An organist of the Strasbourg Cathedral dismissed after a conviction for sexual harassment
Marc Baumann, one of the three organists in the Strasbourg cathedral, has just been dismissed by the bishopric after a condemnation for sexual harassment.The man, also a music teacher in a school, had already been convicted of sexual assault 20 years ago.
This is a new thunderclap within the Church: the bishopric of Strasbourg has just dismissed one of the three official organists of Strasbourg Cathedral, Marc Baumann.This measure was taken in emergency after the conviction of this man on October 12 for acts of sexual harassment committed on a minor girl.
It is not within the framework of the Church that the facts reported by our colleagues from the DNAs occurred.The case concerns a young girl to whom the organist gave music lessons, first as part of a music school, then subsequently in the private part.The girl was only 12 years old when her teacher begins to send her more than suggestive messages, as his lawyer details, Me Jean Paillot."On several occasions she had to put it back in place in the face of messages that were interested in the shape of her chest or the underwear she wore. Messages that have become much more boring when he proposed to covered wordsThe hypothesis of an intimate relationship between her and him. "Accusations that the respondent recognized in court.He was sentenced to 6 months suspended prison sentence.
Condemned in 1999 for sexual assault
By preparing this trial for sexual harassment, the young victim's lawyer discovers that the respondent has already been sentenced in 1999 for similar facts.It was not harassment, but sexual assault committed on one of his young students between his 13 and 17 years.Marc Baumann had then been sentenced to 15 months suspended prison sentence."We were amazed to find that he had been able to continue to teach young people in the school framework without the school being informed of his past," says Peillot.
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Because despite this conviction, the man was able to continue his career as a music teacher in schools.He teaches in particular today to blind or visually impaired children in a specialized center, in the Neuhof district of Strasbourg.Contacted, his management told us that he had read these convictions by the articles published recently in the press.She does not specify if measures will be taken against this teacher.
"Today this man is condemned. And there is above all an registration in the file of sex offenders, which was not done in 1999, is satisfied with the lawyer of the girl victim of harassment. We can therefore wish that nowThe rectorate and the schools where he continues to teach are informed of his past. In this area, it must be zero tolerance, we should not endanger children. ”
A blame last year
A zero tolerance implemented by the bishopric of Strasbourg.Marc Baumann was also a blame last year."He had raised a young girl to the big organ, who is a fairly isolated place in the cathedral, even though [the bishop of Strasbourg] Mgr Ravel had demanded that no adult be alone with a minor, remembers BernardXIBAUT, Chancellor of the Archdiocese. On the basis of this blame and this recent judicial conviction, we decided to put it off and launch the dismissal procedure. "
A few weeks after the publication of the Ciase report (the independent committee on sexual abuse in the church), this umpteenth affair only adds stigma to the clerical environment, even if the incriminated facts do not directly concern the'Church."This file shows that the crimes are not only the facts of clerics," says Bernard Xibaut.A third of these crimes are committed by lay people.You also have to sweep among this staff ”.
Through the voice of his lawyer, Marc Baumann expresses his astonishment in the face of his dismissal by the bishopric.He denounces an "instrumentalization" on the part of the Church.
