 |
Saturday
Five myths (Lies) about American Education - Edited by yours truly...
Myth #1: Teachers make more than the average American. Their salary is not less than it should be.
Let’s take a look at those claims… the average teacher salary in the United States is $52,900 and the average salary for all workers in the United States is $52,544 so yes, teachers make slightly more than average. However, the average income for American workers with a bachelor’s degree or better is $77,293 (1) well above the average teacher.
Looking at total compensation (includes insurance, paid holidays, retirement etc.) the private sector average is $71,000 and the public sector average is $69,000.(2)
It should be clear that teacher’s pay lags well behind that of our similarly educated peers. It should also be clear why we have the paid retirement and insurance we do – it helps bring our compensation in line with our private sector peers. And we still lag behind our private sector peers.
Myth #2: Teachers should not have a “Job for
Life.” The teacher’s unions protect bad teachers and make it impossible to fire bad teachers.
Nothing could be further form the truth. First, it is important to be clear on what teacher tenure is and what it is not. “Unlike tenure for university professors, tenure for K-12 teachers does not shield them from dismissal. Instead, it's simply a guarantee of due process — that if a teacher is fired, it will be for cause.”(3)
Teachers and their unions are not the least bit interested in hiring or protecting poor teachers. Nor are teachers hired for life. Teachers and their union are interested only in protecting good teachers from abuse and arbitrary firings and this requires due process. The fact that poor teachers can hide behind these protections is really a reflection of administrators who are unable or unwilling to clearly articulate a case against a poor teacher and that we DON'T have any valid standardized way of evaluating performance. Currently, many administrators who were poor teachers themselves that moved on to get out of the classroom, subjectively write the final evaluation of teachers through a process where personalities and non-teaching agendas come into play.
Myth #3: We have to do something; we are lagging far behind other countries in education.
I do not know a teacher who does not believe that education in America has critical flaws. Teachers also believe that we are lagging behind other industrialized countries and there are grave concerns about our failure to keep up. However, how we come to that conclusion and how we measure ourselves against the world is flawed. (See the preceding article.)
The “Us versus Them” comparisons are flawed and causing grave harm to education in this country due to the reliance on standardized testing to measure student and teacher performance.
There are major issues with this comparison.
For starters, China, India et. al. Do not test every student, nor do they attempt to educate every student.(4) Schools in the United States (excepting private schools and in many cases charter schools) are required to accept and teach any student who appears at their door. This includes well qualified students, motivated students, unmotivated students, students with special emotional or mental needs ( read - not enough school counselors,) unprepared students, students with little support outside of schools, students who don’t speak a common language, the list goes on. Most of these students would not be accepted to, or be allowed to remain in most foreign schools. Up untell the Bush administration, most Americans were proud of this fact. Further, the fact that we have chosen to educate all children is the only socially progressive achievement we can lay claim to ahead of any other country.
This is in no way a complaint about providing instruction to these students or an excuse or even a claim that these students can’t or shouldn’t be taught, but simply a clear reason why the comparison of test scores is problematic at best, and faulty and harmful in the extreme.
Not only is the comparison flawed, it has led us to the point where we are basing our educational decisions on standardized tests and even trying to evaluate teachers on how well their students do on these tests. (5)
The problem is, a test does not provide information on how well a teacher has taught a subject, at best a test tells us how well a student has learned the subject. In the absence of other data, a test does not even do that reliably.
While there is plenty of research on the subject – enough to write a book – the simple explanation is this: a teacher cannot control all of the variables that go into how well a student learns. The support a student receives at home is far more important than what goes on in their school. How motivated a student is to learn will effect how well they learn.
Interestingly, China is attempting to rely less on standardized test and create a more American system. (6) Chinese policy makers are beginning to realize that teaching to the test has created generations of very good test takers who are unable to critically analyze and solve complex problems or creatively think of new ideas.
"We have just seen 43 states and DC adopt a Common Core curriculum that will have a Common Core national test (common “yardstick”) in 2014-15, and another name for that national test is “gao kao.” It will drive U.S. education for decades and we may never be able to get off of it. The American teacher was always unique in deciding what to teach, when to teach, and how to teach it…and the variability in creative questioning has gained us 270+ Nobel Prizes. (Score for China-educated doing research in China is zero…but that will soon change due to many who return after receiving a graduate education in U.S.) But now, partly from test envy and international ignorance, we have headed down a path to standardization in testing that we will not be able to get out of in our lifetime." (7)
Is this really where we want to head?
“But [the] intention is to use the Special Curriculum as a laboratory to experiment with a curriculum that will help all Chinese students, not just those who study abroad. Special Curriculum students may be encouraged to exercise and play, watch movies and read novels, engage in chit-chat and extracurricular activities. But in tests they do just as well as – or even better than – students who are given no choice but to study all day. This fact has profound implications for curriculum design and implementation in China. (8)
Scientific research and the experience of Finland’s highly praised education system show that a varied and flexible schedule that incorporates play and pleasure with study and work produces the best learners. Fitness and nutrition, music and arts, sports and games are not unnecessary distractions to learning but healthy supplements.” (9)
Myth #4: In this economy teachers are lucky to have a job.
No, teachers are not lucky to have a job.
This should not minimize the severity of our current economic situation, but unemployment is near 9% (10) meaning that if you selected 100 people at random 91 of those people would be employed. Having a job isn’t lucky, not having employment is unlucky.
