The Incident Book

Another Basil story from the archives. Inspired by the R.T. Mason classic A Very Painful Lesson.

Lisa Hemson had stormed out of the piano lesson. It wasn’t the first time Tebley had tried it on. He wasn’t a real teacher but the school used him for music tuition, so you had to go round to his house. There were rumours that some sixth form girls let him ‘do things’ to get better marks. He was always brushing against you, which you could put up with but then he had lifted her skirt up and cupped his hand on Lisa’s knickered bottom. She’d gone straight back to school and happened to run into Mrs Bairstow who was really nice, promising that everything would be alright…

Mr Kendall, the headmaster of St Stephen’s looked at the book on his desk for the umpteenth time that morning. Specifically it was the ‘Incident Book’ detailing serious matters occurring in the school. Except that he made it his business to ensure that nothing that might unsteady the ship got in there and so the governors would have no cause to worry. Except that stupid supply teacher, Mrs Bairstow, had gone and written in the book when he was away on conference. He read the words again:

Lisa Hemson: Reported sexual harassment. Piano tutor, Mr Tebley

This puts the cat among the pigeons, he thought. He knew that Brian Tebley had a certain reputation in this respect but on the other hand, sixth formers should have learnt not to be prudish if one of the male teaching staff suggested a bit of friendly ‘co-operation’. And he did do all the music teaching for nothing… Mr Kendall was nothing if not resourceful…

‘As headmaster, I have to treat this sort of thing extremely seriously, Lisa. Ordinarily, I carry out a discreet investigation, and get things sorted out as soon as possible. In this case, as the… er… ‘incident’ has been recorded in the book, the governors will now be involved and, as such, I will have to start a formal investigation. And, of course inevitably the tabloids are going to get hold of it, which is unfortunate, and not what one wants at your age.’ Lisa was now looking rather worried. ‘But there is a possible way out of this,’ Mr Kendall offered and Lisa looked hopefully at him.

A few minutes later Lisa was looking worried again. Mr Kendall’s solution wasn’t exactly what she had hoped. ‘Really, Lisa, it doesn’t sound too serious, so I can’t see any case holding up. In which case, from your point of view it would be best to keep everything quiet. Except that we have that entry in the book so you see that the incident has to be explained and signed off somehow.’ Lisa nodded her head resignedly and watched as he got out his pen and carefully squeezed that extra word into the entry in the incident book. It was an insignificant little change that would have rather dreadful consequences. ‘You will need to report to the Chairman of the Governors tomorrow at 4, in Room 6B, and everything will be sorted out and the matter closed.’ After Lisa had left his study, Mr Kendall read the words in the incident book, now feeling much better:

Lisa Hemson: Reported for sexual harassment. Piano tutor, Mr Tebley

The following afternoon Lisa was standing in Room 6B, looking even more worried. Two of the governors were there, Mr Cadworth, the chairman, and Mr Sinton. Because of the way Mr Kendall had explained it yesterday, she thought she was supposed to just admit to it, then it could be signed off but now Mr Cadworth was talking sternly. ‘This is dreadful behaviour, young lady, making an indecent offer to Mr Tebley. Normally, you would be expelled, but the Head has pleaded your case, based on your otherwise excellent record. I am therefore minded that you may continue at this school following suitable punishment. School rule 6 paragraph(ii), allows in exceptional circumstances only, which I believe these are, for any punishment, if deemed appropriate by both the Chairman of Governors and one other governor. I therefore propose that you be given a formal caning: 20 strokes. What is your view, Mr Sinton?’

Maurice Sinton hadn’t really expected to have to give an opinion. When George Cadworth had rung him up last night and asked him to attend a ‘Rule 6 Special meeting’ he had been rather reluctant. It sounded like some dreadfully boring administrative matter but George Cadworth hadn’t really given him any option. After he had put the phone down he consulted the school rules but was none the wiser, everything being put in such flowery, impenetrable language:

6) Where the reputation of the School may be at risk the Chairman of Governors and the Headmaster may deal with a disciplinary matter at a special meeting, subject to the following provisions.

i) The discussions, actions and decisions of the meeting shall not be recorded or divulged to any person not present at that meeting.

ii) In exceptional circumstances, as determined by those present, disciplinary measures shall be determined by the Chairman and one other governor and the limits stated in Rule 5 shall not apply.

