FCPS investigating alleged instances of staff arranging abortions for students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The most serious charge isn't getting as much attention, that one of the two girls did not want the abortion and that she was coerced.

https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title18.2/chapter4/section18.2-32.2/

+1000000

ABORTION IS MAJOR SURGERY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still not clear exactly what it is alleged that these parents did.

There is a requirement to tell parents or legal guardians at least 24 hours before a minor has an abortion, and to get their consent notarized. But that seems to be the responsibility of the abortion provider. Of course, if the FCPS employee lied about the students' age, or counseled the student to lie, or helped them forge consent, or presented themselves as the parent, then that's probably illegal.

If the social worker paid with school funds, that's also illegal.

Transporting students anywhere is likely a violation of school policy, but not necessarily illegal.

But I am pretty sure that a student talking about abortion, has a right to confidentiality in a therapeutic relationship like that between social worker and her client. The social worker needs to break confidentiality and call CPS if there is evidence of abuse, and if they didn't that's a violation of mandated reporting laws. But otherwise, I'm not sure the social worker has the obligation to tell the parents, and their professional ethics may not allow them to tell the parents. The abortion provider was the one to tell the parents, although again, if the social worker deceived the provider about the students' age, or posed as parent, then that's a problem again.

I think more information needs to come out to know exactly which, if any, laws were broken, and by who.

Again. There are ways around it. But, the school should not have been the way. It should have been CPS.

If the social worker had reason to believe that the girl had been abused by a family member or school staff, or was at risk for abuse, then yes. But otherwise no. A 17 year old is legally able to consent to sex, and even if the sex was not consensual, that is a matter for the police not CPS barring parent/teacher involvement.

Referring a teenager over the age of consent who is asking for an abortion to a clinic that has professionals on staff with experience guiding young people through either telling their parents or getting judicial approval seems like an appropriate way to handle a situation.

Coercing a kid who doesn’t want an abortion, paying for the abortion with school funds, helping the kid misrepresent their age or whatever they did to get around parental notification — all those things are wrong. But it is not yet clear if those things happened.

No. The school should turn it over to CPS. It is not the job of the school system.

You keep posting over and over about referring to CPS. Child Protective Services has no role to play in a 17 year old's pregnancy. There is nothing to report unless the 17 year old reports abuse. 17 is consenting age.

This is yet another political setup.

If abuse was suspected the school was obligated to report. If it wasn’t, 17 is not the age of consent and the girls parents would have needed to consent on the abortion. Keep in mind, at 5 months pregnant this was NOT a minor procedure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) tells 7News Reporter Nick Minock that they are launching an investigation into claims that school staff arranged abortions for students and didn’t tell their parents."

There needs to be more done than the school system investigating itself. This is wild.


https://wjla.com/news/local/student-abortions-fairfax-county-public-schools-investigation-staff-arranged-reproductive-health-fcps-centerville-high-school-minors-taxfunded-virginia-employee-parents-sex-education-regulation-2504

“IN NO CASE SHALL SCHOOL PERSONAL

KEEP STUDENT PREGNANCY

INFORMATION AWAY FROM PARENTS.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what, the staff member just helped them make an appointment somewhere? Unless they were wielding a coat hanger or forging documents, this seems like a nothing burger. The healthcare providers are the ones bound by whatever the law on parental disclosure is.

It is laughable to pretend you wouldn't be furious if a staff member "just helped" your daughter make an appointment for an abortion - regardless of your views on abortion. Stop the deliberately obtuse act.

I'd be wondering how I had failed as a parent that my daughter felt she couldn't come to me. Not furious at the person who helped her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what, the staff member just helped them make an appointment somewhere? Unless they were wielding a coat hanger or forging documents, this seems like a nothing burger. The healthcare providers are the ones bound by whatever the law on parental disclosure is.

It is laughable to pretend you wouldn't be furious if a staff member "just helped" your daughter make an appointment for an abortion - regardless of your views on abortion. Stop the deliberately obtuse act.