In addition, many teachers worked very hard to earn degrees and employment that is relatively stable. Having a job now is the result of making good choices when selecting a career. Many teachers chose to forgo maximum profit for security and it is paying off now.
Myth #5: Why shouldn’t teachers be held accountable when everyone else is accountable for their performance?
Teachers are and should be held accountable. For good teaching.
Most teachers want to be the very best teacher they can be and that is impossible without being regularly and properly evaluated. It is difficult to make specific comments because how teachers are evaluated varies from district to district but it is fair to say that most teachers don’t have an issue with being evaluated.
However, teachers want to be evaluated on their teaching. Tying their evaluations and pay to student performance is unfair. There are far too many variables that are outside a teacher’s control. And unlike a manager in the private sector a teacher cannot interview potential students and pick the best nor can a teacher fire those who choose to ignore their responsibilities in school.
A teacher’s role is to teach the best they are able. To implement best practice and the best teaching strategies. To continually adapt to the needs of their students and to learn new ways to reach them and teach them. Additionally, an ability to form positive relations with most if not all of their students. As we all know certain personality traits and false expectations lend to negative impact on the learning process In those developmental years.
That is what a teacher should be evaluated upon.
A student’s role is to be in class and to complete the tasks a teacher asks – whatever those task may be – to the best of their ability. If a student does not do this, for whatever reason, they are not doing their job and they will not learn as well as they are able. A teacher does not control this, and no matter how well the teacher teaches a student who fails to perform their job will fall short of expectations and their potential.
We need to develop a tool to evaluate (A valid replicatable collective measure) how well a teacher teaches. and a fully funded nationally standardized program to help lower performing teachers.
1. “ 2011 Statistical Abstract,” U.S. Census Bureau, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
2. “For public-sector workers, a wage penalty,” Economic Policy Institute, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.epi.org/economic_snapshots/entry/for_public_sector_worke...
3. Greenblatt, Alan, “Is Teacher Tenure Still Necessary?” NPR.Com, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126349435
4. Compton, Robert, “2 Million Minutes: A Global Examination”, The Finland Phenomon, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.2mminutes.com/
5. “K-12 testing,” Fair Test, the national Center for Fair and Open Testing, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.fairtest.org/k-12
6. Schrock, John Richard, “Why Doesn’t China Get Off the Teach-to-the-Test System?” Yong Zhao, accessed February 23, 2001, http://zhaolearning.com/2010/12/29/john-richard-schrock-why-doesnt-...
7. Ibid.
8. “Education Reform in China: What the educators think,” OECD 50, Better policies for Better Lives, accessed February 23, 2011, http://oecdinsights.org/2010/03/19/education-reform-in-china-what-t...
9. Ibid.
10. “Table A-14. Unemployed persons by industry,” United States Department of Labor, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t14.htm
Sources:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126349435
http://www.epi.org/economic_snapshots/entry/for_public_sector_worke...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_time
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/20/ravitch.teachers.blamed/index...
http://www.dianeravitch.com/
http://www.worldsalaries.org/usa.shtml
http://www.educationworld.net/salaries_us.html
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Country=United_States/Salary
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
http://www.aeaweb.org/students/Careers.php
http://zhaolearning.com/2010/12/10/a-true-wake-up-call-for-arne-dun...
http://slatest.slate.com/id/2284732/entry/4/#add-comment
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/chinas-education-prepares-students-t...
http://zhaolearning.com/2010/12/29/john-richard-schrock-why-doesnt-...
http://oecdinsights.org/2010/03/19/education-reform-in-china-what-t...
http://www.aare.edu.au/05pap/zho05780.pdf
http://www.asainstitute.org/2mm/index.html
Compton, Robert 2 Million Minutes: A Global Examination (2008), http://www.2mminutes.com/
Tyack, David B. The One Best System: A History of American Urban Education (1974)
Tyack, David B., and Elizabeth Hansot. Managers of virtue: Public school leadership in America, 1820–1980. (1982)
Archbald, Doug A.; Newmann, Fred M. Beyond Standardized Testing: Assessing Authentic Academic Achievement in the Secondary School (1988)
Alfie Kohn The case against standardized testing: raising the scores, ruining the schools (2000)
http://www.fairtest.org/k-12
Let’s take a look at those claims… the average teacher salary in the United States is $52,900 and the average salary for all workers in the United States is $52,544 so yes, teachers make slightly more than average. However, the average income for American workers with a bachelor’s degree or better is $77,293 (1) well above the average teacher.
Looking at total compensation (includes insurance, paid holidays, retirement etc.) the private sector average is $71,000 and the public sector average is $69,000.(2)
It should be clear that teacher’s pay lags well behind that of our similarly educated peers. It should also be clear why we have the paid retirement and insurance we do – it helps bring our compensation in line with our private sector peers. And we still lag behind our private sector peers.
Myth #2: Teachers should not have a “Job for
Life.” The teacher’s unions protect bad teachers and make it impossible to fire bad teachers.
