Training Teachers to Prevent Abuse

South Carolina is taking new steps to prevent improper relationships between teachers and students. State education superintendent Dr. Jim Rex announced Wednesday that 10,000 teachers, administrators, guidance counselors and school nurses will go through a training program called "Stewards of Children".

The program is aimed at reinforcing to educators what their boundaries are, but also teaching them how to spot signs of abuse in children and what to do if they do have suspicions.

Anne Lee, founder of "Darkness to Light", which developed the program, says, "What this training does, all the adults in the school in the district will know what to look for. They're going to disallow one-on-one time," between teachers and students.

The program contains 7 steps, one of which is to minimize opportunity. "If you eliminate or reduce one-adult/one-child situations, you'll dramatically lower the risk of sexual abuse for children," the program's brochure states.

The other steps are: learn the facts, understand the risks; talk about it; stay alert; make a plan; act on suspicions; and get involved.

Last year, several incidences of alleged sexual misconduct by teachers brought national attention to the state. Allena Ward was a teacher at Bell Street Middle School who pleaded guilty to having sex with five students under the age of 16. Wendy Schweikert was sentenced to 10 years in prison for having sex with one of her fifth grade students in Laurens County.

An Associated Press study of the problem found 100 incidents of teachers being charged with sexual misconduct in the state since 2003.

Rex, Attorney General Henry McMaster and the director of the Department of Social Services formed a task force to look for solutions. This training is one of them.

McMaster says, "Those predators, who may be in the schools or in other places, will know that when the child goes to the school there is someone there who is alert and understands the signs and has the ability to find out from that child what happened."

The training will start in July. Having 10,000 people go through the program will cover about 20 percent of the educators in the state. Many of them will become local facilitators and will teach the course in their districts.

The state Department of Education is putting $30,000 into the training. Darkness to Light is pledging $132,700, made available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Dr. Rex says, "The predatory behavior is very rare. We want to make it non-existent with this program. And I think this program has the potential of doing that."