School Accused of Covering up Sex Assaults---My opinion

I signed on this morning and saw this news article titled School Accused of Covering up Sex Assaults.  Did anyone else read this?  If you didn't, you really should.  Did you know that "school systems are generally immune from paying damages unless it can be shown that they actually took "affirmative" steps that put youngsters in danger, and that the action taken "shocks the conscience."

Frankly, that shocks my sense of logic!  First of all, when they found out that the FIRST child (a 6 year old) was sexually assaulted by this 12 year old, they should have reported it to the police, to childrens services, to the parents.  They had no right to with hold this information.  Isn't it illegal not to report a crime? 

Especially one of an assault nature!  Can you imagine what the authorities and childrens services would do if you had a child in your home that was sexually assaulting other children, you knew about it and yet did nothing?!  There would be some serious consequences.  So explain to me why the school should be immune?  I don't understand that at all! 

We send our children to school with the belief that they will not only be educated, but cared for and protected from danger!  Now I understand that the school may not initially had any reason to worry about protecting children from this older child, but once they knew about the first assault, I believe they had a responsibility to protect all the other children in that school and they should have taken every and any action needed to do that. 

Instead they set this child up right outside the same bathroom that these smaller children used and, basically, LET him sexually assault and RAPE other children.  Not only is that "affirmative" steps that put youngsters in danger, but it is just pure stupidity!

Now I also understand that there is a problem in this country with people being "sue happy".  But if we can't sue the people who are suppose to be caring for our children when they put them right in the middle of danger, when should we be able to sue?  Years ago, people thought it was immoral to sue the churches for allowing priests to sexually abuse children.  There has to be some point where we put the children first, and make the abusers pay in some way.  Especially when they are so obviously negligent.

Of course, we have to be responsible and have half a brain  about it.  You don't sue someone because your child fell on the playground and sprained their ankle.  That isn't negligent.  You don't sue someone because they got hit with a ball during gym class.  That isn't negligent.  You don't sue someone because the flu is going around the school and your child caught it.  That isn't negligent.  However, if my child is sexually assaulted at school because the teachers and principal sat a known child abuser outside the bathroom my child is going to use...You can be damn sure I am going to not only sue someone, but I will more than likely end up in jail on assault charges myself!

I keep thinking that we need to expose Rylie to more children.  Perhaps enter her in Head Start, or send her to child care for a few hours a week.  Just something to give her more time with other children her age (her brothers and sisters are 12-19 years older than her).  She needs to be with more kids her age.  Then I read something like this and now I am thankful that I am so protective of her. 

How can I ever feel safe sending my youngest child off to school when the American government and court system doesn't believe that it is the schools responsibility to protect our children when they are in their care?!  When they don't think the school should be held responsible for putting our kids in such obvious danger?

Frankly, the whole thing just disgusts me.  The crimes committed against the children.  The lack of common sense on the part of the teachers and principal.  Especially that the courts may not be able to hold those who should have done something about it responsible for their lack of action. 

I know there are so many more points that I wanted to make, however, I am so angry and disgusted by this that I find it hard to gather my thoughts and put them down while still making sense.  Please feel free to leave a comment and express your own opinion.

Love your kids!
Hugs,

Tags: School, Sexual Assault