Nothing could be further form the truth. First, it is important to be clear on what teacher tenure is and what it is not. “Unlike tenure for university professors, tenure for K-12 teachers does not shield them from dismissal. Instead, it's simply a guarantee of due process — that if a teacher is fired, it will be for cause.”(3)
Teachers and their unions are not the least bit interested in hiring or protecting poor teachers. Nor are teachers hired for life. Teachers and their union are interested only in protecting good teachers from abuse and arbitrary firings and this requires due process. The fact that poor teachers can hide behind these protections is really a reflection of administrators who are unable or unwilling to clearly articulate a case against a poor teacher and that we DON'T have any valid standardized way of evaluating performance. Currently, many administrators who were poor teachers themselves that moved on to get out of the classroom, subjectively write the final evaluation of teachers through a process where personalities and non-teaching agendas come into play.
Myth #3: We have to do something; we are lagging far behind other countries in education.
I do not know a teacher who does not believe that education in America has critical flaws. Teachers also believe that we are lagging behind other industrialized countries and there are grave concerns about our failure to keep up. However, how we come to that conclusion and how we measure ourselves against the world is flawed. (See the preceding article.)
The “Us versus Them” comparisons are flawed and causing grave harm to education in this country due to the reliance on standardized testing to measure student and teacher performance.
There are major issues with this comparison.
For starters, China, India et. al. Do not test every student, nor do they attempt to educate every student.(4) Schools in the United States (excepting private schools and in many cases charter schools) are required to accept and teach any student who appears at their door. This includes well qualified students, motivated students, unmotivated students, students with special emotional or mental needs ( read - not enough school counselors,) unprepared students, students with little support outside of schools, students who don’t speak a common language, the list goes on. Most of these students would not be accepted to, or be allowed to remain in most foreign schools. Up untell the Bush administration, most Americans were proud of this fact. Further, the fact that we have chosen to educate all children is the only socially progressive achievement we can lay claim to ahead of any other country.
This is in no way a complaint about providing instruction to these students or an excuse or even a claim that these students can’t or shouldn’t be taught, but simply a clear reason why the comparison of test scores is problematic at best, and faulty and harmful in the extreme.
Not only is the comparison flawed, it has led us to the point where we are basing our educational decisions on standardized tests and even trying to evaluate teachers on how well their students do on these tests. (5)
The problem is, a test does not provide information on how well a teacher has taught a subject, at best a test tells us how well a student has learned the subject. In the absence of other data, a test does not even do that reliably.
While there is plenty of research on the subject – enough to write a book – the simple explanation is this: a teacher cannot control all of the variables that go into how well a student learns. The support a student receives at home is far more important than what goes on in their school. How motivated a student is to learn will effect how well they learn.
Interestingly, China is attempting to rely less on standardized test and create a more American system. (6) Chinese policy makers are beginning to realize that teaching to the test has created generations of very good test takers who are unable to critically analyze and solve complex problems or creatively think of new ideas.
"We have just seen 43 states and DC adopt a Common Core curriculum that will have a Common Core national test (common “yardstick”) in 2014-15, and another name for that national test is “gao kao.” It will drive U.S. education for decades and we may never be able to get off of it. The American teacher was always unique in deciding what to teach, when to teach, and how to teach it…and the variability in creative questioning has gained us 270+ Nobel Prizes. (Score for China-educated doing research in China is zero…but that will soon change due to many who return after receiving a graduate education in U.S.) But now, partly from test envy and international ignorance, we have headed down a path to standardization in testing that we will not be able to get out of in our lifetime." (7)
Is this really where we want to head?
“But [the] intention is to use the Special Curriculum as a laboratory to experiment with a curriculum that will help all Chinese students, not just those who study abroad. Special Curriculum students may be encouraged to exercise and play, watch movies and read novels, engage in chit-chat and extracurricular activities. But in tests they do just as well as – or even better than – students who are given no choice but to study all day. This fact has profound implications for curriculum design and implementation in China. (8)
Scientific research and the experience of Finland’s highly praised education system show that a varied and flexible schedule that incorporates play and pleasure with study and work produces the best learners. Fitness and nutrition, music and arts, sports and games are not unnecessary distractions to learning but healthy supplements.” (9)
Myth #4: In this economy teachers are lucky to have a job.
No, teachers are not lucky to have a job.
This should not minimize the severity of our current economic situation, but unemployment is near 9% (10) meaning that if you selected 100 people at random 91 of those people would be employed. Having a job isn’t lucky, not having employment is unlucky.
In addition, many teachers worked very hard to earn degrees and employment that is relatively stable. Having a job now is the result of making good choices when selecting a career. Many teachers chose to forgo maximum profit for security and it is paying off now.
Myth #5: Why shouldn’t teachers be held accountable when everyone else is accountable for their performance?
Teachers are and should be held accountable. For good teaching.
Most teachers want to be the very best teacher they can be and that is impossible without being regularly and properly evaluated. It is difficult to make specific comments because how teachers are evaluated varies from district to district but it is fair to say that most teachers don’t have an issue with being evaluated.
However, teachers want to be evaluated on their teaching. Tying their evaluations and pay to student performance is unfair. There are far too many variables that are outside a teacher’s control. And unlike a manager in the private sector a teacher cannot interview potential students and pick the best nor can a teacher fire those who choose to ignore their responsibilities in school.
A teacher’s role is to teach the best they are able. To implement best practice and the best teaching strategies. To continually adapt to the needs of their students and to learn new ways to reach them and teach them. Additionally, an ability to form positive relations with most if not all of their students. As we all know certain personality traits and false expectations lend to negative impact on the learning process In those developmental years.