I'd be wondering how I had failed as a parent that my daughter felt she couldn't come to me. Not furious at the person who helped her.

Perhaps the indoctrination institution convinced your child parents don’t really understand anything.

It’s not that hard when schools are allowing kids to do nearly anything they want with zero consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) tells 7News Reporter Nick Minock that they are launching an investigation into claims that school staff arranged abortions for students and didn’t tell their parents."

There needs to be more done than the school system investigating itself. This is wild.


https://wjla.com/news/local/student-abortions-fairfax-county-public-schools-investigation-staff-arranged-reproductive-health-fcps-centerville-high-school-minors-taxfunded-virginia-employee-parents-sex-education-regulation-2504

“IN NO CASE SHALL SCHOOL PERSONAL

KEEP STUDENT PREGNANCY

INFORMATION AWAY FROM PARENTS.”

Where are you quoting from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still not clear exactly what it is alleged that these parents did.

There is a requirement to tell parents or legal guardians at least 24 hours before a minor has an abortion, and to get their consent notarized. But that seems to be the responsibility of the abortion provider. Of course, if the FCPS employee lied about the students' age, or counseled the student to lie, or helped them forge consent, or presented themselves as the parent, then that's probably illegal.

If the social worker paid with school funds, that's also illegal.

Transporting students anywhere is likely a violation of school policy, but not necessarily illegal.

But I am pretty sure that a student talking about abortion, has a right to confidentiality in a therapeutic relationship like that between social worker and her client. The social worker needs to break confidentiality and call CPS if there is evidence of abuse, and if they didn't that's a violation of mandated reporting laws. But otherwise, I'm not sure the social worker has the obligation to tell the parents, and their professional ethics may not allow them to tell the parents. The abortion provider was the one to tell the parents, although again, if the social worker deceived the provider about the students' age, or posed as parent, then that's a problem again.

I think more information needs to come out to know exactly which, if any, laws were broken, and by who.

Again. There are ways around it. But, the school should not have been the way. It should have been CPS.

If the social worker had reason to believe that the girl had been abused by a family member or school staff, or was at risk for abuse, then yes. But otherwise no. A 17 year old is legally able to consent to sex, and even if the sex was not consensual, that is a matter for the police not CPS barring parent/teacher involvement.

Referring a teenager over the age of consent who is asking for an abortion to a clinic that has professionals on staff with experience guiding young people through either telling their parents or getting judicial approval seems like an appropriate way to handle a situation.

Coercing a kid who doesn’t want an abortion, paying for the abortion with school funds, helping the kid misrepresent their age or whatever they did to get around parental notification — all those things are wrong. But it is not yet clear if those things happened.

No. The school should turn it over to CPS. It is not the job of the school system.

You keep posting over and over about referring to CPS. Child Protective Services has no role to play in a 17 year old's pregnancy. There is nothing to report unless the 17 year old reports abuse. 17 is consenting age.

This is yet another political setup.

If abuse was suspected the school was obligated to report. If it wasn’t, 17 is not the age of consent and the girls parents would have needed to consent on the abortion. Keep in mind, at 5 months pregnant this was NOT a minor procedure.

A 17 year old in VA can consent to sex with someone close to their age. It's not an automatic CPS call unless they report that the sex was with a parent or caregiver (including a teacher), or arranged by a parent or caregiver. If it was rape, but not a parent or caregiver, that's a police report, not a CPS call. But there is no evidence that either of those things does or doesn't apply.

A 17 year old, without judicial involvement, can't consent to an abortion in VA. But the burden of getting and verifying that consent is probably on the abortion provider.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) tells 7News Reporter Nick Minock that they are launching an investigation into claims that school staff arranged abortions for students and didn’t tell their parents."

