Baptist won’t make decision on principal’s sex scandal soon enough
The mother of the sixteen year old girl who was in a relationship with the principal of the Baptist High School met with the Baptist Board on Saturday. The outcome of the meeting was not what she expected. Instead of finding comfort that the pastor and counselor would in the least be suspended, the board fell short of that decision. They only committed to making a determination by the twenty-seventh of August. News Five sat with the parent who does not want the Principal, Pastor Norman Willacey to have further contact with any of her children at school.
Voice of: Mother of 16 year old victim
“I gave them the proof and they took copies—the same proof that the news media had seen also. And one of them, the main man was gone, brought up that he felt; how do we know that my child was telling the truth—that it did not necessarily mean an indecent thing had been going on. And he said it didn’t necessarily mean sex. I said, the whole conversation that was seen on TV and the emails were about sex. And he said that he only said he was messing around. And I said, but the contents were about sex, so why would he be referring with something else. So I got upset about it and he said that he felt that I seemed like I was very angry. And I said of course I should be angry; this is my child that this is happening to and I’m not happy about it. And so then it went from him and my son speaking to him; and my daughter-in-law speaking to him and we were not happy with what he had said.”
Jose Sanchez
“But the letters you showed, they were very graphic. Has anyone recognized the signature or at least the handwriting from the letter that was written?”
Norman Willacey
Voice of: Mother of 16 year old Victim
“Nobody said anything like that. They just wanted photocopies of it and that was it. They wanted to keep that because I wasn’t going to let them keep any of my originals that I had. And again the conversation went on about what I think about this and did I feel as though this actually happened and if I believed my child. And I said I did and that there were signs all along that I did not pay enough attention to because I had trusted the man. This man baptized all of my children, including my daughter. And that this man I trusted fully, I would let him pick her up whatever time and take her off and she is supposed to be making up grades, going to sing for the church. And my boys also; I thought he was a good image of man—there is no male in the house. I know that he was on the board with the school, church committee with the school. I just felt that you know he is connected with the school also so I didn’t really want to go there. And so I went to again—and I will reiterate—I went to the school board and I went to Children Protective Services. And so that’s where I felt I was supposed to do. Then the next thing you know, they asked me not to give up on god; not to lose my faith in god. I said I’m not gonna lose my faith in god. They wanted to pray and I said that I don’t want to do because now I don’t know how I even feel about this particular organization.”
Jose Sanchez
“At this meeting did they tell you if Mr. Willacey will be suspended—at least for the duration of the investigation?”
Voice of: Mother of 16 year old Victim
“They were being very evasive about that because it was asked different times, different ways. They said that there was another person that they are waiting on to make the final decision with them and this person would not be back—they were out of, I’m assuming, out of the country—and the final decision would be made by the twenty-seventh of this month. I said that is not going to work for me. My children’s orientation starts this Friday and that man I don’t want to see him over my children or anybody’s daughters.”
Religious leadership, better than political leadership.
The moral high ground.
What would Jesus not do?
Where the welfare of children is concerned, it is necessary to err on the side of safety.
If there are no tests, examinations, or other protocols to try to identify and weed out potential predators before they are hired to positions of trust in schools, there should be. I’m sure Belize doesn’t need to invent that wheel, that there are such criteria and procedures available in the UK or USA.
Some homework for you to do, Hon. Minister of Education!
How typical, the Church covering up their bad apples trying to make themselves look good. The evidence is there, the pervert has already admitted, the documentation is in place. Without prejudice it looks like even the Church has lost it’s morals and lost their ways. Call in the Police and do an in depth investigation, forget negotiating with a biased Church board and the Ministry of Education, This appears to have been going on for a while, if the girl was underage when he first started having sex with her, put him inside just like everyone else who breaks the law. Why should he get special treatment. Even if the girl was 16, this dirty old man is supposed to be a teacher, a pastor and should be leading by example. Would you want your young daughter to be near this lecherous character? What about his own family, he has put a shame on them as well. Has Belize lost all sense of reality, anywhere else he would have been relieved of all his duties that very same day. Wake up people, scum like this don’t need to be mentoring our children, he deserves to be put away for a long time.
Protecting the children is more important than protecting the denomination’s image!
The church is – of course defending their own- as is often the case Belize when it has to do with sexual exploitation of minors. The parent who stood of for her child in this episode is a hero, she could have backed down- but she did not. I am praying that she perseveres and see this thing out to the very end.
I hope that the MOE and the child protective service do what is right in this case. I cannot begin to imagine the hypocrisy and bigotry inherent in these false christian. God is not sleeping to think how they railroaded Jose for his sexual orientation…and now this from the very principal….cho god no like dirty…
The baptist should be ashamed of this man and themselves for taking so long to get rid of this pedophile why are they even thinking he must go he should be put in jail if he was not black he’d be in jail already I have been seeing more and more bigotry from this gov. And pm if you no black you get the biggest sentence in court if you black you get off with murder while any non black go tha jail fu thief piece of happy cow cheese something is wrong in Belize it is turning into a race war in reverse.