That is what a teacher should be evaluated upon.
A student’s role is to be in class and to complete the tasks a teacher asks – whatever those task may be – to the best of their ability. If a student does not do this, for whatever reason, they are not doing their job and they will not learn as well as they are able. A teacher does not control this, and no matter how well the teacher teaches a student who fails to perform their job will fall short of expectations and their potential.
We need to develop a tool to evaluate (A valid replicatable collective measure) how well a teacher teaches. and a fully funded nationally standardized program to help lower performing teachers.
1. “ 2011 Statistical Abstract,” U.S. Census Bureau, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/
2. “For public-sector workers, a wage penalty,” Economic Policy Institute, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.epi.org/economic_snapshots/entry/for_public_sector_worke...
3. Greenblatt, Alan, “Is Teacher Tenure Still Necessary?” NPR.Com, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126349435
4. Compton, Robert, “2 Million Minutes: A Global Examination”, The Finland Phenomon, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.2mminutes.com/
5. “K-12 testing,” Fair Test, the national Center for Fair and Open Testing, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.fairtest.org/k-12
6. Schrock, John Richard, “Why Doesn’t China Get Off the Teach-to-the-Test System?” Yong Zhao, accessed February 23, 2001, http://zhaolearning.com/2010/12/29/john-richard-schrock-why-doesnt-...
7. Ibid.
8. “Education Reform in China: What the educators think,” OECD 50, Better policies for Better Lives, accessed February 23, 2011, http://oecdinsights.org/2010/03/19/education-reform-in-china-what-t...
9. Ibid.
10. “Table A-14. Unemployed persons by industry,” United States Department of Labor, accessed February 23, 2011, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t14.htm
Sources:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126349435
http://www.epi.org/economic_snapshots/entry/for_public_sector_worke...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_time
http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/02/20/ravitch.teachers.blamed/index...
http://www.dianeravitch.com/
http://www.worldsalaries.org/usa.shtml
http://www.educationworld.net/salaries_us.html
http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Country=United_States/Salary
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
http://www.aeaweb.org/students/Careers.php
http://zhaolearning.com/2010/12/10/a-true-wake-up-call-for-arne-dun...
http://slatest.slate.com/id/2284732/entry/4/#add-comment
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/chinas-education-prepares-students-t...
http://zhaolearning.com/2010/12/29/john-richard-schrock-why-doesnt-...
http://oecdinsights.org/2010/03/19/education-reform-in-china-what-t...
http://www.aare.edu.au/05pap/zho05780.pdf
http://www.asainstitute.org/2mm/index.html
Compton, Robert 2 Million Minutes: A Global Examination (2008), http://www.2mminutes.com/
Tyack, David B. The One Best System: A History of American Urban Education (1974)
Tyack, David B., and Elizabeth Hansot. Managers of virtue: Public school leadership in America, 1820–1980. (1982)
Archbald, Doug A.; Newmann, Fred M. Beyond Standardized Testing: Assessing Authentic Academic Achievement in the Secondary School (1988)
Alfie Kohn The case against standardized testing: raising the scores, ruining the schools (2000)
http://www.fairtest.org/k-12
Wednesday
Department of Justice
Education and Prevention
Thank you for visiting the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW). On this site, you may encounter information about sex offenders living near you or your loved ones. An informed public is a safer one, and information will help you make better choices. What does it mean to live, work, or attend a school near a sex offender’s residence? What are the real threats to you or your children’s safety? What should you do if you suspect abuse is occurring or has occurred? All of these questions may come to mind as you view the results of your queries to this Website. The information contained on this portion of NSOPW will assist you in learning the facts about sexual abuse and help you protect yourself and loved ones from potential victimization. Below, you will find information organized into three groups: children, teens, and adults. Each section is prefaced by facts, which are followed by prevention and education materials and additional links to resources designed to assist parents and caregivers.
TeensFacts:
- Approximately, 1.8 million adolescents in the United States have been the victims of sexual assault.7
- 33% of sexual assaults occur when the victim is between the ages of 12 and 17.8
- 82% of all juvenile victims are female.9
- Teens 16 to 19 years of age were 3 1/2 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.10
- 69% of the teen sexual assaults reported to law enforcement occurred in the residence of the victim, the offender, or the residence of another individual.11
- Approximately 1 in 5 female high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.12
- Approximately 1 in 7 (13%) youth Internet users received unwanted sexual solicitations.13
- 4% of youth Internet users received aggressive solicitations, in which solicitors made or attempted to make offline contact with youth.14
- 9% of youth Internet users had been exposed to distressing sexual material while online.15
Warning Signs in Children and Adolescents of Possible Sexual Abuse: Stop It Now! has developed a tip sheet(PDF) to help identify possible warning signs. Any one sign does not mean that a child was sexually abused, but the presence of several suggests that you begin asking questions and consider seeking help.
Behavior you may see in a child or adolescent:
- Has nightmares or other sleep problems without an explanation
- Seems distracted or distant at odd times
- Has a sudden change in eating habits
- Refuses to eat
- Loses or drastically increases appetite
- Has trouble swallowing.
