Stopping Adult Sexual Misconduct in Schools

“Educators can prevent much of the sexual misconduct in schools if they know how to recognize and respond to suspicious patterns and if administrators enforce an environment of high expectations for behavior,” says Charol Shakeshaft (Virginia Commonwealth University) 

in this Kappan article. She quotes studies showing that nearly seven percent of students (about 3.5 million) report having experienced physical sexual contact from an adult in school, usually a teacher or coach. Sexual misconduct that doesn’t involve touching (e.g., sexual talk, sharing pornography, exhibitionism) brings the total number of abuse victims to 4.5 million children. 

Shakeshaft says that when she talks to adults in a school where an abuser has been arrested, many admit that they suspected something but weren’t sure, so they didn’t say anything. “If I reported and I was wrong, I would have ruined the life of another teacher,” they say. What she doesn’t hear people saying is, “If I didn’t report and this person had abused, I’d have ruined the life of a student.”

Shakeshaft quotes University of New Hampshire abuse expert David Finkelhor on the four preconditions of educator sexual misconduct:

• The adult is motivated to sexually abuse a child. There are two types: the fixated abuser (about 1/3 of cases) and the opportunistic abuser (about 2/3).
• The adult must overcome both internal and external inhibitions against abuse.
• The adult must have an opportunity to engage in sexual activity.
• The adult must overcome the child’s resistance.

The key for administrators is knowing the patterns and intervening early. Fixated abusers are most often popular, well-regarded male teachers in elementary and early middle grades who identify a vulnerable boy and begin grooming him: they have him stay after school for extra help, give him small gifts, contact the parent (usually a single mother), visit the home and build trust, start taking the boy to special places like ball games, fishing, and camping, escalate touching, and finally engage in sexual abuse. Other fixated abusers choose a high-performing female student, make her class monitor or class helper, tell her she’s more capable than others, compliment her maturity and have her stay after school, continue to flatter and charm, begin touching, and escalate to sexual abuse. Fixated abusers work hard at being likable and when they are accused, colleagues and parents often rally around them and authorities tend to discount accusations. 

Opportunistic abusers, more common in secondary schools, tend to be emotionally arrested, operating at a teenage level. They spend a lot of time around groups of students, want to be seen as hip or cool and act as though they are part of the crowd. They comment on attractive students, saying they are hot or sexy, and their conversations with students are often inappropriately personal. As they get closer and closer to a chosen student, they often believe they are in a romantic relationship. 

“No screening devices will identify a fixated abuser nor is there a treatment that will change the sexual desire of a fixated abuser,” says Shakeshaft. “But schools can create an environment that discourages child sexual abusers. This is true for both fixated and opportunistic offenders.” Here are the key elements of prevention:

• Clear, tough policies – It’s important that children know what sexual abuse is and have clear instructions on resisting, escaping, and reporting. But student skills are not a substitute for adult responsibility, says Shakeshaft: “Good policies and procedures, annual training, clarity about boundaries, parent awareness, and staff vigilance – these all work to minimize abuse… Policies should stress that any report, rumor, or suspicion of sexual misconduct must be reported to responsible authorities.” Making consequences clear (arrest, prison, loss of teaching license) goes a long way to deterring abuse. So does exposing common thinking errors common among abusers: She wanted me to do those things to her. I’m helping him grow up. She flirted with me. He knew what he was doing. He liked it. She wanted it. 

• Careful hiring – Few sexual abusers have a criminal record, so reference calls to listed references (and others not listed) are important, including direct questions about allegations of sexual misconduct. 

• Environmental monitoring – “Safe schools are places where administrators and teachers know what is happening in the next classroom, down the hall, and before and after school,” says Shakeshaft. Classroom doors should have glass windows that are never covered, and locked classrooms, storerooms, and teacher offices need to be secured and checked. Administrators should also monitor the behavior of emotionally needy teachers who spend most of their free time with students or give students rides in their cars. 

• Training and education – “Training must be done with all staff – professional and nonprofessional workers – as well as with students and parents, and the training must be repeated annually,” says Shakeshaft. The training must make clear the reporting responsibilities of all staff members and their immunity from prosecution for reporting in good faith, even if they’re mistaken. And of course policies need to appear in staff handbooks and communication to parents. 

• Consistent messaging – “Most students and staff members believe that districts won’t do anything about sexual misconduct,” says Shakeshaft. This lack of confidence prevents many from reporting. It’s critically important that authorities listen to and follow up on reports and make clear through their actions that educator sexual misconduct will not be tolerated. 

“Schools are places where parents send their children to learn,” Shakeshaft concludes. “They expect those places to be safe and nurturing… It is possible to prevent abuse. We know how to do it; we only need the will to do it.” 

“Knowing the Warning Signs of Educator Sexual Misconduct” by Charol Shakeshaft in Phi Delta Kappan, February 2013 (Vol. 94, #5, p. 8-13), www.kappanmagazine.org 

From the Marshall Memo #471