School Districts Say They Take Abuse Reporting Seriously
In light of the Penn State scandal, Saucon Valley, Bethlehem, Parkland, East Penn and Lehigh County Children and Youth describe how they handle child abuse allegations.
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The reporting of alleged child sex abuse might have gone horribly wrong in the cases at the center of the Penn State scandal, but several local school districts and child protective services say their own procedures are sound.
Pamela Buehrle, director of the Lehigh County Office of Children and Youth, said the grand jury allegations against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky and university administrators could be a wake up call for some school districts. But she’s not sure lawmakers’ proposals to stiffen penalties for failing to report abuse will improve the system.
In Lehigh County, “as far as reporting goes, I think it works pretty well,” Buehrle said. The county gets about 900 calls a year of allegations of severe abuse, such as a child who has been sexually assaulted or seriously injured. Another 2,800 calls come in of more general complaints of child neglect, such as truancy or lack of medical care. Her agency hasn’t seen a spike in abuse reports since the Penn State scandal erupted.
For the child abuse reports, which frequently come from the Pennsylvania Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-932-0313), the agency is required to investigate within 24 hours. If the allegations are of sex abuse or serious injury, the police get involved.
Pennsylvania stipulates that school employees and others who work with children are “mandatory reporters” of child abuse. Some legislators want to make it mandatory for more people to report suspected abuse. Buehrle said it’s possible such a move could backfire by flooding investigators with reports and making it hard for them to focus on the most serious, credible cases.
Here’s what some Lehigh Valley school districts say about their policies:
In the Bethlehem Area School District, teachers, aides and other employees are instructed to report suspicions of abuse to a school counselor and/or the building principal, said Dean Donaher, director of student services. Then the counselor and principal are required to contact the authorities immediately.
“You drop whatever else you’re doing and you focus on this because there’s nothing more important than the safety of a child,” he said. They’ve had cases in which they’ve kept a child in school at the end of the day because they were waiting for a caseworker or police officer to come investigate a report.
He stressed that school staff need only “reasonable suspicion” that abuse has taken place and they leave it up to police or the Children and Youth caseworkers to evaluate the evidence.
A former high school principal, Donaher said he’s had his share of phone calls from angry parents who felt the district overreacted in reporting suspicions of abuse.
“I’ve taken many a verbal beating from a parent,” he said. But he’d rather err on the side of caution than ignore a suspicion and be wrong, he said.
Bethlehem reviews its child abuse reporting policies with its staff at the beginning of each school year.
Saucon Valley School District Superintendent Sandra Fellin said district employees are instructed to report suspected abuse to their superior--say a principal--who in turn makes sure that police and child protective services are notified that day.
“Several years back you needed to have that proof,” Fellin said. “Now it shifted to any reasonable suspicion.”
As with Bethlehem, sometimes the district hears from parents who feel the school overreacted in reporting.
“We do get those phone calls when parents many times feel infringed upon,” she said. But “our job is to ensure the safety of the children in our building.”
The mandatory reporting policy is reviewed with staff at the beginning of each school year, she said.
Parkland’s Director of Student Services Robert Thornburg said in an e-mail that he’s satisfied with the district’s protocol and that staff get periodic training from the county’s Children and Youth office.
Parkland’s policy says "School employees who suspect child abuse shall immediately notify the school principal, who shall notify the Director of Student Services. Upon notification, the Director of Student Services or designee shall report the suspected child abuse."
"Reports of child abuse shall immediately be made by telephone to the Childline Abuse Registry and in writing to the county Children and Youth Agency within forty-eight (48) hours after the oral report."
"The Director of Student Services shall exercise no discretion but has an absolute duty to report when receiving notice from a school employee," the policy states.
East Penn School District Superintendent Thomas Seidenberger and Director of Student Services Thomas Mirabella said district administrators consult with Children and Youth staff, state police and the district solicitor each summer to make sure their protocols for handling child abuse reports are up to date.
The staff know they are required to report any suspected abuse and they are instructed to take it to the building principal who can sit with them while they make the call to the child abuse hotline. They want the person who is first made aware of the abuse to place the call so the information doesn’t get garbled in the retelling.
“We report immediately without delay,” Mirabella said. Then it’s up to the county caseworkers and police to evaluate the information and investigate.
As in other districts, administrators sometimes get flack from families for reporting their suspicions.
“In a lot of cases we’re accused of being overly cautious,” Seidenberger said.
“I don’t know anyone who hasn’t taken this seriously,” he said.
