Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Mandatory Reporter

Here in California, and I'm sure many/most other states, teachers are "mandatory reporters"--that is, if we have knowledge of physical or sexual abuse of minors, we're required by law to report this knowledge, or even our suspicions, to authorities. It can be a difficult burden. I can recall at least one occasion in which a student genuinely wanted to tell me "something", but when I informed the student about my mandatory reporter status the student chose not to tell me. I cannot be a confessor--you can't tell me something like that and ask me to keep it just between us, for any reason.

So imagine my surprise when I learn that the President's "safe schools czar" failed to report statutory rape:

A teacher was told by a 15-year-old high school sophomore that he was having homosexual sex with an "older man." At the very least, statutory rape occurred. Fox News reported that the teacher violated a state law requiring that he report the abuse. That former teacher, Kevin Jennings, is President Obama's "safe school czar"...

In this one case in which Mr. Jennings had a real chance to protect a young boy from a sexual predator, he not only failed to do what the law required but actually encouraged the relationship...

His job in the Obama administration is to ensure student safety, and this scandal directly calls into question his ability to perform that job. Mr. Jennings and Obama administration officials refuse to answer any questions about this newly discovered evidence. A lot of Americans want answers about this guy and how he was approved for a job in the White House.

I would like for the above facts to be proven false, but I fear they will not be.

I'd like to say I'm mortified, but I'm getting used to people with shady dealings being appointed to positions in this administration.

1 comment:

Ellen K said...

Morals don't matter.
Ethics don't matter.
Criminal history or behavior don't matter.
All that matters is the affiliation to the True Believer agenda.
I could really do without ideologues running things.