http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/stevens/ct-life-stevens-friday-cps-sexual-abuse-0601-story.html

Now we now.

Now that we know the extent of sexual abuse at CPS (Chicago Public Schools) it's on us to demand change

On Friday, the Tribune released the results of an investigation into Chicago Public Schools’ handling of sexual abuse and assault cases, drawing on police data, public and confidential records, and interviews with students and parents.

It’s rage-inducing.

Now we know that CPS students have been sexually abused and raped at jaw-dropping numbers — police investigated 523 reports during a 10-year period, or an average of one report each week.

Now we know that students have been sharing their school buildings with educators and staff who have criminal convictions and arrests for sex crimes against children, despite mandatory background checks for all potential school staff, volunteers and contract workers.

“At least nine of the 72 Chicago school workers identified by the Tribune as being accused of abusing students since 2008 had prior arrests related to alleged sexual offenses involving children, or drug, weapons, assault or theft allegations that signaled they could be a threat to children,” my colleagues report.

Now we know that when students disclosed abuse to their teachers or principals, those teachers and principals sometimes failed to call child welfare investigators or police, even though state law requires them to do so.

Now we know that sex between a student and a teacher is legal in Illinois, as long as the student is over age 17 and no force is involved. “In some states,” my colleagues report, “having sex with a student is a crime regardless of age because the power held by teachers makes it difficult for young adults to freely consent or decline.”

Now we know this scourge knows no neighborhood boundaries. “CPS employees sexually violated students in schools ranging from sports powerhouse Simeon to selective-enrollment Payton College Prep high school, police and school records show,” my colleagues report.

“The adults involved,” they report, “included award-winning teachers, lunchroom aides, counselors and coaches, security officers and two deans.”

Now we know.

Now it’s on us to demand change.

Parents, citizens, taxpayers — all of us ought to be outraged by this report. I’ve got two kids at CPS. They deserve better. Every child does.

These are our children. Mine, yours, Chicago’s. The ones who sweat and toil to make it into top schools, to make it onto cutthroat teams, to make their way, in far too many cases, through dangerous streets to arrive in their classrooms.

We need them to succeed. They need us to help them.

We should be flooding our local school council meetings. We should be flooding our principals’ inboxes. We should be demanding answers from Gov. Bruce Rauner to Mayor Rahm Emanuel to schools chief Janice Jackson on down.

Now what, leaders? What are you doing — at individual schools and districtwide — to clean up this mess? What are you doing to protect the children entrusted in your care?

Who hasn’t been background-checked? Why? When will they be? What is your policy for investigating abuse allegations? Does every student, parent, staff member and volunteer know that policy? Where is it in writing? How can I be sure child welfare investigators and/or police are immediately notified about abuse allegations? Whom do I call when these policies aren’t being followed? Why are some school employees still working if they have a criminal history?

That’s just a start.

The Tribune report reveals an absolutely unacceptable environment. Now we know. And now we’re not going to shut up until it’s fixed.

http://graphics.chicagotribune.com/chicago-public-schools-sexual-abuse/#gaddy

Please do not get confused like I did. Please note that CPS is not Child Protective Services. In this case it means Chicago Public Schools

There are so many things to be discussed in here but IMO, whether to Call Child Welfare Investigators or Police is first on My List.