Sexually Abusive Teachers Change Schools, Goes Unreported
How can sexually abusive teachers go unreported and allowed to just change schools? Schools are meant to be safe places where parents trust that teachers and school administrators will protect their children. Instead, sometimes a school can have a teacher who is sexually abusive. What’s worse is when the administrators are aware of the alleged misconduct but still allow the teachers to remain employed. A new report from CBS Reports alleges that sexually abusive teachers in California have been allowed to change schools rather than face review or disciplinary action for their behavior.
Protecting children from sexual abuse is of the utmost importance. When abuse happens, victims can take legal action by calling the Los Angeles child sex abuse attorney at Beck Law P.C. for assistance.
What is Allegedly Happening
The new report provides details about teachers who were known to have been accused of sexually abusing children who have been hired by other school districts. According to the report, the practice has been going on for years and is commonly known as “passing the trash.” What it means is that school districts and others have ignored situations and simply allowed a teacher’s contract to end or expire. Then, the teacher can obtain a new teaching job at a different school district because there is no record of the original incident. In this way, teachers who allegedly sexually abuse students are allowed to continue the illegal behavior.
Oversight Failures in Schools
The problem of “passing the trash” happens because of school oversight failure. The report says that some of these teachers, who have possibly been sexually abusing kids, are allowed to leave the district without consequences. Further, these same teachers often receive recommendations from the administrators of the schools they left. This culture seems to be somewhat common. According to CBS Reports, little is being done to hold schools and school districts accountable.
Instead, there seems to be an oversight failure, which applies not only to schools in California but also across the country. Oversight failures were found systemwide at all levels, including local, state, and federal. The report shows that there is little to no monitoring of incidents, and therefore, the situation is allowed to continue. The investigators found incidents that support the claim.
What to Do About Sexually Abusive Teachers
Child sexual abuse in schools cannot be tolerated. If a parent believes that their child has been sexually abused, they must report it. The school should take steps to protect children rather than trying to cover up the incident. Parents can insist that police be called to file a report so that it is documented with law enforcement. Parents can also hold school administrators accountable for sexually abusive teachers. The school should have rules in place that require them to get the police involved in reports of sexual abuse.
Also, schools should have a policy that requires specific discipline for teachers. Parents can seek legal guidance to hold further the school, district, and teacher accountable for their harmful actions. While legal action can’t undo what was done, it can provide financial help to assist the child and parents in dealing with the abuse. It also sends a message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated.
If you believe your child was sexually abused at school or elsewhere, we can help. Our team of attorneys works with California child sex abuse cases regularly. Contact our California child sexual abuse attorney today at Beck Law at (707) 576-7175 to schedule a consultation.
