City can't expel sex addict sponsor of academy

[TonyGosling]

City wants to expel sex addict sponsor of academy

Apr 29 2008 by Paul James, The Journal

Lord Laidlaw
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irvine_Laidlaw,_Baron_Laidlaw

EDUCATION bosses in Newcastle last night moved to force disgraced Tory millionaire Lord Laidlaw to end his involvement in the city’s first academy.

No education authority can remove a sponsor, but Newcastle City Council last night urged the Government to find a new sponsor for Excelsior Academy, opening in September, after the peer admitted an “incurable” addiction to sex.

Lord Laidlaw, a Scottish millionaire who made his fortune in a conference business, is reported to have checked in at a clinic for sex addicts after Sunday newspaper reports that he paid for groups of prostitutes to fly to Monte Carlo, where he lives as a tax exile, for all-night parties.

It emerged yesterday that he resigned from the governing body of the Scotswood academy last week.

But despite assurances from the Government and the head of the academy that its £2m sponsor will not be involved in its daily running, Newcastle Council called for “any last links” to be broken.

Amid huge opposition to the Government’s academies from teaching unions, Lord Laidlaw agreed in 2005 to sponsor the Newcastle school, which will replace West Gate Community College.

Since the weekend reports, Lord Laidlaw has written to the media asking for understanding and forgiveness, and has promised £1m to a charity to help others who suffer from sexual addiction.

Last night a council statement said: “Lord Laidlaw’s sponsorship of the academy is something that was negotiated with the Government, not with the council. Any ongoing relationship that he might continue to have is something that the council cannot simply terminate, as this is a matter for the Government.

“The council now understands that Lord Laidlaw stopped being an active member of the governing body of the academy a week ago, so will not have that link with the school, although we understand that he is the chair of the trustees and technically still a governor. In light of his admissions, and the inevitable and understandable concerns amongst parents, school staff and the wider community, we’re urging the Government to explore finding an alternative sponsor, so that any last links between Lord Laidlaw and the academy can be broken, and we’re offering to work closely with the Department for Children, Schools and Families in this search.”

Earlier yesterday council leader John Shipley said: “Role models are important for young people and this is not the example they should have been set.”

Lord Laidlaw was unavailable for comment. In a letter to the media, he said he was seeking long-term help not to relapse into “unacceptable behaviours”, with the support of his wife Christine. Council opposition Labour leader Nick Forbes said: “It’s up to the Lib Dem council to decide how much pressure they put on him to withdraw as a sponsor. My own view is that would put the education of thousands of children at risk.

“There are clearly lessons to be learned about the selection of sponsors, and questions to be asked about the background checks made by the council.

“That shouldn’t get in the way of the work that’s being done to open the new school. The last thing it needs is to be thrown into chaos at the most crucial time in its development.”

Newcastle Central Labour MP Jim Cousins said: “There’s no question of him playing any part in the running of the school after this. It would appear he’s accepted that. But we can’t have a situation where that school has a £2m hole in its budget. It isn’t fair to the kids or the headteacher. If the city council don’t like his £2m, they could always put in £2m of their own.”

The Department for Children, Schools and Families would not comment on Lord Laidlaw’s future. It said: “Children in Newcastle deserve the best education possible, which will be provided by the new academy supported by the DCSF and the local authority – academies nationally have been improving exam results at a faster rate than the national average and are popular with parents.

“Lord Laidlaw contributed £2m in sponsorship out of a total cost of £38m towards setting up the new academy.”

http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2008/04/29/ci ty-wants-to-expel-sex-addict-sponsor-of-academy-61634-20833118/

[Disco_Destroyer]

Why is this a War on Children topic??

[TonyGosling]

Why the question?
It's obvious.

[Disco_Destroyer]

Did he take any students with him to his all night parties?
So he can't keep his trousers on in private, I don't get it?
Some Lords sexual life has no baring on anything but himself and his entertainers. I mean how can it even affect his money and where he puts it?
Infact why the hell are we getting news articles of peoples sex lives, wtf is it some kind of witch hunt??
The only threat this is to any Students is the fact somehow the Media have got hold of a dumb story now everyone knows?