I have a student with an IEP who shows some aggressive behaviors. One day she came back from the office with scratches on her neck. When I asked her what happened, she said, ‘the man in the white shirt did it.’ The principal always wears a white shirt, so I was concerned. The scratches were fresh and weren’t there before she went to the office. I reported it to our counselor as required, but now I’m wondering if the principal could get fired. I know I followed the law, but none of the restraining methods I know could explain these deep scratches on the child’s neck.
Mandated reporting is to CPS or law enforcement, not the school counselor.
H.Greenspan said:
Mandated reporting is to CPS or law enforcement, not the school counselor.
The counselor and I made the report to CPS together.
In my state, the law says you must report directly to CPS, not through someone else, due to cases like Jerry Sandusky. You should call CPS yourself.
You’ve done what you’re supposed to. Further involvement might complicate the investigation. Keep an eye on the situation and report anything else you suspect, but let the professionals handle it. Focus on helping the child with their learning.
@Mentor
I agree. I don’t want to cause more trouble or interfere with the investigation. I’ll let the investigators do their job.
I had something similar happen a couple of years ago. Now I work at a better school, and that administrator works somewhere else. It wasn’t easy. You can file a formal complaint with your district’s ombudsman. If he retaliates, keep track of everything and report it to HR. Sending big hugs your way. Stand up for this child. It won’t be easy, but it’s the right thing to do.
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Sadie said:
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No. You are required to report, not investigate.
Fair point! But still, make sure to confirm the person involved since their name wasn’t mentioned.
@SarahBrown
You don’t need to mention who did it, just that the child was harmed. CPS will look into it.
Nixon said:
@SarahBrown
You don’t need to mention who did it, just that the child was harmed. CPS will look into it.
Exactly. It’s better not to share details that aren’t confirmed, like ‘the principal always wears a white shirt.’ Just share what the student said, not what you think happened. That’s the policy in my area.
Nixon said:
@SarahBrown
You don’t need to mention who did it, just that the child was harmed. CPS will look into it.
Thanks for that info!
@SarahBrown
Never talk to the suspected person. If something serious is happening, it could make things worse for the child or even for you. It’s not our job to figure out guilt, just to report anything that could hurt a child.
Sadie said:
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Staff must report, not investigate or judge. There might be other explanations, but that’s not for us to decide. The reason for this is simple: the person reporting doesn’t have all the facts. Other reports might be needed to get the full picture.