He flipped back a page:

5) Corporal punishment is permitted by the Headmaster subject to the following limits.

i) Boys: 6 strokes over school trousers.

ii) Girls: 4 strokes over skirt.

And he definitely hadn’t expected that he would be dealing with such an awkward disciplinary matter concerning one of the sixth form. And he had never heard of a schoolgirl ‘sexually harassing’ a tutor. The details were not specified. As Mr Cadworth gave his pompous little lecture, Maurice had been looking at the girl before him, bare legs primly held together below her short skirt. She was quite exceptionally pretty, he thought. And he found it difficult to believe that such a delightful thing was guilty of this serious misconduct.

And suddenly, Mr Cadworth, was staring at him, waiting for his opinion. A rather long silence ensued, because Maurice Sinton was quite taken aback. The cane! He thought that the cane would have been abolished years ago, even at St Stephen’s. And for a girl! And 20 strokes seemed quite incredible! Now George Cadworth was looking rather impatient and Maurice felt obliged to end the uncomfortable silence.

‘Err… Umm… the cane?… I’m not…’ Mr Cadworth raised an eyebrow. ‘… I mean… yes, it’s umm… appropriate, quite… appropriate…’

Life had been rather unfair for Lisa. She was going to be caned when she didn’t do anything. Lisa’s humiliation was just beginning.

‘You will remove your knickers.’ Lisa was about to say no but there was that word Mr Cadworth had said: ‘expelled’. Her mum and dad would have gone ballistic. She reached up under her skirt and pulled down her white cotton knickers, lifting each of her heavy black school shoes in turn to remove the tiny garment. ‘Now, bend over and grip your ankles.’ As Lisa bent down George Cadworth flipped up her skirt exposing her completely to the two men.

Maurice Sinton caught his breath. He never expected the girl’s knickers to come off. In truth, one of the benefits of being a school governor was seeing the sixth form girls around the school. He had to admit that he found some of them very sexy, especially with their short skirts.  But this was better. Seeing one of them bending over with no knickers. Seeing between her legs.

Mr Cadworth swung the cane in a low arc, giving Lisa the first stroke across the crest of her buttocks.

For Maurice this was quite simply incredible. He had felt his penis stiffen as soon as the girl had bent over. As the caning progressed his erection had become harder. The girl was now in tears, her bottom criss-crossed with angry red lines. Mr Cadworth was certainly taking his time over the punishment. After each stroke he waited as Lisa squirmed and waggled her buttocks, desperately trying to dissipate the searing pain, which had the unfortunate result, from the girl’s point of view, of affording each of the onlookers a regular glimpse of the plump little pout between her legs. As the three men watched Lisa gasped in short breaths amidst stifled sobbing. Mr Sinton hadn’t counted how many she had been given, such had been his absorption in each mesmerising stroke. Mr Cadworth was in no hurry with the punishment, waiting until her lewd and, some might say, provocative, gyrations had all but subsided and her plump bottom was once more offered up temptingly before whipping the cane across her soft flesh. After each stroke he seemed to be admiring his handiwork.  The last three strokes had all been repeated because Lisa had been unable to stay down gripping her ankles. Now the final stroke was due. Mr Cadworth delivered this one as hard as he could to the crease between buttocks and thighs.

‘I hope this punishment has taught you that such dreadful behaviour is totally unacceptable from a sixth form girl. Now I have to consider the potentially damaging effect of such behaviour on the good name of the school. I feel that there is still a case to answer here. As the incident involved someone from outside the school, indeed a trusted friend of the school, some form of redress is needed to regain that trust. Accordingly I am going to give Mr Tebley permission to cane you as and when he sees fit…

The following morning, Mr Kendall looked again at the entry in the book. Now, the entry was annotated ‘Rule 6’ and two reassuring signatures filled up the final column, those of Messrs Cadworth and Sinton. The incident was now ‘signed off’ in a most satisfactory manner!