One of the worries that we all have in teaching young people is knowing what to do if a student shares personal information that leads us to believe that some abuse or molestation has taken place. What do I do? Who should I report it to? Should I try and get more information from the student? At what point am I in trouble if I don't report it? In law enforcement the terms "reasonable and prudent" show up when deciding if we have acted correctly. I looked up "reasonable" and the definition states: "possessing sound judgement". I looked up "prudent" and found: "a": "marked by wisdom or judiciousness". My opinion then, would be to let your supervisor and/or counselor know whenever the "red flags" appear in a conversation with a student. The DCFS (Division of Child and Family Services) needs to be notified at the proper time. You can be in jeopardy of disciplinary or legal action if you fail to report. Listen to your administrators and stay safe. That is a CYA strategy. C=Cover Y=Your A=Behind (I know that makes sense) If you have a question please let me know. It is important to be there for the students.
The "password is" DCFS. Email me rick@ogdenweber.org to enter the contest. (prizes to be drawn for in January AR meetings)
Ogden Teachers Rally for Collective Bargaining
