Dr. Tanya Yerigan Professor Department of Education 1998‐Present
EDUCATION
Professor-19th Yr. •K-12 School Social Worker •Social Studies Teacher •Researcher & Author (articles and books) •SMSU
BUSINESS •Center
for Scholastic Inquiry •Academic
Research Conference •Publication of Refereed Journals (3) •Reclaimed Treasures •Rental
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Educator Sexual Misconduct Something to Think About
Video…
video
CAUTION… Controversial Not popular—can make educators
angry! Remember… 99% of Teachers are GREAT!
ESM Educator Sexual Misconduct Why the word MISCONDUCT
rather than abuse, rape, etc.? Not to alienate our own! Not illegal but unwanted in Ed.
ESM Nearly all data comes from the
students. Little to no data comes from teachers.
Statistics… 1 in 10 (9.6%) of students have
experienced unwanted sexual behavior by a school employee. 4.5 Million Students 3 million of these were sexual touching
or assault.
U.S. Department of Ed
In 2014, there was an average of 15
new cases every week ‐‐‐sexually victimized by an educator. Washington Post
Statistics… Educator Sexual
Misconduct Offenders 57% Male 43% Female
All School Employees
AAUW
25% Male 75% Female
Statistics… Order of Incidents Male to Female Male to Male Female to Male Female to Female
Shakeshaft
Educator Sexual Misconduct Offender
Age 21‐75 Average offender is 28
Hendrie
Statistics… Teacher Sexual Misconduct Victims
56% Female 44% Male
AAUW
Statistics… In
20 states, sex between a 16 year old and a school employee is legal.
At
age 17, three additional states make it legal.
Education week, 2003
Educator Sexual Misconduct (ESM) – or – Teacher Sexual Misconduct (TSM)
Statistics…
38% of ESM offenders target/abuse ELEMENTARY students.
56% of ESM offenders target/abuse MIDDLE SCHOOL or HIGH SCHOOL students.
6% of ESM offenders target/abuse K‐12.
Statistics… Most ESM (sexual abuse) happens right within the school.
Examples include the hallways, store rooms, empty classrooms and rooms attached to the classroom.
Statistics… Research shows ESM abusers have a good chance of not being discovered.
If a ESM abuser is discovered, there are minimal sanctions, if any.
Statistics… ESM costs the public!
Over the course of a 5 year period, NYC
Schools spent 18.7 million in settlements
There are currently hundreds of active cases remaining.
Statistics… Only 6% of ESM victims tell someone who can help them.
94% do not tell or they tell a friend after swearing them to secrecy.
Statistics… Of cases that do get reported to a superintendent, 90% are physically sexual.
Statistics… The majority of cases are ignored or disbelieved.
Statistics… Even when abuse is alleged, few students, families and districts report the crime to law enforcement.
Instead, it is handled internally!
Statistics…
Of an earlier study of 225 cases (all admitted physical sexual abuse) 1% lost their license 35% had a negative consequence
15% were fired, not tenured/not renewed 20% had a formal reprimand
25% had no consequence 39% left the district with a positive
recommendation or through retirement.
Statistics… Of those who were terminated, not renewed or left the district…
16% ‐ teaching elsewhere 84% ‐ no idea where they are
Remember the magnitude of the catholic church child sexual abuse scandal?
Over the course of 52 years… (1950 – 2002)
Catholic Church Scandal
10,667 VICTIMS U.S. Conference of Catholic Church
In the schools over only 9 years… (1991 – 2000)
Educator Sexual Misconduct
290,000 VICTIMS AAUW
Educator Sexual Misconduct Problem or Not?
Incidents of sexual abuse by teachers in public schools has been estimated to be more than 100 times that of the Catholic priests.
So, what has the church done? Aggressive response record including: Instituted zero tolerance policy – any credibly accused priest is immediately removed and LE notified Trained over 5 million children giving skills to protect from abuse Trained over 2 million adults (mainly priests) in recognizing signs of abuse Victim Assistance Coordinators in every diocese Annual independent audits of all diocese to monitor compliance with the new charter for protection
So, what have our schools done? Zero tolerance policy –
No Mandate Training children – No Mandate Training adults (teachers) – No Mandate Victim Assist. Coord./every district – No Mandate Annual independent audits of all schools – No Mandate
IN SHORT, THERE IS NO UNIVERSAL MANDATED RESPONSE!
PERPLEXING… Why is the nation in an outrage about the scandal within the Catholic Church but IGNORES the far larger issue within our school system? THIS MUST CHANGE!
