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Allegations Against John Furlong

Catherine Dora Woodgate (West) provided a statutory declaration about her experiences with John Furlong when he was her physical education teacher at Immaculata School in Burns Lake, British Columbia from 1966 to 1973. She states that Furlong would single out students who were slow or overweight and make hurtful jokes about them. He would also physically assault students by hitting them hard with yardsticks, basketballs, or his hands if they were slow or made mistakes during gym class. As a result of these experiences, Woodgate developed low self-esteem and avoided physical activity. She was later diagnosed with a muscular dystrophy condition that explained her slower speed.

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356 views3 pages

Allegations Against John Furlong

Catherine Dora Woodgate (West) provided a statutory declaration about her experiences with John Furlong when he was her physical education teacher at Immaculata School in Burns Lake, British Columbia from 1966 to 1973. She states that Furlong would single out students who were slow or overweight and make hurtful jokes about them. He would also physically assault students by hitting them hard with yardsticks, basketballs, or his hands if they were slow or made mistakes during gym class. As a result of these experiences, Woodgate developed low self-esteem and avoided physical activity. She was later diagnosed with a muscular dystrophy condition that explained her slower speed.

Uploaded by

CANADALAND
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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STATUTORY DECLARATION

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PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA )
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In the matter of John Furlong and Immaculata School

I, Catherine Dora Woodgate (West) of 116 Chas Avenue, Lake Babine First Nation, Burns Lake,
British Columbia HEREBY MAKE OATH AND SAY AS FOLLOWS, that:
1.
I was born on December 21, 1961 at Burns Lake Hospital and I attended Immaculata
School from kindergarten to grade eight, approximately from 1966 to 1973.
2.

John Furlong was my physical education teacher for two years.

3.
This has been a nightmare for me. Staff at Immaculata School were mean to us as students.
When John Furlong came that was when I really felt that it was hopeless for us as kids. John came
as single; he was very tall, blond and was in good physical shape. John took us as mixed grades at
times like grades four and five: boys and girls mixed. He would single out people who were
slouching or fat and say a joke about them so the whole class would laugh. He made many nasty
remarks.
4.
John went with one ofthe teachers, and they got married in Burns Lake. I think her maiden
name was Cook-Margaret Cook. I didn't go to the wedding, but recall seeing photos, and I think
they were also in the newspaper.
5.
The school had a large gymnasium with a stage. To warm up he always started the class
running around the gym. He played loud music at times and would either stand in the centre of the
gym or sit on the stage and watch us. We would try to focus on his actions because we were scared
of him. At times he carried a yard stick or one of the thin pointers used in class. While running in
circles if we were slow-like myself, or turned to watch him, he would aim at one of us and hit us
hard. He hit us so hard it would make us fall.
6.
He ran up behind, either hit us on the calves or throw the whole yardstick at us and make us
fall. Whoever watches this gets yelled at. When John did basketball if we didn't catch on or mess
up, he would aim the ball hard and hit us. He didn't care where as long as we got knocked
down-and he never misses. I would always end up getting hurt.
7.
I was slow and weak when running in circles, throwing a ball and catching a ball. I got hit
by a ball, whipped in the calves, yardstick thrown at me-all by John Furlong. I was very shy, very
low in self-esteem. I grew up with low self-esteem and decided not to take part in any physical
activities because of this nightmare ofphys ed class. I wanted to take nursing, but he said I had to
be in good shape, so I couldn't do it. By grade 10 I was so low in self-esteem.
8.
I told my daughter I was embarrassed because I was the slow one-I didn't know I was
sick, but even the ones who were healthy, he hurt them too.

9.
Through tests of my weakness, I was diagnosed with Fasciohumeral Muscular Dystrophy,
which I was born with. For this reason did this man have any right to hit us for being slow? I was
just slow for a reason and I got hurt for that. That's not right as I look back today. This man has a
family. How dare he touch helpless kids? There is a lot of pain out there about this guy. I just
couldn't believe that this was John Furlong on TV. It's almost like a hidden secret being revealed.
10.
Ifhe knows what he's done at least it will put a sense ofguilt in his life. It will show him the
number oflives he's touched and destroyed. We were really marked kids.
11.
It could have been so much fun for us kids. We should not have feared and had to watch our
backs. There was so much fear in that school.

SWORN TO BEFORE ME at
Burns Lake, British Columbia
ay, 012
this -lday 0

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STATUTORY DECLARATION - PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

In the matter of John Furlong and Immaculata School

STATUTORY DECLARATION
PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Warren Chapman
Barrister & Solicitor
343 Highway 16
Box 258
Bums Lake, B.C.
VOJ lEO

Tel: (250) 692 - 3339


Fax: (250) 692 - 3342
wc/5609

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