Parents want to protect their babies and toddlers. They buy baby gates and pore over safety catalogues to find the best latches for their kitchen cabinets. They strap their children into car seats religiously and keep a monitor on hand to hear if Junior wakes up from his nap a little early. Rich mommies interview nannies while the rest of us interview preschool teachers and pediatricians as if we are on the college admittance committee.
But when our precious little ones turn 5 or 6 and the yellow bus pulls to a stop in front of our house, why do we let down our guard? Besides the bullies and foul mouthed teens on the bus, and the cruel cliques of the popular girls, there are sick teachers who prey on the children put in their care. While I am glad that my children are not likely to be molested simply because they are not sent to school, I worry and am saddened about the thousands of American children who will be assaulted or seduced by their teachers.
Do you know where your children are and who they are with? Are you sure?
An Associated Press investigation found more than 2,500 cases over five years in which educators were punished for actions from bizarre to sadistic.
...a seven-month investigation found 2,570 educators whose teaching credentials were revoked, denied, surrendered or sanctioned from 2001 through 2005 following allegations of sexual misconduct.
"From my own experience - this could get me in trouble - I think every single school district in the nation has at least one perpetrator. At least one," says Mary Jo McGrath, a California lawyer who has spent 30 years investigating abuse and misconduct in schools. "It doesn't matter if it's urban or rural or suburban."
...the perpetrators that the AP found are everyday educators - teachers, school psychologists, principals and superintendents among them. They're often popular and recognized for excellence and, in nearly nine out of 10 cases, they're male.
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I saw this yesterday in our local Sunday paper. Like most parents, stuff like this makes me want to pull the covers over my head and pretend it isn't real. Fortunately, my oldest is now an adult and my younger son is being homeschooled.
Today's paper had part II, discussing how teachers need to be reporting on their colleagues. And that is true--if they see something. But there are two problems with that. One is that teachers tend to be incredibly isolated in their classrooms. They can barely get to the bathroom all day and many don't even have time for lunch if they are dedicated to their work.
The second problem is that teachers--especially at the elementary level--are infantilized by the type of hierarchical structure imposed by schools. The independence of thought that is necessary to 'break ranks' is not there. the tendency is to blame all problems on the kids themselves. The school culture does not encourage other approaches.
The second reason above is why my son is no longer in public school. He has a neurological disability but he looks 'normal.' His third grade teacher therefore refused to make the required modifications for him, called him 'lazy' and punished him for his disability.
I was saddened to read about the kids who were sexually abused by teachers and substitutes and how they were blamed for it and what that did to their lives.
I also read this story and was saddened and sickened. The word is going to hell in a hand-basket, as my grandma used to say. I'm an advocate of *every* able bodied Christian (at least moral) parent to pull their kids out of the public school system. It just can't be fixed.
It's so scary to think these are the people we entrust our children to.
I absolutely believe it. I was sexually harassed by one of my high school math teachers my senior year. I was failing his class and he offered me a "quid pro quo" of me giving him neck rubs in exchange for a C+ (the lowest grade that would allow me to remain on the honor roll). I felt powerless and scared so I didn't blow the whistle on him like I should've. Looking back, I realize how lucky I was that he never groped or attacked me or asked anything more than just a neck massage. Yikes!
He's retired now thank goodness but if there's ever any kind of legal action taken against him, I'll be there to testify on the victim's behalf.
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