School Of Scandal

Fiona Viotti seemed to have it all – smarts, good looks, sporting prowess and a happy marriage. Now she’s the subject of a sexual misconduct inquiry

ALL around the country matric learners are preparing for their final exams. It’s a time of anxiety and excitement, an all-consuming dash to the finish line of their school careers and onto the starting blocks of the rest of their lives.

But at one school in the leafy suburbs of Cape Town, a lot more is being discussed than study techniques, exam timetables and plans for next year.

Staff at Bishops Diocesan College have been putting out fires ever since a sex scandal erupted at the elite institution – a scandal that has dominated radio talk shows and social media platforms and caused a sensation across the country.

At the heart of it all is Fiona Viotti, an attractive 32-year-old teacher and water polo instructor at the all-boys school. Allegations of sexual misconduct are being investigated after she was accused of initiating inappropriate relations with some of the boys.

Guy Pearson, a headmaster of Bishops, has said “several boys have been affected over a number of years” and boys have been encouraged to come forward to share information.

Criminal charges aren’t being pursued as the boys were all reportedly over the legal age of 16 but the school may well take action of its own.

Counselling has been offered to boys and their families. Meanwhile, Fiona has resigned and news reports have emerged that she checked into a clinic.

Her lawyer, William Booth, refused to confirm the reports but did tell YOU his client “is under medical care”.

The drama allegedly began when an 18-year-old matric boy who’d been involved with the teacher confessed all to his parents. He’d wanted to end things, she was unwilling to do so and turned controlling, he told them. His parents alerted the school and all hell broke loose.

“The investigation into the serious sexual misconduct of one of our female teachers is ongoing,” Pearson said.