Sexual predators in schools: Where does one begin? | #childpredator | #kidsaftey | #childsaftey

By Scott Mitzner | Sun City West

In response to the Question of the Week about sexual predators in schools: Where do we begin? Is the problem perverts in our schools or perverted schools?

On July 30, our Arizona Supreme Court protected the LDS church and other religions institutions from reporting child predators. In Chicago, I was involved in aiding parents of child victims for nearly 30 years, mostly Catholic cases. Not once did the Seal of the Confession accomplish any good.

In my opinion, the Seal of the Confession protects churches that are criminal organizations. The Mormon church has been accused of using sex abuse to control women.

There is no or little cooperation sharing sex abuse criminal records between schools and federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Schools and local police are not required to have an expert monitoring resident sex abusers.

Spouses in divorce court often use sex abuse claims to their personal advantage (mostly custody) and don’t report; hiding behind “spouse privilege,” and fear that a report means their spouse loses their job, and there is no support.

Sex abusers rarely work alone these days. Whole families or church and school employees can be abusers; they call it “free love.”

Every Arizona police agency I have known has complained that sex offenders move into town, fail to register and aren’t sent back to jail.

Other states are allowed to parole or give sex offenders probation and send them to Arizona.

Many schools claim it’s in a child’s “best interest” not to disclose information about child abusers to parents. Public schools don’t encourage parents to participate on a daily basis. The children of problem families will talk to them. Private schools can employ unlicensed persons or conceal drug users that supply children who are sexually abused.

The solutions and answers are here, but everyone is turf-guarding.

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