Regards, Ivan
Posted on 07/17/2004 5:31:48 PM PDT by MadIvan
It's not just the high-profile cases, like the ex-model held for seducing a boy of 14. New research suggests 10 per cent of American pupils are victims of sexual abuse
Research claiming that one in 10 American children has been sexually exploited at school - and that almost half the abusers are women - has shocked parents as one of the nation's most notorious pupil abusers is about to be released from prison.
More than 4.5 million school-age children have been subjected to some form of sexual behaviour from teachers or other adults meant to be looking after them, said the first official research commissioned by the US government's education department.
The Washington State Corrections Department said that Mary Kay Letourneau, who had two daughters with her pupil lover, will be freed early next month after serving more than six years for statutory child rape. Letourneau, who first had sex with the boy in 1996 aged 35, when he was 13, will remain on the register of sexual offenders.
Meanwhile, a 23-year-old middle school teacher gave herself up to police in Ocala, Florida, to answer allegations that she had sex with a 14-year-old boy pupil five times last month. Debra Beasley Lafave, a former model who has appeared in several racy magazine photo-shoots, faces up to 15 years in jail and a fine of $10,000 (£5,400) on each charge if convicted.
The report, written by Charol Shakeshaft, a professor at New York's Hofstra University with more than 25 years' experience in schools research, analysed information about incidents ranging from inappropriate sexual comments and jokes, or the passing of notes, to physical sexual abuse and child rape.
It said teachers were responsible for 18 per cent of all reported incidents of sexual misconduct, with sports coaches, substitute teachers, bus drivers and classroom assistants the next most common offenders.
'It's often the most popular teachers who are responsible,' Shakeshaft said. 'Parents have to pay attention and ask questions. Is this person driving my child home from school? Are they helping them out with their work a little too closely?
'Most of the time there is no problem but if parents educate themselves to know what they are looking for, inappropriate behaviour is observable. I've always watched my daughter to see if any relationships with her teachers are a little too close. I listen to her and make sure there's no crossing of boundaries.'
The report was criticised by representatives of school employees, although they did not deny there was a problem. 'Lumping harassment together with serious sexual misconduct creates unjustified alarm,' said Michael Pons, spokesman for the 2.7m member National Education Association.
Paul Houston, director of the American Association of School Administrators, said: 'You're talking about a small number who are doing these inappropriate things out of millions of teachers and millions of employees.'
Others believe that the figures might even be higher than reported because many pupils are too frightened to speak out.
'Children must be very clearly educated about inappropriate behaviour, and so must the teachers, so when children see the signs of this behaviour they have someone to tell,' said Professor Bob Shoop, a lecturer in sexual exploitation in schools at Kansas State University.
The Education Department said it will study Shakeshaft's report closely. The department's deputy secretary, Eugene Hickok, said: 'We believe that sexual misconduct in whatever form it takes is a serious problem in our nation's schools and one about which parents have a right to be informed. The overwhelming majority of America's educators are true professionals doing what might be called the essential work of democracy. The vast majority of schools in America are safe.'
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
Well. . . 
This cannot be true! I thought only Catholic priests were sexually abusive to children!
Regards, Ivan
I'm sure the media - who had barely concealed orgasms every time they reported Catholic church molestations (which was nowhere near 10%) - will be all over this story.
Not.
What a name for a sex-abuse researcher!
I can think of 2 cases in my schooling. I graduated from a public high school in Washington State in 1999. I am not going to include the teachers' names, just the first initials.
In one case, an eighth-grade teacher, Mr. M., made sexually suggestive comments to a female student (he told her she had a nice a**). The student filed a complaint, but nothing ever came of it.
Second case, I heard about by rumor after I graduated, that one of my high school English teachers, Ms. F., had been fired for inappropriate contact with a male student.
I had a French teacher in HS that could have abused me at her whim. Sadly no such luck. C'est la vie.
This happens all the time, but is never followed up in public schools. And on those rare occasions that complaints are taken seriously, the teacher in question is simply suspended with pay or transferred to work at the Bd. of Ed.
This used to happen all the time in NYC, and 110 Livingstone Street (until recently, the headquarters of the system) seems to have been populated mainly by child molesters and a few crooks who had dipped into their school's petty cash fund, since the union made it impossible to fire them.
Statistically, btw, public school teachers are way over the Catholic clergy. But the press loves public schools and hates the Catholic Church, so guess which gets the most coverage.
Fear for your children.
ARM CHILDREN
Homeschool your children.
The Sexual Review Study, published by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops earlier this year, found that, over the last fifty years, 4500 priests were involved in some 10,000 incidents of sexual abuse. That's 4500 out of 46,000 priests.
That's right at 10%.
I am definitely homeschooling if I end up getting married.
My husband and I plan on homeschooling also.
I was never molested in school...but I was kinda of homely.
I heard Rush laughing about the name. But it's an old English name, related to 'Shakespeare' I think. Just being technical here.
I have a problem with this.
The perameters used in this 'research' are too wide.
What is a harmless comment/joke to one, could be construed to be an offensive comment/joke to a hyper-sensitive parent hearing it 'second hand'?
The research should be based on pysical sexual abuse and child rape to be accurate, IMO. Or reports of repeated harrassment.
I don't condone ANY sort of sexual innuendo in the schoolroom, BUT, I live in Ireland where there isn't such an uptight politically correct agenda in day to day living either.
James Dobson said back in 1986 that pedophilia was the next taboo to fall after homosexuality, and that the same tactics would be used that were used to mainstream homosexuality.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.