WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THE SYSTEM BURIES THE CHILD ABUSE THAT LEADS TO “ACEs”?
Because I have spoken out, repeatedly, on the role that workplace bullying has in education, (during public comments in school board meetings), I was contacted by a parent who felt she couldn’t tell what is going on without risking personal and family safety.
The parent ultimately described an incident of a teacher’s inappropriate sex with a student (when the student’s girlfriend found out, she sent the sexting between her boyfriend and the teacher to about 50 students; she also reported this to school district). The parent got the sextings. (don’t recall how). The parent then contacted the school board President and showed her the sexting texts. The parent also works with the teacher’s family member/s and verified the authenticity of the situation thru him/her/them. The family member/s was/were worried the sibling/daughter (the teacher) would be jailed. Thus far, NOTHING has happened to her. This is a rural area and this would hit the front page.
It appears the school board member not only did nothing (the student was 18)... per the parent, the local police told her their hands were tied because of the school district’s inaction.
This happened 2 1/2 years ago. The teacher also has served the sports team she’s coached pot-laced brownies. Parent says multiple students have been involved since she resigned. The school board President and another member (a professor of education) took a vacation with the teacher. I’ve seen a photo of the two BoE members and teacher on vacation.
Not only is this NOT the only recent incident of a teacher’s sexual misconduct (the male teacher was fired; his team was just told to not text him)... per another school board member, this has gone on for years. YEARS. Drug incidents that are buried by school district. The mother recommended I talk with the school resource officer because the local police are ready to pull their officer due to the district’s heavy handed intolerance of the police actually working effectively there.
When it appeared that there had never been a formal report of this, I called the state’s child abuse hotline and reported it.
Because I am a retired teacher and have not only reported suspected child abuse, but seen school districts cover things up, I went to the local county sheriff and attempted to report it there.
ATTEMPTED.
When the sheriff (a man who I’ve met repeatedly thru other county activities) heard me start talking about reporting a teacher’s misconduct and a school district’s covering it up, he got VERY “in my face” and literally said in a deeply hostile tone to just email him the basics.
This does NOT work for me. I do not take kindly to bullying. I’ve filed a formal complaint at both county and federal levels. I’ve already seen first-hand how systems bury abuse by staff. I’ve even been subpoenaed to testify about a teacher’s abuse as part of a hearing to strip teacher of certificate.
Last year, the district settled a teacher’s malicious harassment lawsuit for $850,000. For a 4 School District (and this made the front page for weeks)... this was huge. And none of the three defendants were fired.
WHAT CAN BE DONE? The mother who shared this with me is someone I only marginally knew. She’s highly respected and engaged within community,
We have a HUGE drug problem here. I fear that if we don’t actually investigate the abscesses where ACEs are born (such as dysfunctional school districts)... and all we do is treat the resulting ACEs the kids get, we are missing the main need... cleaning up what WE do that **cause** ACEs in the first place. By the way, this county is 2nd in the state re: ACEs,
Is it any wonder why?