06-30-2023, 02:27 PM
(06-30-2023, 02:19 PM)Truck_1_0_1_ Wrote: So if a 10 year old who loves their teacher and confides deeply in them, goes up to said teacher and has the above conversation, as a teacher, you're REALLY going to say to the student, "that's really too bad, Timmy. I can't discuss this with you, you will need to speak to this police officer/social worker/whoemever that you've never met before and need to spill your guts to them instead of me, whom you trust?"
(of course the conversation wouldn't go that way, but you know what I mean)
THAT'S definitely not doing your job properly.
In that scenario you could refer the child to the school counselor, a person who is actually trained to address sensitive topics. If a person who trusts you came up and asked for legal advice would you address it with them or refer them to an attorney who actually knows what they're talking about?
I get your point, there's not an easy answer here. A child could come up and tell you about abuse in the home and beg you not to say anything. But you're required by law to report said abuse to CPS, DCFS or the equivalent. Knowing the limits of your position is rather important and not following that can often create much more harm. Unintentional harm, but harm nonetheless.
