primary teacher

[concerned]

I can't stop thinking about a particular situation that happened earlier this year so I'm asking your opinion/advice. A student stole a good deal of $ from our class fieldtrip fund. I called home and the next day the child wrote me a letter about not being able to work b/c he was hit really badly. After some further investigating , I felt I had to call social services. I thought it would be confidential... later a social worker brought the parent to me and during the meeting I was threatened. Months later I still have this child who from time to time also threatens to "get his family on me". It's turned out bad and one of the worst things is now I am questioning whether I made the right choice to even phone in my concern. I am respecting the parent's wishes (and my own) by not contacting them. What would you have done???

 

[Bonnie gr. 2]

You had no choice

You had no choice. You have to report. In New Jersey it is the law. Having been involved in reports made to our authorities, the identity of the person who has made the report has not been given to the parent. A few years ago, the parent called our principal to find out. He declined to tell her, as did the agency. You have been put in a very difficult position by the social worker.

 

[PrivateEyes]

I would go to social services/discuss....

It should have been confidential. Social Services betrayed your trust and their mandate, and maybe broke some laws. I would be calling social services administration and discussing why you, as a teacher, did your duty and why they failed to do theirs. Even if they found no grounds for your referral (no abuse present) they are STILL required by law to keep your name confidential. That social worker has some explaining to do.

 

[Gina TX]

As a teacher with 12 years of social service work I am telling you that they are NOT allowed to reveal your name. No matter what. They could be placing you in harms way, not to mention a bad situation. You need to call the state hot line number and report this. If you are in Texas let me know and I will be happy to give it to you. Otherwise call your local office and ask for the hotline number. You did not do anything wrong. I'm so sorry you are in this situation.

Another thought occurs to me. With all of this, why is this student still in your class and how did your administration respond? Of course you are required to report it did they back you up?

 

[concerned]

Thank you for your follow up comments. I guess I know I did the right thing/not to mention my job but it feels good to know others would have done the same. My administration and union were supportive mostly but nothing really happened. My principal phoned the social worker to complain. At first the child was going to be moved per my request, however that never happened, and regretably I never pushed it. I told a few people that I was feeling threatened and their response was that the parent was "all talk". Most teachers in my building are a lot tougher and more experienced than me! At this point, I don't want to aggravate an already horrible situation. In the future I will definately have someone else make the call with me though, and have requested to not have contact with the parent (although they've already come down to the room unannounced since then).

 

[cincy teacher]

In our district teachers are not allowed to make calls to social services. We inform the principal, who then calls the child into their office and takes the appropriate action. I always thought that it was a strange policy,until I had a child who was abused because I called their home. The parent was angry but it was not directed at me because she didn't see me as the one who reported.

 

[GB]

Bad situation

Social services had the duty to keep you confidential.

The student needs to know that you will contact his parents (even if you really wouldn't) or that administration would so he doesn't think that he can manipulate you. He's probably afraid of his parents response to you possibly contacting them, but he can't play it both ways and do whatever he wants at school, too, because he thinks you are too scared of his parents as well.

You did what was right at the time, you made a decision and went with it. If we could know the outcomes of our decisions, things would be different. Look at it as an experience.

 

[concerned]

bad situation

Yes, it Definately was an experience. Well I will not contact the parents again. The student and I will just have to make this work b/c i am not going to put myself in harm's way. However, one administrator has been helpful in making contact to the home. I keep things pretty positive. I'm glad I salvaged some sort of relationship w/the student and am just hoping to ride out the rest of the schoolyear somewhat peacefully with the student.