MY RESEARCH 2015 Surveyed 77 Practicing K‐12
Teachers 95% Survey Return Rate
#1. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM EDUCATOR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT? 81% YES 19% SLIGHTLY 0% NOT AT ALL
2. HAVE YOU EVER SEEN CASES IN THE MEDIA WHERE AN EDUCATOR HAS BEEN INAPPROPRIATE WITH A STUDENT? 99% YES 1% NO
3. WITHIN A DISTRICT YOU HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED, ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY TEACHER SEXUAL MISCONDUCT CASES OR SITUATIONS? 30% YES 70% NO
3. COMMENTS‐‐Samples Staff member and Facebook instances with a
female student Teacher watching porn at school Male teacher spanking high school girls on their b‐day. Making female students bend over a chair and touch the ground on the other side. Male high school teacher having sex with female junior. Male coach pinching female athletes on the butt. Male teacher “sexting” with junior high female.
4. AS A STUDENT, WERE YOU THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATOR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT? 23% YES 77% NO
5. IF YOU SAID “YES” TO THE PROCEEDING QUESTION, DESCRIBE THE EVENT(S) BY SELECTING FROM THE LIST BELOW. 75% 42% 17% 32%
Overly Friendly Physically Inappropriate Emotionally Inappropriate Sexually Inappropriate
(Respondents were allowed to select more than one.)
5. COMMENTS‐‐Samples
Male teacher would rub my ears. Male teacher invited us girls to his home and took pictures of us promising we’d be models. The pics were inappropriate. I got pregnant by my teacher. My mom was a teacher so it was hush‐hush. My PE teacher slept with a guy from our freshman year through senior year. She was never reprimanded. My science teacher would rub my shoulders all the time. My superintendent sexually harassed me for a year. I finally went to law enforcement and the school board. Flirty teachers Sexual comments to me by a teacher and sometimes innuendos. My elementary teacher made me sit on his lap. As a female, this always felt icky to me.
6. AS AN EDUCATOR, HAVE YOU EVER FELT THAT YOU’VE CROSSED A LINE WITH A STUDENT? 2% YES 94% NO 4% NOT SURE
6. COMMENT‐‐Samples Getting too close as a friend and not
authority figure. I asked a student to dance on a class cruise. She ended up with a crush on me. It was horrible. In my mind, I think sexual things but it has never gotten physical.
7. AS PART OF YOUR TEACHER PREP PROGRAM (UNDERGRAD), DID YOU EVER HAVE ANY TRAINING(S) ON THE TOPIC OF EDUCATOR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT? 15% YES 85% NO
8. AS PART OF YOUR EDUCATION (BEYOND YOUR TEACHER PREP PROGRAM OR BACHELORS) HAVE YOU HAD ANY TRAINING ON THE TOPIC OF EDUCATOR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT? 14% YES 86% NO
9. HAVE YOU EVER HAD TRAINING REGARDING THE NEED TO ESTABLISH STRONG BOUNDARIES (PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, SEXUAL) WITH STUDENTS? 15% YES 85% NO
COMMENTS
All comments in 8 and 9 involved teachers who worked and received training within the catholic school system (post crisis).
REFLECT In general, what is going through your mind? What suggestions do you have for addressing the ESM issue?
NOW… BACK TO THE STUDY
POST SURVEY FOCUS GROUPS After the surveys were administered, the teachers
were given an overview of the ESM topic. Following the 30 minute presentation, the teachers were divided into 10 focus groups. There were roughly 7 teachers in each group. Teachers were asked to discuss two questions. 1. After taking the survey and hearing the ESM
presentation, what is going through your mind? 2. What suggestions do you have to address the ESM issue?
FOCUS GROUP Q1: What is going through your mind? Lack Information Common Sense Mentality Uncomfortable Situations ‐‐
Who do you tell? Catholic Church Issues & Education’s Issues No Training Taboo Topic – How do you talk about it? Inappropriate Actions Leading to Relationships
FOCUS GROUP Q2: What suggestions do you have to address the ESM issue? Undergraduate Course on ESM Topic Facebook/Social Media Guides/Rules District Trainings—ALL Educators (not just teachers) District Trainings ‐‐‐ALL Students Licensure & Relicensure
Training
Requirements/Mandates Address False Accusations Make Laws Tougher ‐‐‐ Punish “Bad” Teachers! Learn “WHY”
WHAT CAN WE DO? Create Specific
Policy—not general
Supervise
Listen to rumor and gossip Move around the building and classrooms Add before and after school to your supervision routine
Educate Staff Remind Staff HOW to Behave—don’t assume Educate Students Change Laws
WHAT AM I DOING? Researching “Why”? Social Media Lack of Boundaries
Writing Undergraduate Course Training Graduate‐Level Educators (M.Ed
Prog) District‐Wide Staff Development Trainings Individual Staff Member– Boundary Development Plan & Trainings
QUESTIONS?