BishopAccountability.org
	Mazzaglia: an Epidemic of School Sex Abuse By Frank Mazzaglia MetroWest Daily News [United States] April 30, 2006 http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=128728 Did you know that in 1998, there were 103,600 specific cases of sexual abuse against children reported to the Department of Justice? What made these incidents even more startling was they took place in the public schools! That was the same year reporters were just beginning to piece together the story of clergy sex abuse in the Catholic Church. The difference between prosecuting the Catholic Church rather than the schools was money. To date, the Catholic Church has paid out an estimated $1 billion to settle abuse claims. Investigative reporters were spurred on by information provided by the trial lawyers taking on the church. On the other hand, there wasn't much to be gained by suing schools. So much for really caring about the kids! Carol Shakeshaft, the researcher who prepared a draft report commissioned by the U.S. Department of Education, said the actual number of abuse cases in public schools could be much higher. Comparing survey data collected by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation in 2000, Shakeshaft estimated that roughly 290,000 students experience some kind of physical sexual abuse by school employees. The magnitude of those numbers led Shakeshaft to contend that "the physical sexual abuse of students in schools is likely more than 100 times the abuse by priests." Still, you can't blame trial lawyers for not getting involved. Public schools are protected by government immunity, which limits the money that can be recovered from the large damage claims. Ah, but the Catholic Church was fair game since huge sums of money and property could be extracted with the aid of an enthusiastic media promoting moral hysteria in pursuit of a Pulitzer Prize. It was an irresistible story that combined the sacred and the profane. Besides that, it made the Boston media look like they were truly the great protectors of young people robbed of their innocence. So, then what explains the comparatively cold silence when child abuse was revealed to be far more prevalent in, of all places, the public schools? A good teacher is the salt of the earth. However, educators of all ranks who care a lot about kids will tell you that not every teacher is blessed with a pure heart. What's worse is that plentiful evidence exists which shows that predator teachers were frequently moved around from school to school. As though that wasn't bad enough, a rash of recent cases demonstrate a seriously flawed double standard. The courts seem to brush off cases involving young female teachers caught having sex with adolescent boys. What can be done? For starters, state boards of education, school committees, and school superintendents need to be held legally accountable. These are the people directly responsible for any lapse in public schools that result in harm to children under their care. Just don't hold your breath for that to happen. With all the pomp and power of the Vatican, Rome is no match for entrenched teacher unions and political bodyguards protecting the public school systems. Until policy reform happens, only the most flagrant cases of child abuse will rise to the surface. A few screaming headlines will attract public attention, and then the story becomes characterized as a twisted and exceptional case of abnormality. What's needed is new law to drive public policy toward hefty damage awards. Trial lawyers, after all, are attracted to money the same way that your average shark is attracted to blood. Motivations aside, the end result will produce more protection for innocent children. Public schools, of course, are not the only places where children need to be protected. However, the reported incidents alone make schools worthy of a serious look. Perhaps then, more parents will feel secure about the safety of their children before that morning bus arrives to take the kids to school. Frank Mazzaglia can be reached at fmazzaglia@aol.com.
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