Oz school under fire for encouraging students to read Penthouse

Melbourne, Aug 28 : A school in Australia is under attack for urging its students to read Penthouse, a soft-core pornographic magazine.

St Stanislaus College, in Bathurst is also under fire for child-sex allegations following which, police sex crimes squad has been called in to investigate the claims involving a former college boarder subjected to horrific late-night prayer sessions.

Dallas McInerney, 35, described the "unorthodox" prayer sessions as filled with "chanting, music, no electric lighting, the whole atmosphere was one of sedation". The police have spoken at length to McInerney.

In the school's newsletter a teacher was asked what he considered recommended reading for every teenage boy.

To which the answer was reproduced as "PeCENSOREDse" that McInerney said he read it as a reference to the magazine Penthouse.

He said he was shocked such a reference would be made in a newsletter, which also informed parents of sexual abuse claims.

However, School principal John Edwards has admitted that they have been served with two warrants on July 2 with the names of three former staff members listed under the title "accused".

McInerney, also criticized the school for retaining the Vincentian Fathers as governors while police investigated claims including four staff members in abuse of students

"The college needs to take more drastic action than it has to date, the Vincentians should withdraw themselves from the governing council of the college while the investigation is ongoing," News.com.au quoted him, as saying.

A police spokesman said the response from former students yesterday had prompted police to call in the state crime command's sex crimes squad.

ANI