There needs to be more done than the school system investigating itself. This is wild.


https://wjla.com/news/local/student-abortions-fairfax-county-public-schools-investigation-staff-arranged-reproductive-health-fcps-centerville-high-school-minors-taxfunded-virginia-employee-parents-sex-education-regulation-2504

“IN NO CASE SHALL SCHOOL PERSONAL

KEEP STUDENT PREGNANCY

INFORMATION AWAY FROM PARENTS.”

Where are you quoting from?

WJLA link. Clearly the school needs to be held liable for what their employee did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) tells 7News Reporter Nick Minock that they are launching an investigation into claims that school staff arranged abortions for students and didn’t tell their parents."

There needs to be more done than the school system investigating itself. This is wild.


https://wjla.com/news/local/student-abortions-fairfax-county-public-schools-investigation-staff-arranged-reproductive-health-fcps-centerville-high-school-minors-taxfunded-virginia-employee-parents-sex-education-regulation-2504

“IN NO CASE SHALL SCHOOL PERSONAL

KEEP STUDENT PREGNANCY

INFORMATION AWAY FROM PARENTS.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what, the staff member just helped them make an appointment somewhere? Unless they were wielding a coat hanger or forging documents, this seems like a nothing burger. The healthcare providers are the ones bound by whatever the law on parental disclosure is.

It is laughable to pretend you wouldn't be furious if a staff member "just helped" your daughter make an appointment for an abortion - regardless of your views on abortion. Stop the deliberately obtuse act.

I'd be wondering how I had failed as a parent that my daughter felt she couldn't come to me. Not furious at the person who helped her.

Please. Of course you'd be furious. Otherwise, how about you give us your daughter's information, and we'll handle her medical appointments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still not clear exactly what it is alleged that these parents did.

There is a requirement to tell parents or legal guardians at least 24 hours before a minor has an abortion, and to get their consent notarized. But that seems to be the responsibility of the abortion provider. Of course, if the FCPS employee lied about the students' age, or counseled the student to lie, or helped them forge consent, or presented themselves as the parent, then that's probably illegal.

If the social worker paid with school funds, that's also illegal.

Transporting students anywhere is likely a violation of school policy, but not necessarily illegal.

But I am pretty sure that a student talking about abortion, has a right to confidentiality in a therapeutic relationship like that between social worker and her client. The social worker needs to break confidentiality and call CPS if there is evidence of abuse, and if they didn't that's a violation of mandated reporting laws. But otherwise, I'm not sure the social worker has the obligation to tell the parents, and their professional ethics may not allow them to tell the parents. The abortion provider was the one to tell the parents, although again, if the social worker deceived the provider about the students' age, or posed as parent, then that's a problem again.

I think more information needs to come out to know exactly which, if any, laws were broken, and by who.

Again. There are ways around it. But, the school should not have been the way. It should have been CPS.

If the social worker had reason to believe that the girl had been abused by a family member or school staff, or was at risk for abuse, then yes. But otherwise no. A 17 year old is legally able to consent to sex, and even if the sex was not consensual, that is a matter for the police not CPS barring parent/teacher involvement.

Referring a teenager over the age of consent who is asking for an abortion to a clinic that has professionals on staff with experience guiding young people through either telling their parents or getting judicial approval seems like an appropriate way to handle a situation.

Coercing a kid who doesn’t want an abortion, paying for the abortion with school funds, helping the kid misrepresent their age or whatever they did to get around parental notification — all those things are wrong. But it is not yet clear if those things happened.

No. The school should turn it over to CPS. It is not the job of the school system.

You keep posting over and over about referring to CPS. Child Protective Services has no role to play in a 17 year old's pregnancy. There is nothing to report unless the 17 year old reports abuse. 17 is consenting age.

This is yet another political setup.