If the church refuses to remove Willacy, can’t the Ministry of education do something? At the very least by his own admission, this bogus preacher is guilty of ‘messing around’, which to my mind is inappropriate behavior. And if he actually had sex with her, that’s damn side worst.
It is this glaring double standard by those in authority that is paralizing the entire country of Belize. When your own pastor is guilty of immorality and the ones that you turn to for justice put you the victim on trial, that is like adding insult to injury.
Then we wring our hands wondering out loud why there is so much violence in the streets. How is it that our youths are such cold blooded murderers. These are the things………
Don’t think for one moment that they are not interrelated, because they are.
And you know what, you don’t even have to believe a word I say…… just listen to the news tonight and you’ll get the sense.
I wonder how many more kids this @#%&* abused and the *church* covered for him?. Pigs like him will not change. Sue the school for not protecting your kid. Take her to a doctor and sue him also. You already exposed yourself and family to everyone so you have nothing to loose. I think that the reason why the sect is not doing nothing is because they are abusing kids also.
Rod,
Just stop the nonsense with race, we are talking about a child molester, the pm has nothing to do with this, this is where the justice system comes into place, by the way the mother of the child should have filed a police report from the beginning while taking her campaign to the media, this scum bag needs to be put in a cell where they can do anything to him
Rod is a racist
With one Christian being back slidden or sinful doesnt mean that the rest of the Christians in this world are that way too. But it does seem to me that there is no transparency in this case. I had this man as my principal in the same High School. And I know from that time, many years ago, that he was not proper in many ways. He let kids come to school drunk, let them drink on the premises and so on. I say it is better to be shamed in the public, go through the whole repentance process and make a serious change, than to deny and live with a guilty conscience!
Rod is an idiot
What’s wrong with the leadership in Belize?Where are the church leaders,it seems that criminal activities are legal in the Jewel.
Rod is not racist, most of y’all commenters are racist. Belizeans jeered and chanted for Mr Mello to be sent back to Slovakia, a country which 99% of you can’t find on a map. he was placed in chains both hands and feet. a religious assistant to aschool in Sarteneja was accused of having innapropriate relations with two boys, he was immediately arrested and sent to Hattieville. the Jewel is a haven for white man pedophiles and murderers. But now a Black born belizean does the same exact thing and everyone is lloking to God for repentance. what is not RACIST about that.
Take it easy on Rod, he’s not that bright. Excuse him
MADAS, THAT IS WHY I REALLY BELIEVE THE CHURCH WILL NOT SAVE US, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHRISTIANS AND CHURCH GOERS!!!
THIS MAN IS SICK AND NEED TO BE REMOVED AS PASTOR, COUNSELOR AND PRINCIPAL.
WONDER IF HE HAS DAUGHTERS???
The Baptist chairman needs to address the Belizeans people especially the parents of the baptist school for the good of all baptists across this country
This will be an interesting case to follow. it may set the precedent for all other religions caught up in this type of sexual perversion. Let’s watch and wait people. In the meantime, keep track of your children cause no one else will.
Belizean talk about racist I’ll give you some facts Belize is comprised of 80 percent non black and 20 percent black yet this gov. Is made up of 90 percent black and only 10 percent other this means if you no black you no aw get aw job with this gov. Now if this is not racism I don’t know what is facts papa facts and it’s because barrow is the biggest bigot in Belize. Period end of story.
I know this man and I am disappointed in him.
If the allegation is true, then he has lost trust. Also, the justice system should treat him like any ordinary Belizean.
The Baptist Church should be ashamed of their actions. They should not condone this type of behaviour.
Let’s live by example.
West—-Di church,pastor, nor the religion can save you, Only your personal relationship with God can Save you my Brother.
This is not about Race nor politics, this is about an old man using his influence to take advantage of a venerable child and the heads of the governing body of the school are dragging their feet on the course of acting they must take.
Rod stop cry like wa baby. I bet when your party was in power you had nothing to say on anything. You may not be a racist at heart but i can say that you are a hypocrite and a bigot.
*vulnerable
I dont know why you people no surprise. In Belize all men like young thing. Minister, prime minister, police,teachers your nieba next door your cheating husband and boy freind. So this is not new.
1) Please don’t turn this into race. This is about right and wrong action, and our BELIZEAN children’s innocence being compromised by rules / laws that only work for a chosen few. When a child is raped or abused, that child, in my opinion, is never the same, despite counseling. They are eternally WOUNDED or SCARRED.
2) The case against the Missionary who was allegedly abusing the two boys in Corozal is a different case altogether. He was indeed arrested, but later freed of the charges, despite the evidence against him!
3) I agree that the MOE and the GOB need to take a Zero-Tolerance attitude toward sexual predators. Why do we make time to amend the Constitution in regards to Natural Resources and Oil Exploration rights and still DO NOT make time to pass HARSHER LAWS against those who are in-your-face-GUILTY of such crimes?
I myself know this man.
