Teachers set me up, says accused head
A former headmaster accused of molesting four female teachers over a six-year period told a court yesterday that his accusers had not performed their duties satisfactorily and turned against him to cover their mistakes.
Diana Lee
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
A former headmaster accused of molesting four female teachers over a six-year period told a court yesterday that his accusers had not performed their duties satisfactorily and turned against him to cover their mistakes.
So Yau-hang, 53, also testified his earlier offer to resign was not an admission of guilt, but made because he felt it would be difficult for him to continue if his teachers ganged up against him.
So, a married former headmaster of Yan Oi Tong Ting Ka Ping Primary School in Tseung Kwan O, told Kwun Tong Court he had made the pursuit of excellence his priority since he took over the school in February 1999.
He said he did not hesitate to scold teachers who were at fault as he wanted them to improve.
So said the four teachers - witnesses A, B, C and D - had been chastised individually for poor performances.
The defendant said his working relationship with A and D turned sour after he blamed D for not properly investigating allegations of cheating in the Chinese paper of the Territory-wide System Assessment, for which A was also responsible.
He said he had warned D he would reveal his own probe on January 25 and it was likely he, A, D and some other teachers would be penalized by the school's board of directors.
He also scolded B in front of other teachers - making her cry - and he twice rejected applications by C for promotion.
The teachers previously testified they had not reported So's molestations earlier as they feared for their jobs.
So disagreed. He said there were a number of new programs funded by the Education and Manpower Bureau that allowed all schools to hire more teachers. He denied making flirtatious remarks and he considered putting his arms around female teachers an inappropriate act for a headmaster. He said he offered to resign on January 31 after he was informed by the school supervisor that several teachers had accused him of sexual harassment.
"I was under great pressure," So said. "If teachers fabricate charges against me, it would be difficult to continue. I was also worried about the school's reputation should the allegations be leaked."
However, So said, after discussing the matter with his wife, he decided to retract his resignation the next day as he believed he was being unfairly treated. And he was prepared to risk the teachers filing police reports as he wanted to clear his name.
"I know if I am convicted, I may go to jail and lose my pension," So told the court.
When the defense spoke about the large number of social gatherings at the school, the prosecution interjected.
"What are you trying to suggest, that the teachers liked you, were secretly in love with you?" the prosecutor asked.
"I wanted to say that if I had acted improperly toward them, they would not have joined these activities," So answered.
"I put it to you they did so because they feared the authority of the headmaster," the prosecutor said. "I disagree," So replied.
So's wife, Ng Wai-hang, told the court the couple had been married for 23 years and she trusted her husband.
Magistrate Gary Lam Kar-yan adjourned the case to November 12 for legal submissions.
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