Much is still unclear about the Beverwijk music teacher who was arrested last week on suspicion of at least three cases of fornication with minors. The police have yet to say anything. A call from NH Nieuws shows that it does not concern a teacher from Kennemer College, or from Cultuurhuis Heemskerk, the Center for the Arts in Beverwijk or Poppodium IJmond.
Because the IJmond music scene is not too big a world, the police do not want to disclose any details about the man. Not how old he is, not where he works, not even what instrument he teaches his students. A spokesperson: “Anything I tell more can be traced back to the suspect too quickly, so I can’t comment further.”
A tour of the various (music) schools in and around Beverwijk shows that the man does not work there. That makes it likely that the man taught music at home.
How and in what setting?
It was a bit of a shock when Frans Molenaar, guitar teacher at Popschool IJmond heard the news that two reports and one report of fornication were made against a Beverwijk music teacher† “We naturally also have our doubts about how this could have happened and in what setting. This is terrible for the victims and those involved.”
Mirjam du Croo, director of Cultuurhuis Heemskerk, agrees. “Yet I was not so afraid that it would be one of ours. We have fairly strict rules. And every teacher in Beverwijk is simply at work here. I am also in contact with the Kennemercollege and the Center for the Arts in Beverwijk, who work there. neither does the guy.” Molenaar can say the same for Pop School IJmond.
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When asked what Du Croo and Molenaar think of music lessons at home, they react cautiously. Molenaar: “We do not want to speculate, because it is not yet known exactly where the man taught. However, anyone can teach at home without authorization.” Du Croo adds: “Everyone can and may choose where they want to take music lessons.”
They agree that the protocols of accredited music schools make these kinds of incidents more unlikely than with home lessons. “During corona, people did ask whether home lessons were possible. But we absolutely do not do that,” says Du Croo.
One on one
She continues: “But the lessons in our building are often one-on-one, so we follow strict rules. Each room has large windows through which you can look in and out. And the teacher and student are never alone in the building.”
In fact, says Molenaar: “Parents can and may enter the classroom at any time at the Pop School.” In addition, teachers at both Cultuurhuis Heemskerk and Popschool IJmond must be able to show a VOG, a certificate of good behavior, before they are allowed to work at all.
Du Croo: “And if something does happen, anyone can submit a complaint via the website, or call an external confidential adviser twenty-four seven. That’s also why I didn’t think it was one of our teachers: then we would probably also have seen one or more complaints with us.”