offer independent counseling/psychiatric care for those affected. Some of us may feel that a cash payment will help, but I would rather see them use the cash to make sure this NEVER happens to young boys again.

BerraBoy68 : Great idea to post an ad in the CT and get old boys to log onto this site (maybe set up a special link on the home page??) Then once we get a feeling for the numbers of unity we can arranged a very coordinated attack.

…I feel a little better already!! Thanks one and all!

So whats your point?! Surely having a meeting to clarify each point and reach some guidance on a way forward (if indeed one exists) can’t be a bad idea?

Minor point:

I spot clear and announced factions already, and nothing has happened yet.
You have one person over here openly wanting to seize control of the oldboys assoc, some people who just don’t like the Old Boys Association in its current form, others interested in working through an outcome with JasonP, others wanting to take down the silent consentors and publish the findings of any inquiry, and another group of you just want to raise the profile of your cause.

Old Boys etc… can you tell me (rough number) if you think we can get old boys to come to a meeting please?

I think we can get something going here. I’m pretty sure I can also get an advert in the paper at nil cost – however we may get the journo along that I originally spoke to about Kostka, and Lyons being ex-marist as well as Dara last year. This would guarantee the issue gets back on the front page – its a new angle and they’re looking for that at the moment. I’ve also written to the Old Boys asking what they are doing if anything. A meeting can do the following:

get a feel for the size and scope of the abuse (physical, emotional, sexual etc..);
Request the Old boys to put out a statement urging boys affected to come forwarded; or we call ourselves the Old Boys an make this statement ourselves; make a formal request of the Headmaster to make his process transparent and also publish his finding – as well as ask him questions to which we want answers.

Can I get responses ASAP please on this forum until we get a meeting organised. I also think that if we do have a meeting we publicly thanks RiotAct for providing this forum!

I sure am. I’m also keen to set up a meeting between Old Boys who are interested and Jason Parkinson. from what I’ve seen in RiotACT so far there is enough interest.

Re: lack of other affected people knowing about the site:

Tell them if you know them?
This site is a -local- forum, Jazz and t’others really won’t mind if it helps build the RiotACT exposure and doesn’t get them (or you) sued.

re: inquiry: Wasn’t BerraBoy trying to make contact with the Old Boys Welfare People?

Thanks for the heads up….I don’t think many of us who suffered at the hands of Marist will be reporting any information back to the school….the same school that put ALL its students at risk, failed to protect those who WERE sexually, physically and mentally abused and the same school that has spent 40 years failing to take any action and going to all measures to cover up there own brotherhood of criminals.

It is a big shame that more ex-Marist boys are unaware of this site. It has sure been beneficial to me to see (although I am sorry for it) that there are lots of others that have suffered.

If anyone knows anyone in government it would be great if someone could get them to appoint someone independent to find out the breath of abuse at the school and somehow makes those that committed the crimes pay….and those that covered them up and failed to take action pay also…..and I am not talking about $$$. They can keep their “god” money. It has blood on it. I would prefer for them to suffer in the public domain so that they could be seen by all for the REAL people they are!!

If anyone hears of a non-Marist led enquiry… please please please post it here.

The inquiry I mentioned in the earlier one was from the comment from Jason Parkinson:
Canberra lawyer acting for the ex-students Jason Parkinson says the current headmaster of Marist College has called for an inquiry into the claims.

“I understand the present headmaster quite properly has called for an inquiry and stated that he’ll assist as he can,” he said.

So either Headmaster Sidorko or someone able to speak for the school, or Jason Parkinson may know.

But the extra cynical part of me will point out that the inquiry was only called for, not explicity mentioned as going ahead.