GrowUpSaucon
10:02 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Saucon Valley absoluetly does not protect children. SV has placed our children in arms reach of a convicted child rap*sts doorsteps while walking to their bus stop. Saucon Valley's Sandra Fellin insists "is the safest spot for OUR children." We are doing all we can , as the parents to protect our children . SV need to do the same, they placed one of our children at the pedophiles doorsteps because the bus driver was not allowed to go up the street any farther. SV is putting pedophiles before children. Paula
sandra fellin
11:01 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
The original stop was the closest to the offender. The next stop was about 900 feet away from the offenders home. The stop was then moved to about 1000 feet from the offender and out of sight line. Students have two alternative ways to walk that do NOT pass the offenders home. They do not have to walk by the offenders home at all if they do not want to. Paula drives her children to school this year, as she has for many years, her children do not stand and wait or get dropped off at the bus stop in question. The driver that day was a substitute and did not drop the child off at the location that has been indicated.
GrowUpSaucon
11:23 am on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
No sweetheart. The new stop is 540 feet from his home. You moves the stop 100 feet not 1000. Since you obviously don't listen, the distance is not the main problem because at the new stop, they walk directly past his front doorsteps with one route, past his home with the other and with the third-it was deemed unsafe by YOU. Sayiny the children do not need to walk by his home is a lie. Sandra, ask your bus driver of the 6 seated bus that picks up my 2 older daughter everyday if they ride the bus. I drive my youngest because she has a special health issues. The driver, substitute or not iS responsible for the children during this time and he MOST certainly did drop her off at the sex offenders doorsteps. The mother wrote Sandra Fellin a letter and we sent it certified mail and Sandra decided to ignore it. We offered several different options that most certainly are farther than this new stop but SV continues to insist that we are fixated ONLY on the old stop. At the end of the day.....Saucon Valley has decided to leave these 11 children in arms reach of a convicted pedophile ....and of story. Paula
Janice Bowman
4:08 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
SVSD has a problem with listening to a parent totally before judging them or making them look like aproblem parent. This could have been solved easily if the board and admin wasn't into power and control like a pedophile is use to! When parents have concerns their are issues that all have to be looked at! But most boards are to intersted in getting more money be it taxes or grants than solving the probem of sex offenders near bus stops Why are we surprised, it is not their child in danger, so who cares? The solicitor instructed the parents IT IS THE TOWNSHIPS PROBLEM? Does the township know it? I guess the parents got to go find out? Oh, and Sandra Fellin says it is to dangerous for a bus to go around that corner? I have seen pictures of oil trucks, construction truck, and another 6 seater bus go up and down that hill? Wow maybe it was (GHOST VEHICLES CAPTURED ON FILM)? Wait maybe we better post a sign and let those drivers know it is to dangerous for them to go there says Saucon Valley School District? I am sure the parents wat to saveotherlives too. I am disappoined taht some of the people at the meeting think it is just because she wants the bus stop in front of the house, that is a lie. She has driven her children to school. Paula is abetter person and mom because she cares for the other children. I have to ask you who complain, DO YOU CARE OF OTHERS CHILDREN?
Janice Bowman
4:14 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Speaking of the meeting at SVSD, everyone missed the greatest film on earth brought up per PSBA called Stand Up for Public Schools, because they are under attack: I expect it to be a number 1. It is called MOVEMENT teaching your children how to become leaders, by jumping up and down with only jean shorts on looking like the hippies when they were high on dope, but of course this is a true leader because this now starts to get the others up. (FACTUALLY IT LOOK LIKE HE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME HAVING A BM, and HE WAS TRYING TO SHAKE IT LOOSE!)
I guess this ttruly is what our childen are learning in Public Education Schools! Parents please help us pass SB #1 School Vouchers and HB#1971 Safety for Bus stopps. before our children are cloned into the 1960 HIPPIE MOVEMENT!
GrowUpSaucon
9:47 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011
LOL Janice! And yes, Please say YES to HB1971. It is so important for all of us to stick together and keep all of our children safe. They depend on us. I have been very fortunate with my neighborhood, we always looked out for each others children. What makes it difficult for us is when SV is the one screwing up.... they are not capable of dropping our children off at the same times daily-so we have a 30 minute time frame and if we aren't there a convicted rap*st could grab our children considering SV has very proudly placed our new stop in arms reach of a s*x offender, SV is also dropping them off at the s*x offenders doorsteps, stepping on our kids faces to see if they can see the teachers foot without glasses on, HECK, they don't even know if my children are even riding on the { 6 seater} bus or not! We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving. Paula
GrowUpSaucon
3:39 am on Friday, November 25, 2011
Looks like the truth upsets "John 118." That's alright "John." I am not upset with you for obviously siding with the school district and a pedophile. Freedom of speech is a WONDERFUL thing. I will continue to communicate and remind EVERYONE how Saucon Valley School District ABSOLUTELY DOES like pedophiles more than children. Facts are facts. Paula
Mary Anne Looby
10:56 am on Friday, November 25, 2011
Abuse,as well as terroristic threats should certainly be taken seriously by any and all school districts. Fire and/or expell the perpetrators. It is the only way to be taken seriously!