The director of P.E.I.’s Public Colleges Department says the group solely related two classroom incidents involving Matthew Alan Craswell after he was arrested on unrelated baby pornography costs final summer time.
Tracy Beaulieu sat down with CBC Information for an interview Tuesday for the primary time since Craswell pleaded guilty to sexual touching at Stratford’s Glen Stewart Main, in addition to baby pornography offences, final week.
“As soon as we came upon in regards to the costs that had been in place for Mr. Craswell, we went and regarded into our information to see, was there something that we had? And it did unfold that there was an investigation carried out in April [2024],” Beaulieu instructed CBC Information.
“At that second in time we thought ‘we have to notify police.'”
Craswell, 40, initially confronted solely baby pornography costs associated to possession and distribution after he used the messaging app Kik to ship photographs depicting baby intercourse abuse that had been flagged by the Nationwide Heart for Lacking and Exploited Youngsters in the USA.
CBC News reached out to the PSB at the moment to substantiate that the Matthew Craswell who was charged was the identical one who was promoting himself on-line as a P.E.I. substitute instructor.
The fees associated to the Glen Stewart incident had been laid within the following days.
“There was one other incident that got here up and we realized we’d like a centralized monitoring system,” Beaulieu stated.
“If the data would have been in a centralized location, we’d have recognized tendencies in that and checked out issues somewhat bit in another way.”
Each investigations dominated out sexual motive
The primary report identified to CBC of Craswell’s behaviour was at a college in June 2023.
Little is understood about this occasion, however sources instructed CBC Information it occurred at a Charlottetown-area elementary college.
Beaulieu stated the incident was investigated, however wouldn’t share particulars for privateness causes.
“We had not had any data at that time limit by the investigation that occurred to recommend that there was malicious intent by Matthew Craswell,” Beaulieu stated. “There would have been an investigation that concerned statements from mother and father, and statements from college students and employees, and that was the choice that was made on the time.
“Nevertheless, now we hear fairly a distinct story and that is what’s actually tough.”
Court docket information present the main points of that incident got here to gentle for investigators final fall, after Craswell’s gadgets had been seized from his Cornwall house and there was an evaluation of his on-line exercise.
If anyone would have suspected that he had a felony intent in thoughts…. He would have been carried out.— Tracy Beaulieu, Public Colleges Department director
Investigators realized that Craswell boasted about sexually touching three women whereas educating them.
Police had been in touch with the women’ households after that, however mother and father finally determined to not permit their youngsters to maneuver ahead with police interviews, so the investigation didn’t proceed and Craswell was by no means charged for that incident.
The one college incident for which Craswell confronted costs was at Glen Stewart the following yr.
After that incident, the dad or mum went to the varsity’s principal on the time, who consulted with the PSB.
In each instances, neither police nor Baby Safety Companies had been contacted.
“The Baby Safety Act requires obligatory reporting of suspected instances of kid sexual abuse to the Director of Baby Safety or a peace officer and applies to everybody together with college/program personnel,” reads P.E.I.’s Baby Intercourse Abuse Protocol.
“The duty to report is unrestricted by any pre-condition that the criticism be first reported throughout the respective departments, companies or companies, even when the perpetrator is alleged to be an worker of that establishment, service or company.”
Beaulieu stated the PSB did its personal investigations into each instances and located no proof to recommend the incidents, wherein the scholars had been touched on their abdomen and legs by Craswell, had been sexual in nature.
“These selections would have been made primarily based on the assertion of info on the time about whether or not there was an intent and hurt directed at college students,” Beaulieu stated. “From that, I’ve been knowledgeable there was no intent or malicious intent behind it. And that is why there wouldn’t have been a name.”
Beaulieu instructed CBC Information it’s normal for faculties to conduct their very own investigations with help from the Public Colleges Department’s human assets or scholar companies groups.
“Folks will not permit predatory behaviour if they think that it is there,” she stated.
Craswell was moved to excessive faculties
One other element that got here out in court docket was that following the April 2024 inside investigation, the choice was made to solely permit Craswell to show older youngsters going ahead.
Beaulieu stated that was due to Craswell’s personal background and expertise, and it was unconnected to the reported incident and investigation carried out at Glen Stewart.
“It was deemed that he is high-school skilled. And placements of individuals are typically within the areas that they’re formally skilled,” Beaulieu stated.
“If anyone would have suspected that he had a felony intent in thoughts, he would not have been positioned wherever in our system. Not highschool. Not wherever. He would have been carried out… RCMP would have been notified.”
When requested in regards to the authority the PSB has to conduct investigations as a substitute of permitting skilled police investigators to take over, Beaulieu stated “that is the place now we have engaged with working with baby protecting companies.”
She added, “We need to speak with police and actually define all of these elements in order that we be certain that the folks which are discussing these issues and investigating these issues have the suitable coaching and understanding.”
Beaulieu stated the PSB has already begun these conversations with each baby safety and police companies.
“We will guarantee going ahead that we’re all stable making these selections,” she stated.
The director stated different adjustments have already been made, and so they didn’t anticipate Craswell’s responsible pleas final week.
In keeping with Beaulieu, the PSB adopted the recently announced centralized tracking system for employees complaints over the past college yr.
All college employees have additionally participated within the newly required Decide to Children coaching program from the Canadian Centre for Baby Safety.
P.E.I.’s former chief justice David Jenkins (proven) will lead a evaluate taking a look at insurance policies and procedures in Island faculties to guard college students from sexual predators. This, after a former substitute instructor pleaded responsible final week to sexual interference, in a case involving an elementary college scholar. CBC’s Kerry Campbell studies.
Beaulieu stated the PSB will do no matter it takes to regain the belief of Island households, and it is open to different solutions.
When requested about accountability within the Public Colleges Department, Beaulieu stated there is just one individual accountable for what occurred.
“It is Matthew Craswell,” she stated.
“What we have to do as a system is guarantee that we’re doing all the things we will to make sure that somebody like a Matthew Craswell would not get by these gaps and cracks anymore.”
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