Reply to Head of School at National Child Research Center (NCRC)

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I believe that ALL schools should require comprehensive background checks for every staff member AGAIN urgently, with frequent regular updates in future to ensure the information is current. This process would also help prevent individuals with problematic histories from applying for these positions in the future. Problem solved.[/quote]

Background checks are necessary, but not sufficient. Everyone, parents, volunteers, teachers, admin, facilities staff, security, etc.,  need training like youth sports organizations and Catholic schools do, so the whole community knows what to look for and is watching all the time. Kids too. When my (now adult) kids were little they had age appropriate training about boundaries and safe behaviors every year. The Catholic Church has a K-8 program called Circle of Grace, a curriculum that teaches children how to identify and maintain safe boundaries, and how to respond when those boundaries are violated, it covers everything from keeping your hands to yourself in preschool, to bullying in elementary school, to sex trafficking in upper middle school. Secular training models are likely out there too.[/quote]
Citing the Catholic Church training on how to prevent sexual exploitation is…something. [/quote]

The Catholic Church has been legally required to develop effective mandatory reporting training due to the many lawsuits they have settled. It’s very similar and in some ways even better than what public school employees and staff are required to do. I’ve done both and highly recommend one or both.[/quote]
NP here.  For similar reasons, the Boy Scouts of America's sexual exploitation training was more rigorous than the training I did for a DMV public school system.  The training models aren't rocket science but they're still important.  They exist to create a culture of accountability that goes beyond background checks.  [/quote]

Curious how these trainings might have applied in this case? Whether it's the Boy Scouts or the Catholic schools training, what would people have been trained to recognize that would have outed Carroll sooner? [/quote]

(DP) It's a lot of things all rolled into one. Communal awareness of behaviors, creating a culture of speaking up when something seems off (even if it is a mild breach of protocol you are thanked for noticing and speaking up), kids who understand boundaries, parents who recognize risks, schools that follow policies designed to protect no matter what or who thinks the rules don't apply to them. Getting the training year after year makes it second nature. Read some of the links -- it is comprehensive and not just a policy no one ever reads in an on line handbook like lots of local schools might have (or not even).

PP jokes about Catholic schools, and maybe doesn't realize that the more recent headlines are about things that happened before the peak lawsuits in the 80s, which triggered these programs and reforms, which lead to uncovering more of the past abuses and publicity lead to more adult victims and families coming forward. Mandatory reporting to civil authorities have been in place since the 80s. So Catholic communities now have almost 50 years of experience trying to make sure the past doesn't repeat itself, continuing to encourage victims to come forward, refining the programs frequently. Those families and communities were traumatized when cases became known, much as yours is now. They turned their trauma into action to create safer environments for their communities. It's a good program, worth looking into. [/quote]

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