Shame on you Mr Willacey, I did not know you have this type of character. My God what were you thinking? He had committed a crime that is called rape and perverted act. The Baptist Church need to take action immediately in this investigation. He admits he messed around with her. He himself has daughters how would he feels if this was done to one of his children when they were minors? Come on investigators messing around is having sex and having an affair and you know what it is a minor. Remember he is married. He also committed adultery. Come on Belize wake up to this type of behavior. How many of these people in the ministry of Education has minor children? Do what is right. This mother came with proof to you all and you all cannot put this pedophile behind bars to await trial. Who is covering up for this type of darn mess. The system is corrupt in Belize shame on you so called head of the law. I want to know how many minors he did this to and it is swept under the rug huuuuum. If he was in America he would be waiting on trial or he would be out on bail on thousands of dollars.
Belizeans, It is obvious that the religious leaders are choosing not to do something about this type of behaviour. So let us now take matters into our own hands. Effective immediately, we will no longer attend THIS church. Come this Sunday, when Willacey show up at his church with his prepared sermon and with no congregation to preach to, he will then come to the realization that the only person he can preach to is himself. Let us go out and place our collection in a different collection plate. Remember, he is using your collection money to finance his “messing around” After the money stop rolling in for this church, the Baptist religious leaders will have no other option but to close this church dooor. Let us hit them where they will feel it the most…In their pockets. Remember, if this church makes no collection money – church light bill does not get paid. No congregation money – no pastor get paid. No congregation money – pastor will have no other choice but to be a street corner preacher. Being a street corner preacher with no salary should be his way of demonstrating to all Belizeans that he is truly a man of God. Jesus was never paid a salary. Please…..DO NOT SHOW UP FOR CHURCH SERVICES ON SUNDAY.
Parents of students registered to attend this Baptist School for the upcoming school year. Let us do a student ditch day on Friday, in protest of the Ministry of Education not taking immediate actions. Let us send a message to the Ministry of Education that we will no longer be sending our children to this school because we fear for their safety. Send a message to the Ministry of Education that our children deserve safety first, explanation later. If it is not possible for the Ministry to suspend this principal pending investigation, then we will again take action into our own hands. We will remove our children from this school. No students – No school – No principal needed – Willacey out of a job – Students are safe from this predator . Ministry of Education, please act now, remember it is our taxes that are paying/subsidizing the operation of this school. We should have a choice in not allowing our tax money to subsidize this principal’s choice of extra curricular activities. i.e. “messing around” with minors.
Ministry of Education and Baptist Ministries, I can smell the Civil Lawsuits. Act now…..Let’s do some damage control.
Isaiah 54:17 (NIV). ”No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD……. Thoughts on This Verse… Because of the LORD God’s grace and power, we will be victors. This is the final message of Revelation. It is the song that is sung throughout the Scriptures. This is the assurance that we have from God himself. Our lives will not be lived in vain. Those who berate, belittle, and batter God’s people will be exposed and his beloved children, his saints of light, will receive vindication and salvation from the Father they love.
Parents of this minor. Get your child some psychological help. Science shows that recovery from such could take years before the victim can come to term with the abuse. She will need it. Do not allow society to fail her. Please include in your Civil Lawsuit that the Justice System of Belize order this predator Norman Willacey to pay for a minimum of 5 years of therapy treatments for your entire family.
Law Maker of Belize. We need New Laws to rectify this very common behaviour. Our law books need updating. Being 16 or 17 years old, should not be the age of consent for our young ones to be preyed upon by old men or old women. Socially it is time for our laws to protect us as we move forward. Not keeping us back in slavery when it was okay for the master to have his pick of the litter.
Department of Immigration/passport. Cancel all his travel documents. Do not reward him by allowing him to move away to another country and escape from his doings. He does have ties in a certain Caribbean country. Do not allow him to leave our paradise. After all, he is a belizean. A proud Belizean. However, no other country need a predator.
Norman Willacey, it is time to ask yourself the “question for christians”. WWJD?
Norman Willacey, do you remember back in 2009 when you told our transgender student Jose Garcia that he was embarrassing you and your school. Well, Students not only from your school, but also from other schools across the country are saying that they are embarrass about you and your inappropriate behaviour. Karma, Karma, Karma…..It is a B#$%^
This is very sad and disappointing but I must say that people are very unreasonable to say things like “The Baptist Church should be ashamed of their actions.” I am not Baptist but I see it as unfair to say that the body of Baptist believers are responsible and should be frowned upon for the actions of one man. We need to stop being narrow-minded and not blame all for others’ errors and wicked ways. Madas!!
This psycho pat need to b hang. I am tired of news dat has been repetitive especially wit these deviant action. N mayb majority of u will b against this comment but I careless I am seriously tired of our young girls regardless of there situation. N our government need to take action in this regardless of the association or congregation that mr. Willacey is apart of. Belizean need to realize no matter what ur situation is in life u need to stand up for what u believe in even if it means standing alone. N never let any man or woman take u for granted.