DP. CPS might not be the appropriate agency, but here is FCPS regulations on counseling pregnant students. As you can see, they make it crystal clear that in NO WAY should FCPS staff have any influence over a student's decision and in NO WAY should any of this be kept from the parents:

III. GUIDELINES
School counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other staff members
shall be aware and follow the guidelines below regarding counseling pregnant students and
distributing literature about pregnancy, birth control, venereal disease, and private and public
agencies providing services for pregnant students.
A. Every effort shall be made to encourage and support students suspecting pregnancy to
discuss their concern with their parents or guardians. Offers may be made to meet jointly
with the parents or guardians and the student at school. In no case shall personnel commit
themselves to maintain such information confidentially, keeping it from parents, guardians,
or appropriate school authorities.
B. If a student requests counseling services or is considered to be in need of such services,
school staff members should refer the student to the public health nurse or Fairfax County
Department of Health and avoid influencing the student regarding the pregnancy.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BE5NKY60460E/$file/R2504.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) tells 7News Reporter Nick Minock that they are launching an investigation into claims that school staff arranged abortions for students and didn’t tell their parents."

There needs to be more done than the school system investigating itself. This is wild.


https://wjla.com/news/local/student-abortions-fairfax-county-public-schools-investigation-staff-arranged-reproductive-health-fcps-centerville-high-school-minors-taxfunded-virginia-employee-parents-sex-education-regulation-2504

Why should the school counselor tell the parents? It’s none of the parents’ business.

It absolutely is the parents business and the people who did this need to be named, arrested and prosecuted.

Not if these girls were 18.

but they weren't. that's the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still not clear exactly what it is alleged that these parents did.

There is a requirement to tell parents or legal guardians at least 24 hours before a minor has an abortion, and to get their consent notarized. But that seems to be the responsibility of the abortion provider. Of course, if the FCPS employee lied about the students' age, or counseled the student to lie, or helped them forge consent, or presented themselves as the parent, then that's probably illegal.

If the social worker paid with school funds, that's also illegal.

Transporting students anywhere is likely a violation of school policy, but not necessarily illegal.

But I am pretty sure that a student talking about abortion, has a right to confidentiality in a therapeutic relationship like that between social worker and her client. The social worker needs to break confidentiality and call CPS if there is evidence of abuse, and if they didn't that's a violation of mandated reporting laws. But otherwise, I'm not sure the social worker has the obligation to tell the parents, and their professional ethics may not allow them to tell the parents. The abortion provider was the one to tell the parents, although again, if the social worker deceived the provider about the students' age, or posed as parent, then that's a problem again.

I think more information needs to come out to know exactly which, if any, laws were broken, and by who.

Again. There are ways around it. But, the school should not have been the way. It should have been CPS.

If the social worker had reason to believe that the girl had been abused by a family member or school staff, or was at risk for abuse, then yes. But otherwise no. A 17 year old is legally able to consent to sex, and even if the sex was not consensual, that is a matter for the police not CPS barring parent/teacher involvement.

Referring a teenager over the age of consent who is asking for an abortion to a clinic that has professionals on staff with experience guiding young people through either telling their parents or getting judicial approval seems like an appropriate way to handle a situation.

Coercing a kid who doesn’t want an abortion, paying for the abortion with school funds, helping the kid misrepresent their age or whatever they did to get around parental notification — all those things are wrong. But it is not yet clear if those things happened.

No. The school should turn it over to CPS. It is not the job of the school system.

You keep posting over and over about referring to CPS. Child Protective Services has no role to play in a 17 year old's pregnancy. There is nothing to report unless the 17 year old reports abuse. 17 is consenting age.

This is yet another political setup.

