NZ Teaching Council investigating Gloriavale principal over concerns he failed to ensure safety of children

Monday, 21 December 2020

Gloriavale’s school principal has stood down

The New Zealand Teaching Council is investigating Gloriavale’s former school principal Faithful Pilgrim after receiving allegations he failed to keep pupils safe.

Pilgrim has stood down from his position over claims he had failed to act over a teacher abusing a child, according to the Gloriavale Leavers Support Trust.

In a statement released on Monday the trust said Pilgrim had recently stepped down from the role on advice from his lawyer.

There were concerns by former members regarding Pilgrim’s alleged knowledge and cover-up of abuse of children by staff and other children and alleged harassment of members in his role as a “shepherd” at Gloriavale, the trust said.

A protest against Gloriavale was held outside the Christchurch Town Hall, before The Press Leaders Debate in October.

* Gloriavale leavers launch petition and protests to get Government inquiry

* Second senior member leaves secretive sect Gloriavale over management concerns

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Gloriavale is on the West Coast of New Zealand.

Teacher Just Standfast admitted to a charge of sexual conduct with a child in March last year and was later sentenced to six months of community detention and two years of intensive supervision.

It is alleged that Pilgrim knew of the allegations against Standfast when they first surfaced but still allowed him to teach.

Requests from Stuff to speak to senior leaders at Gloriavale were refused on Monday, one person saying “no one here is interested”, another saying “we don’t talk to journalists” and saying she had no comment.

The Teaching Council received a complaint about Pilgrim’s alleged misconduct from Liz Gregory, the trust’s manager, on August 10.

A senior investigator later confirmed that it was “investigating the allegation that Faithful Pilgrim failed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of learners”.

Gloriavale Christian Community senior leader Howard Temple (pictured) could not be reached for comment on Monday.

Teaching Council chief executive Lesley Hoskin told Stuff: “The Teaching Council has received a notification relating to [Faithful Pilgrim] and that notification is currently under investigation by the [Complaints Assessment Committee].”

In a statement released on Monday the support trust said Pilgrim had recently stood down from the role on advice from his lawyer.

Pilgrim’s certification to teach expired at the end of October, the Teaching Council’s register shows, which Hoskin said meant he had chosen not to renew it.

Hoskin would not confirm claims by the trust that the Teaching Council had conducted interviews with former members, saying the investigation was confidential.

Pilgrim has spent more than 40 years at the isolated religious commune, much of this time as principal of the school, according to the supporters trust.

Standfast, whose offending came to light when he was publicly named by the courts last December, avoided jail time after indecently touching and kissing his “favourite” pupil.

In 2012 he indecently assaulted the 9-year-old girl, repeatedly kissed her and exposed himself on a bed during a playtime break.

He admitted a charge of sexual conduct with a child and was sentenced to six months of community detention and two years of intensive supervision.

Gregory said she became frustrated when attempts to alert authorities to the alleged danger children were in were not taken seriously and investigated immediately, prompting her to complain to the Teaching Council on behalf of a number of leavers who expressed concern.

Gregory said that emails she sent to the Ministry of Education containing concerns over alleged abuse, lack of access to equal education for girls, use of humiliation and harsh treatment in school were mostly unanswered.

“What’s been frustrating is that it took a phone call to the police, three emails to the Ministry of Education, a phone call from the Ministry of Education and finally a Teaching Council complaint, over an 18-month period to get any action.

“I find that unacceptable when we’re talking about child safety.”

Ex-member Virginia Courage said she was aware of the allegations concerning Standfast.

“It was just sort of common knowledge. I remember the girls talking about it, but not knowing what to do.

“There was never anything said to the children that if something was happening to them, here is what you should do.”

Gregory claimed multiple agencies know about allegations of sexual, physical and psychological abuse in Gloriavale, and they have access to talk to ex-members who were willing to speak up.

“It appears they have all been reluctant to open this huge can of worms.”