DISGUSTING IMAGES

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While studying at Focus for Human Development at Gypsy Hill - London I witnessed on numerous occasion students watching those kind of images, 'without the care in the world', and none of them had been cautioned. In fact, tutors would make remarks such as:

"Oh, that's why are you behind with your coursework. Watching too much porn!"

Frankly, I could not believe my eyes when I realised what was going on at Focus for Human Development, one of the Lewisham College training centres. I complained to some of the fellow students about those images and told them how upset I felt having to study in such an environment.

There was no point in me complaining to the tutors who were tolerating such practices, for I am old enough to know where from and when the troubles could be coming from.

I decided to keep mostly, to myself and tried to get on with my coursework. Very often David Hough (FHD tutor) would come to me and say:

" ...You will have problem with this .."

Meaning that he would make it difficult for me to complete the City and Guilds Modules that I had chosen to study. He would say many other things as well, which are documented in my letters of complain to the authorities.

Modules in question were:

Spreadsheet Module
Database Module
Web Design

From day one, I wanted to learn as much as possible as to be able to increase my employment prospects and to learn new stuff and improve and update my existing computer skills. I was always on time, never late, while many other students would come and go as they pleased. I was totally dedicated to learning, and instead of being given support and adequate material I had been discriminated, insulted and made fun of.

One of the tutors gave me a couple of CD-ROM's, without me asking for it. Probably trying to impress me, or who knows what, for the reasons best known to himself.

I must admit I was curios what was on those CD-ROM's and I had a look at them on my friend's PC. I was so disgusted with the contents that I at first threw those CD-ROM's in the rubbish bin but after couple of days I took them back from the rubbish bin and kept them in the safe place.
I can not produce those images (for they are far too offensive) but there are many as well as some video clips etc. I haven't fully inspected those CD-ROMs for I don't want to come across any of such images again.

Again, I informed the authorities:

• Jennifer Small, New Deal Programme Director at Lewisham College
• Vice Principal Geoff Sorrell at Lewisham College,
• Principal Ruth Silver at Lewisham College
• Jason Martin at Sidcup Jobcentre Plus - New Deal Authority
• Sue Nicol at Sidcup Jobcentre Plus - New Deal Authority

with what was going in my letters and in the meetings that I had with them.

I was asking them to go to the FHD and investigate and address my complain in full. I expected them to go to the training centre and inspect their PCs, hard drives, floppy disks, CD-ROMs, tutorials, and student handouts and talk to the students.

I introduced those CD-ROMs to Vice Principal and New Deal Programme Director but they were not interested and said that those from FHD would flatly denied it.

What happened?
Frankly, nothing happened at all.

The replies I got were as follows:

• Jason Martin from Sidcup Jobcentre Plus replied that he would write to FHD asking them to address my grievances. For a very long time there was no news from him, and almost two months later his deputy Sue Nicol from Sidcup Jobcentre Plus got in contact with me and even told me that they never received some of my correspondence, which was hard to believe. In December she wrote to me that she saw no reason for any further investigation, and that she considered the matters closed. They never investigated any of those porn materials or any other illegal activities.
• Simon Keeping, Training Manager from FHD flatly denied everything regarding porn watching in his letter, and failed to answer most of the matters raised in my complain.
• Jennifer Small, New Deal Programme Director at Lewisham College provided me with the statement that had been written by Simon Keeping, Trainee Manager at FHD. The very person that should have been investigated with others from FHD for great neglect and misconduct of duty regarding educational standards, illegal activities and discriminatory practices. The reason I complained to Lewisham College had exactly been for the purpose of having impartial and full investigation. Of course, I have been very disappointed with the way FHD, Jobcentre Plus and Lewisham College neglected their duty.
• Vice Principal, Geoff Sorrell at Lewisham College informed me that the investigation had been conducted fully and properly. All that without being concerned at all with the seriousness of the ongoings at FHD. When he organised the meting, where all parties involved were present but me, he send me the letter for the meeting that was supposed to be held on 12th December '02 which I received on 14th December '02. Two days after the meeting. The letter had a Lewisham College stamp , dated 11th December '02 and a Post Office date - stamp of 12th December '02. That is a great insult to my intelligence, to treat me like that.
  He should have had a decency to make sure to inform me in good time about the meeting in question. Especially, making sure the letter to be send well in advance because of the coming holidays. Of course, they had a meeting and concluded that my complain was unfounded. What am I supposed to think and say?
• Principal, Ruth Silver CBE at Lewisham College whom I specifically asked to make sure that my grievances were addressed fully informed me that she would make sure that was the case. I am sorry to say but that hasn't been the case at all, and coming from her it was the greatest disappointment of all, that she agreed with the other findings that have been compiled with her subordinates.

It is a great pithy that they have not found it necessary to conduct full investigation and have not addressed the matters fully but chose to discriminate and insult me further and by such actions making my life very difficult. All of them have been complicit in cover-up an great neglect of duty and care that they have been entrusted with. Make no mistake I'll not give up until the justice is forthcoming and I am fully and adequately compensated for all that I have been through.

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