- Sudden mood swings: rage, fear, insecurity, or withdrawal
- Leaves “clues” that seem likely to provoke a discussion about sexual issues
- Writes, draws, plays, or dreams of sexual or frightening images
- Develops new or unusual fear of certain people or places
- Refuses to talk about a secret shared with an adult or older child
- Talks about a new older friend
- Suddenly has money, toys, or other gifts without reason
- Thinks of self or body as repulsive, dirty, or bad
- Exhibits adult-like sexual behaviors, language, and knowledge
Behavior more typically found in adolescents:
- Self-injury (cutting, burning)
- Inadequate personal hygiene
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Sexual promiscuity
- Running away from home
- Depression, anxiety
- Suicide attempts
- Fear of intimacy or closeness
- Compulsive eating or dieting
If you have questions or would like resources or guidance for responding to a specific situation, visit the Stop It Now! online help center or call the national, toll-free Helpline at (888) PREVENT.
Materials:
- The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America for children aged 5 to 17, parents, guardians, educators, and law enforcement that uses age-appropriate, 3-D activities to teach children how to stay safer on the Internet.
- NetSmartz Teens: Today’s teens have a knowledge of the Internet that often surpasses that of their parents. Because so many teens are Internet-savvy, it is imperative that they also have an understanding of the dangers that exist online and how to deal with them. Watch teens share their own “Real-Life Stories” about issues affecting them on the Internet, such as cyberbullying, online enticement, and giving out too much personal information.
- NCMEC’s Prevention and Safety Education programs and materials contain information and tips that will help you keep children and teens safer.
- Teen Victims Project: Teen Tools Sexual Assault Fact Sheet (PDF): The National Center for Victims of Crime have developed a series of Teen Tools fact sheets, written for teens, about how to recognize a crime, what emotions to expect, and how to receive or give help.
- Understanding Teen Dating Violence Fact Sheet (PDF): The Centers for Disease Control’s National Prevention Center for Injury Prevention and Control developed a fact and resource sheet to help families understand and prevent teen dating violence.
Additional Resources:
- CyberTipline: NCMEC operates the CyberTipline as a means of reporting incidents of child sexual exploitation, including the possession, manufacture, and/or distribution of child pornography; online enticement; child prostitution; child sex tourism; extrafamilial child sexual molestation; unsolicited obscene material sent to a child; and misleading domain names, words, or digital images. The CyberTipline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Make a report at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1.800.THE.LOST if you have information that will help in our fight against child sexual exploitation.
- The National Center for Victims of Crime is dedicated to forging a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. The National Center's toll-free Helpline, (800) FYI-CALL, offers supportive counseling, practical information about crime and victimization, and referrals to local community resources, as well as skilled advocacy in the criminal justice and social service systems.
- If you or someone you know needs help or support, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, (800) 656-HOPE, operated by The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). Your call is anonymous and confidential. You may also contact a counselor using the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline. The online hotline provides live, secure, anonymous crisis support for victims of sexual assault, their friends, and families. Both resources are free of charge and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you would like to search for a specific crisis center in your area, visit http://centers.rainn.org.
References- Kilpatrick, D., Acierno, R., Saunders, B., Resnick, H., Best, C., Schnurr, P. "National Survey of Adolescents." Charleston, SC: Medical University of South Carolina, National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, 1998.
- "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
- "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
- Bureau of Justice Statistics. "National Crime Victimization Survey." U.S. Department of Justice, 1996.
- "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
- Silverman, J. G., Raj, A., Mucci, L. A., and Hathaway, J. E. "Dating Violence Against Adolescent Girls and Associated Substance Use, Unhealthy Weight Control, Sexual Risk Behavior, Pregnancy, and Suicidality." Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 286, (No. 5), 2001.
- Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., Finkelhor, D. Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2006. Available online: http://www.missingkids.com/en_US/publications/NC167.pdf.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
>> back to top
Department of Justice
Education and Prevention
Thank you for visiting the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW). On this site, you may encounter information about sex offenders living near you or your loved ones. An informed public is a safer one, and information will help you make better choices. What does it mean to live, work, or attend a school near a sex offender’s residence? What are the real threats to you or your children’s safety? What should you do if you suspect abuse is occurring or has occurred? All of these questions may come to mind as you view the results of your queries to this Website. The information contained on this portion of NSOPW will assist you in learning the facts about sexual abuse and help you protect yourself and loved ones from potential victimization. Below, you will find information organized into three groups: children, teens, and adults. Each section is prefaced by facts, which are followed by prevention and education materials and additional links to resources designed to assist parents and caregivers.
TeensFacts:
- Approximately, 1.8 million adolescents in the United States have been the victims of sexual assault.7
- 33% of sexual assaults occur when the victim is between the ages of 12 and 17.8
- 82% of all juvenile victims are female.9
- Teens 16 to 19 years of age were 3 1/2 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.10
- 69% of the teen sexual assaults reported to law enforcement occurred in the residence of the victim, the offender, or the residence of another individual.11
- Approximately 1 in 5 female high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.12
- Approximately 1 in 7 (13%) youth Internet users received unwanted sexual solicitations.13
- 4% of youth Internet users received aggressive solicitations, in which solicitors made or attempted to make offline contact with youth.14
- 9% of youth Internet users had been exposed to distressing sexual material while online.15
Warning Signs in Children and Adolescents of Possible Sexual Abuse: Stop It Now! has developed a tip sheet(PDF) to help identify possible warning signs. Any one sign does not mean that a child was sexually abused, but the presence of several suggests that you begin asking questions and consider seeking help.
