ISSUE: Student-teacher relationships
OUR VIEW: Training important component of preventing improper relationships
The story is all to familiar: teachers find legal troubles because of inappropriate relationships with students. Prison, public embarrassment, loss of career, negative impact on young people are consequences.
South Carolina is taking the initiative in stopping the cycle of incidents by providing training for educators on how to prevent improper relationships with students.
State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex announced Wednesday that 10,000 South Carolina teachers, administrators, guidance counselors and school nurses would initially participate in the award-winning “Stewards of Children” program developed by Darkness to Light, a national nonprofit headquartered in Charleston. The training will begin in July, with the possibility of additional educators participating after the first group completes the curriculum.
“Incidents of misconduct represent only a tiny fraction of our teaching force, but even one incident is one too many,” said Rex, who was accompanied at the announcement by members of the State Board of Education and representatives of Darkness to Light. “We’ve got to stay vigilant.
“So much of what schools do is based on trust. Not only must kids trust their teachers, but parents have to trust those teachers, too.
And schools have to earn that trust each and every day. That’s what this initiative is all about.”
Under the partnership with Darkness to Light, the Education Department is making a financial commitment of $30,000 while the nonprofit is pledging $132,700 made available through the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. Although the partnership covers training for public school teachers, Rex said private schools also would be invited to participate at a minimal cost.
Last year Rex, Attorney General Henry McMaster and Department of Social Services Director Kathleen Hayes convened a statewide task force to address the issue of educator misconduct, and one of the group’s recommendations concerned a training component for educators. After examining various service providers, the Education Department began conversations with Darkness to Light.
“I am pleased to stand with Superintendent Rex and the task force in this effort to protect our school children from predators,” McMaster said. “Children’s school days should be among the brightest in their lives, and we must ensure that they are free from assault and exploitation while in the care of adults they trust.”
The 2.5-hour course is designed for organizations that serve children and youth and includes the “7 Steps to Protecting Our Children,”
Darkness to Light’s core educational tool for sexual abuse prevention.
A video component of the curriculum integrates personal stories of sexual abuse survivors, sharing their experiences of trauma and healing with the perspectives of professionals who work with various sexual abuse issues. An interactive workbook guides discussions that address prevention and intervention strategies.
Rex said the ideal sexual misconduct prevention strategy arms educators with the skills they need to recognize and address potential problems before children are hurt.
Beyond the training initiative, the task force has other plans, including working with colleges on teacher training and providing more information to teachers on standards of behavior.
The teacher-student relationship in primary and secondary schools is a special one. Maintaining professionalism is essential to the educational environment South Carolina is fostering. Improper relationships between teacher and student are a threat to the integrity of the system. Just as businesses have managers and employees undergo training in preventing sexual harassment and other workplace violations, administrators and teachers in our schools need the special training with regard to relationships with students.