DP. CPS might not be the appropriate agency, but here is FCPS regulations on counseling pregnant students. As you can see, they make it crystal clear that in NO WAY should FCPS staff have any influence over a student's decision and in NO WAY should any of this be kept from the parents:

III. GUIDELINES
School counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other staff members
shall be aware and follow the guidelines below regarding counseling pregnant students and
distributing literature about pregnancy, birth control, venereal disease, and private and public
agencies providing services for pregnant students.
A. Every effort shall be made to encourage and support students suspecting pregnancy to
discuss their concern with their parents or guardians. Offers may be made to meet jointly
with the parents or guardians and the student at school. In no case shall personnel commit
themselves to maintain such information confidentially, keeping it from parents, guardians,
or appropriate school authorities.
B. If a student requests counseling services or is considered to be in need of such services,
school staff members should refer the student to the public health nurse or Fairfax County
Department of Health and avoid influencing the student regarding the pregnancy.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BE5NKY60460E/$file/R2504.pdf

That doesn't say what you think it says. It says that in no way should the staff commit to (promise) not telling the parents. That the possibility of telling parents should remain open. That isn't the same as saying they need to tell the parents. It also says that while they should offer to help the students tell parents, they can also refer to outside counseling through the Health Department.

Referring the students to an organization that provides this counseling, as well as health services once the student has decided and the parental notification requirement has been met, may well have been appropriate. At this point we don't know. We don't know if the students requested an abortion, and then one changed their mind, or if the staff member pushed the idea. We don't know if the clinic was run by the Health Department. We don't know if the clinic failed to notified parents because they were lied to about student age or something similar, or if they made that mistake on their own. We don't know who paid.

It's quite possible that the social worker or the principal crossed a line. It's quite possible that they broke the law. But the information we have is not clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still not clear exactly what it is alleged that these parents did.

There is a requirement to tell parents or legal guardians at least 24 hours before a minor has an abortion, and to get their consent notarized. But that seems to be the responsibility of the abortion provider. Of course, if the FCPS employee lied about the students' age, or counseled the student to lie, or helped them forge consent, or presented themselves as the parent, then that's probably illegal.

If the social worker paid with school funds, that's also illegal.

Transporting students anywhere is likely a violation of school policy, but not necessarily illegal.

But I am pretty sure that a student talking about abortion, has a right to confidentiality in a therapeutic relationship like that between social worker and her client. The social worker needs to break confidentiality and call CPS if there is evidence of abuse, and if they didn't that's a violation of mandated reporting laws. But otherwise, I'm not sure the social worker has the obligation to tell the parents, and their professional ethics may not allow them to tell the parents. The abortion provider was the one to tell the parents, although again, if the social worker deceived the provider about the students' age, or posed as parent, then that's a problem again.

I think more information needs to come out to know exactly which, if any, laws were broken, and by who.

Again. There are ways around it. But, the school should not have been the way. It should have been CPS.

If the social worker had reason to believe that the girl had been abused by a family member or school staff, or was at risk for abuse, then yes. But otherwise no. A 17 year old is legally able to consent to sex, and even if the sex was not consensual, that is a matter for the police not CPS barring parent/teacher involvement.

Referring a teenager over the age of consent who is asking for an abortion to a clinic that has professionals on staff with experience guiding young people through either telling their parents or getting judicial approval seems like an appropriate way to handle a situation.

Coercing a kid who doesn’t want an abortion, paying for the abortion with school funds, helping the kid misrepresent their age or whatever they did to get around parental notification — all those things are wrong. But it is not yet clear if those things happened.

No. The school should turn it over to CPS. It is not the job of the school system.

You keep posting over and over about referring to CPS. Child Protective Services has no role to play in a 17 year old's pregnancy. There is nothing to report unless the 17 year old reports abuse. 17 is consenting age.

This is yet another political setup.

Leave your politics out of this! FCPS f’ed up big time. No politics needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am still not clear exactly what it is alleged that these parents did.

There is a requirement to tell parents or legal guardians at least 24 hours before a minor has an abortion, and to get their consent notarized. But that seems to be the responsibility of the abortion provider. Of course, if the FCPS employee lied about the students' age, or counseled the student to lie, or helped them forge consent, or presented themselves as the parent, then that's probably illegal.

If the social worker paid with school funds, that's also illegal.

Transporting students anywhere is likely a violation of school policy, but not necessarily illegal.