Behavior you may see in a child or adolescent:
- Has nightmares or other sleep problems without an explanation
- Seems distracted or distant at odd times
- Has a sudden change in eating habits
- Refuses to eat
- Loses or drastically increases appetite
- Has trouble swallowing.
- Sudden mood swings: rage, fear, insecurity, or withdrawal
- Leaves “clues” that seem likely to provoke a discussion about sexual issues
- Writes, draws, plays, or dreams of sexual or frightening images
- Develops new or unusual fear of certain people or places
- Refuses to talk about a secret shared with an adult or older child
- Talks about a new older friend
- Suddenly has money, toys, or other gifts without reason
- Thinks of self or body as repulsive, dirty, or bad
- Exhibits adult-like sexual behaviors, language, and knowledge
Behavior more typically found in adolescents:
- Self-injury (cutting, burning)
- Inadequate personal hygiene
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Sexual promiscuity
- Running away from home
- Depression, anxiety
- Suicide attempts
- Fear of intimacy or closeness
- Compulsive eating or dieting
If you have questions or would like resources or guidance for responding to a specific situation, visit the Stop It Now! online help center or call the national, toll-free Helpline at (888) PREVENT.
Materials:
- The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America for children aged 5 to 17, parents, guardians, educators, and law enforcement that uses age-appropriate, 3-D activities to teach children how to stay safer on the Internet.
- NetSmartz Teens: Today’s teens have a knowledge of the Internet that often surpasses that of their parents. Because so many teens are Internet-savvy, it is imperative that they also have an understanding of the dangers that exist online and how to deal with them. Watch teens share their own “Real-Life Stories” about issues affecting them on the Internet, such as cyberbullying, online enticement, and giving out too much personal information.
- NCMEC’s Prevention and Safety Education programs and materials contain information and tips that will help you keep children and teens safer.
- Teen Victims Project: Teen Tools Sexual Assault Fact Sheet (PDF): The National Center for Victims of Crime have developed a series of Teen Tools fact sheets, written for teens, about how to recognize a crime, what emotions to expect, and how to receive or give help.
- Understanding Teen Dating Violence Fact Sheet (PDF): The Centers for Disease Control’s National Prevention Center for Injury Prevention and Control developed a fact and resource sheet to help families understand and prevent teen dating violence.
Additional Resources:
- CyberTipline: NCMEC operates the CyberTipline as a means of reporting incidents of child sexual exploitation, including the possession, manufacture, and/or distribution of child pornography; online enticement; child prostitution; child sex tourism; extrafamilial child sexual molestation; unsolicited obscene material sent to a child; and misleading domain names, words, or digital images. The CyberTipline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Make a report at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1.800.THE.LOST if you have information that will help in our fight against child sexual exploitation.
- The National Center for Victims of Crime is dedicated to forging a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. The National Center's toll-free Helpline, (800) FYI-CALL, offers supportive counseling, practical information about crime and victimization, and referrals to local community resources, as well as skilled advocacy in the criminal justice and social service systems.
- If you or someone you know needs help or support, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, (800) 656-HOPE, operated by The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). Your call is anonymous and confidential. You may also contact a counselor using the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline. The online hotline provides live, secure, anonymous crisis support for victims of sexual assault, their friends, and families. Both resources are free of charge and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you would like to search for a specific crisis center in your area, visit http://centers.rainn.org.
References- Kilpatrick, D., Acierno, R., Saunders, B., Resnick, H., Best, C., Schnurr, P. "National Survey of Adolescents." Charleston, SC: Medical University of South Carolina, National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, 1998.
- "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
- "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
- Bureau of Justice Statistics. "National Crime Victimization Survey." U.S. Department of Justice, 1996.
- "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
- Silverman, J. G., Raj, A., Mucci, L. A., and Hathaway, J. E. "Dating Violence Against Adolescent Girls and Associated Substance Use, Unhealthy Weight Control, Sexual Risk Behavior, Pregnancy, and Suicidality." Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 286, (No. 5), 2001.
- Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., Finkelhor, D. Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2006. Available online: http://www.missingkids.com/en_US/publications/NC167.pdf.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
>> back to top
Department of Justice
Education and Prevention
Thank you for visiting the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW). On this site, you may encounter information about sex offenders living near you or your loved ones. An informed public is a safer one, and information will help you make better choices. What does it mean to live, work, or attend a school near a sex offender’s residence? What are the real threats to you or your children’s safety? What should you do if you suspect abuse is occurring or has occurred? All of these questions may come to mind as you view the results of your queries to this Website. The information contained on this portion of NSOPW will assist you in learning the facts about sexual abuse and help you protect yourself and loved ones from potential victimization. Below, you will find information organized into three groups: children, teens, and adults. Each section is prefaced by facts, which are followed by prevention and education materials and additional links to resources designed to assist parents and caregivers.
TeensFacts:
- Approximately, 1.8 million adolescents in the United States have been the victims of sexual assault.7
- 33% of sexual assaults occur when the victim is between the ages of 12 and 17.8
- 82% of all juvenile victims are female.9
- Teens 16 to 19 years of age were 3 1/2 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.10
- 69% of the teen sexual assaults reported to law enforcement occurred in the residence of the victim, the offender, or the residence of another individual.11
- Approximately 1 in 5 female high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner.12
- Approximately 1 in 7 (13%) youth Internet users received unwanted sexual solicitations.13
- 4% of youth Internet users received aggressive solicitations, in which solicitors made or attempted to make offline contact with youth.14
- 9% of youth Internet users had been exposed to distressing sexual material while online.15
Warning Signs in Children and Adolescents of Possible Sexual Abuse: Stop It Now! has developed a tip sheet(PDF) to help identify possible warning signs. Any one sign does not mean that a child was sexually abused, but the presence of several suggests that you begin asking questions and consider seeking help.
Behavior you may see in a child or adolescent:
- Has nightmares or other sleep problems without an explanation
- Seems distracted or distant at odd times
- Has a sudden change in eating habits
- Refuses to eat
- Loses or drastically increases appetite
- Has trouble swallowing.
- Sudden mood swings: rage, fear, insecurity, or withdrawal
- Leaves “clues” that seem likely to provoke a discussion about sexual issues
- Writes, draws, plays, or dreams of sexual or frightening images
- Develops new or unusual fear of certain people or places
- Refuses to talk about a secret shared with an adult or older child
- Talks about a new older friend
- Suddenly has money, toys, or other gifts without reason
- Thinks of self or body as repulsive, dirty, or bad
- Exhibits adult-like sexual behaviors, language, and knowledge
Behavior more typically found in adolescents:
- Self-injury (cutting, burning)
- Inadequate personal hygiene
- Drug and alcohol abuse
- Sexual promiscuity
- Running away from home
- Depression, anxiety
- Suicide attempts
- Fear of intimacy or closeness
- Compulsive eating or dieting
If you have questions or would like resources or guidance for responding to a specific situation, visit the Stop It Now! online help center or call the national, toll-free Helpline at (888) PREVENT.
Materials:
- The NetSmartz Workshop is an interactive, educational safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America for children aged 5 to 17, parents, guardians, educators, and law enforcement that uses age-appropriate, 3-D activities to teach children how to stay safer on the Internet.
- NetSmartz Teens: Today’s teens have a knowledge of the Internet that often surpasses that of their parents. Because so many teens are Internet-savvy, it is imperative that they also have an understanding of the dangers that exist online and how to deal with them. Watch teens share their own “Real-Life Stories” about issues affecting them on the Internet, such as cyberbullying, online enticement, and giving out too much personal information.
- NCMEC’s Prevention and Safety Education programs and materials contain information and tips that will help you keep children and teens safer.
- Teen Victims Project: Teen Tools Sexual Assault Fact Sheet (PDF): The National Center for Victims of Crime have developed a series of Teen Tools fact sheets, written for teens, about how to recognize a crime, what emotions to expect, and how to receive or give help.
- Understanding Teen Dating Violence Fact Sheet (PDF): The Centers for Disease Control’s National Prevention Center for Injury Prevention and Control developed a fact and resource sheet to help families understand and prevent teen dating violence.
Additional Resources:
- CyberTipline: NCMEC operates the CyberTipline as a means of reporting incidents of child sexual exploitation, including the possession, manufacture, and/or distribution of child pornography; online enticement; child prostitution; child sex tourism; extrafamilial child sexual molestation; unsolicited obscene material sent to a child; and misleading domain names, words, or digital images. The CyberTipline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Make a report at www.cybertipline.com or by calling 1.800.THE.LOST if you have information that will help in our fight against child sexual exploitation.
- The National Center for Victims of Crime is dedicated to forging a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. The National Center's toll-free Helpline, (800) FYI-CALL, offers supportive counseling, practical information about crime and victimization, and referrals to local community resources, as well as skilled advocacy in the criminal justice and social service systems.
- If you or someone you know needs help or support, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, (800) 656-HOPE, operated by The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). Your call is anonymous and confidential. You may also contact a counselor using the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline. The online hotline provides live, secure, anonymous crisis support for victims of sexual assault, their friends, and families. Both resources are free of charge and are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you would like to search for a specific crisis center in your area, visit http://centers.rainn.org.
References- Kilpatrick, D., Acierno, R., Saunders, B., Resnick, H., Best, C., Schnurr, P. "National Survey of Adolescents." Charleston, SC: Medical University of South Carolina, National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, 1998.
- "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
- "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
- Bureau of Justice Statistics. "National Crime Victimization Survey." U.S. Department of Justice, 1996.
- "Sexual Assault of Young Children as Reported to Law Enforcement: Victim, Incident, and Offender Characteristics." U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2000.
- Silverman, J. G., Raj, A., Mucci, L. A., and Hathaway, J. E. "Dating Violence Against Adolescent Girls and Associated Substance Use, Unhealthy Weight Control, Sexual Risk Behavior, Pregnancy, and Suicidality." Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 286, (No. 5), 2001.
- Wolak, J., Mitchell, K., Finkelhor, D. Online Victimization of Youth: Five Years Later, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, 2006. Available online: http://www.missingkids.com/en_US/publications/NC167.pdf.
- Ibid.
- Ibid.
>> back to top
Saturday
Wednesday
Sunday
School Counseling Podcast: The-diagnosis-and-the-drug-use-of-psychotropic-med...
"Mon, 31 January 2011The Diagnosis and the Drug: Use of Psychotropic Medication
in the Foster Care System - Stephen McCrea, CASA Supervisor"
Saturday
How To Prevent Teenagers from Sexting
PARENTING: How To Prevent Teenagers from Sexting and Protect Them From Other Teens Who Do...