But I am pretty sure that a student talking about abortion, has a right to confidentiality in a therapeutic relationship like that between social worker and her client. The social worker needs to break confidentiality and call CPS if there is evidence of abuse, and if they didn't that's a violation of mandated reporting laws. But otherwise, I'm not sure the social worker has the obligation to tell the parents, and their professional ethics may not allow them to tell the parents. The abortion provider was the one to tell the parents, although again, if the social worker deceived the provider about the students' age, or posed as parent, then that's a problem again.

I think more information needs to come out to know exactly which, if any, laws were broken, and by who.

Again. There are ways around it. But, the school should not have been the way. It should have been CPS.

If the social worker had reason to believe that the girl had been abused by a family member or school staff, or was at risk for abuse, then yes. But otherwise no. A 17 year old is legally able to consent to sex, and even if the sex was not consensual, that is a matter for the police not CPS barring parent/teacher involvement.

Referring a teenager over the age of consent who is asking for an abortion to a clinic that has professionals on staff with experience guiding young people through either telling their parents or getting judicial approval seems like an appropriate way to handle a situation.

Coercing a kid who doesn’t want an abortion, paying for the abortion with school funds, helping the kid misrepresent their age or whatever they did to get around parental notification — all those things are wrong. But it is not yet clear if those things happened.

No. The school should turn it over to CPS. It is not the job of the school system.

You keep posting over and over about referring to CPS. Child Protective Services has no role to play in a 17 year old's pregnancy. There is nothing to report unless the 17 year old reports abuse. 17 is consenting age.

This is yet another political setup.

DP. CPS might not be the appropriate agency, but here is FCPS regulations on counseling pregnant students. As you can see, they make it crystal clear that in NO WAY should FCPS staff have any influence over a student's decision and in NO WAY should any of this be kept from the parents:

III. GUIDELINES
School counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, and other staff members
shall be aware and follow the guidelines below regarding counseling pregnant students and
distributing literature about pregnancy, birth control, venereal disease, and private and public
agencies providing services for pregnant students.
A. Every effort shall be made to encourage and support students suspecting pregnancy to
discuss their concern with their parents or guardians. Offers may be made to meet jointly
with the parents or guardians and the student at school. In no case shall personnel commit
themselves to maintain such information confidentially, keeping it from parents, guardians,
or appropriate school authorities.
B. If a student requests counseling services or is considered to be in need of such services,
school staff members should refer the student to the public health nurse or Fairfax County
Department of Health and avoid influencing the student regarding the pregnancy.

https://go.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/BE5NKY60460E/$file/R2504.pdf

That doesn't say what you think it says. It says that in no way should the staff commit to (promise) not telling the parents. That the possibility of telling parents should remain open. That isn't the same as saying they need to tell the parents. It also says that while they should offer to help the students tell parents, they can also refer to outside counseling through the Health Department.

Referring the students to an organization that provides this counseling, as well as health services once the student has decided and the parental notification requirement has been met, may well have been appropriate. At this point we don't know. We don't know if the students requested an abortion, and then one changed their mind, or if the staff member pushed the idea. We don't know if the clinic was run by the Health Department. We don't know if the clinic failed to notified parents because they were lied to about student age or something similar, or if they made that mistake on their own. We don't know who paid.

It's quite possible that the social worker or the principal crossed a line. It's quite possible that they broke the law. But the information we have is not clear.

The school social worker and the principal should have NO involvement other than to turn it over to the Health Dept. This is not the school's job. If the girl wants help to tell her parents, I think that is okay. But, no trips to clinic. If the parents are involved, that is their job. If the parents are not involved, let the Health Department deal with it.

One of the reports mentioned that an uncle was the legal guardian. There could be a large can of worms there, too. Even more reason that it should have been the Health Department and not the school. This child could have been an unaccompanied minor and perhaps even trafficked. This is far beyond work the school should be involved in doing.