With the ubiquity of ever more powerful cell phones, sexting has become an increasing concern for the parents of teenagers and preteens. This article describes how you can protect your child from the dangers of sexting, an activity that has major implications for long-term online reputation and electronic privacy.
Sexting refers to sharing nude or near nude pictures, usually via a mobile phone. Most experts distinguish between sending naked photos, an activity with serious privacy, health, and legal implications, and simply sending suggestive text messages, which is less harmful.
Understand why teenagers engage in sexting
Although teens are less concerned with online reputation management than adults, that doesn’t mean they are unaware of the electronic privacy implications of sexting. Teenagers sext for completely understandable reasons, so drop the “my child would never do that” attitude. According to two recent surveys (PDF), approximately 1 in 10 American teenagers have sent sexts, and approximately 1 in 3 have received them.
Some of the reasons teenagers send sexually explicit photos include the following:
- Peer pressure or cyberbullying
- Self-esteem issues
- Rebelliousness, or the sense that they should be allowed to decide
- As a romantic gesture
- Because it feels naughty, liberating, or grown-up
- As a sexual favor in exchange for other services
- Self-esteem issues
- Rebelliousness, or the sense that they should be allowed to decide
- As a romantic gesture
- Because it feels naughty, liberating, or grown-up
- As a sexual favor in exchange for other services
Below are some other statistics useful in developing a rounded picture:
- Girls are slightly more likely to send explicit photos than boys.
- Of teenagers that do send sexually explicit photos, about 10 percent willfully send them to people they don’t even know. One teen girl even sent nude photos of herself to an entire school hockey team.
- Approximately 80 percent of young people in the U.S. under the age of 18 believe sexting is wrong, although some of those same teens do it anyway.
- Most teens that send sexts never get caught.
- Of teenagers that do send sexually explicit photos, about 10 percent willfully send them to people they don’t even know. One teen girl even sent nude photos of herself to an entire school hockey team.
- Approximately 80 percent of young people in the U.S. under the age of 18 believe sexting is wrong, although some of those same teens do it anyway.
- Most teens that send sexts never get caught.
Learn about the actual dangers of sexting
As it turns out, teens are fairly well educated as to the dangers of exposing private information or photos digitally. They also understand the impact on their online reputations, at least among their peer groups. Datafrom the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire suggests that sharing personal information electronically does not on its own correlate to an increased risk of harm. According to a survey of American adolescents, 3 out of 4 get it right when they say that sharing personal information or photos online falls between “somewhat safe” and “somewhat unsafe,” similar to the danger of underage drinking.
How To Prevent Teenagers from Sexting
PARENTING: How To Prevent Teenagers from Sexting and Protect Them From Other Teens Who Do...
With the ubiquity of ever more powerful cell phones, sexting has become an increasing concern for the parents of teenagers and preteens. This article describes how you can protect your child from the dangers of sexting, an activity that has major implications for long-term online reputation and electronic privacy.
Sexting refers to sharing nude or near nude pictures, usually via a mobile phone. Most experts distinguish between sending naked photos, an activity with serious privacy, health, and legal implications, and simply sending suggestive text messages, which is less harmful.
Understand why teenagers engage in sexting
Although teens are less concerned with online reputation management than adults, that doesn’t mean they are unaware of the electronic privacy implications of sexting. Teenagers sext for completely understandable reasons, so drop the “my child would never do that” attitude. According to two recent surveys (PDF), approximately 1 in 10 American teenagers have sent sexts, and approximately 1 in 3 have received them.
Some of the reasons teenagers send sexually explicit photos include the following:
- Peer pressure or cyberbullying
- Self-esteem issues
- Rebelliousness, or the sense that they should be allowed to decide
- As a romantic gesture
- Because it feels naughty, liberating, or grown-up
- As a sexual favor in exchange for other services
- Self-esteem issues
- Rebelliousness, or the sense that they should be allowed to decide
- As a romantic gesture
- Because it feels naughty, liberating, or grown-up
- As a sexual favor in exchange for other services
Below are some other statistics useful in developing a rounded picture:
- Girls are slightly more likely to send explicit photos than boys.
- Of teenagers that do send sexually explicit photos, about 10 percent willfully send them to people they don’t even know. One teen girl even sent nude photos of herself to an entire school hockey team.
- Approximately 80 percent of young people in the U.S. under the age of 18 believe sexting is wrong, although some of those same teens do it anyway.
- Most teens that send sexts never get caught.
- Of teenagers that do send sexually explicit photos, about 10 percent willfully send them to people they don’t even know. One teen girl even sent nude photos of herself to an entire school hockey team.
- Approximately 80 percent of young people in the U.S. under the age of 18 believe sexting is wrong, although some of those same teens do it anyway.
- Most teens that send sexts never get caught.
Learn about the actual dangers of sexting
As it turns out, teens are fairly well educated as to the dangers of exposing private information or photos digitally. They also understand the impact on their online reputations, at least among their peer groups. Datafrom the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire suggests that sharing personal information electronically does not on its own correlate to an increased risk of harm. According to a survey of American adolescents, 3 out of 4 get it right when they say that sharing personal information or photos online falls between “somewhat safe” and “somewhat unsafe,” similar to the danger of underage drinking.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)