An analysis of a 4-year sample of reported cases dealing with the actual or alleged sexual abuse of students by teachers, administrators, and other school employees shows that a wide variety of legal issues tended to appear in the various decisions. A majority of the claims in the 5I cases coalesced in the areas of tort law, criminal law, and constitutional law, with a substantial number of claims arising in the areas of teacher dismissal and insurance law. Apart from policy concerns related to individual and/or school district liability under Section 1983 of the Civil Rights Act of 1871, among the most important public policy considerations were those derived from issues surrounding state freedom of information and child abuse reporting statutes. The study also compared suggestive case-based incidence data with survey and study data from other contexts, concluding that enlightened educational policy will best be effected when more is known about the incidence, causes, and outcomes of school-based abuse. All types of social science research, including legal research, are necessary to better insure that the type of abuse documented in this study is prevented
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Allstate Insurance Company v. Calkins, 793 P.2d 452 (Wash. Ct. App. 1990).
2.
American Humane Association & National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect . (1986). Statistics on child sexual abuse. (Available from National Resource Center on Child Sexual Abuse, 1 1141 Georgia Avenue, Wheaton, MD)
3.
Bagley, C. , & King, K. (1990). Child sexual abuse: The search for healing. London: Tavistock/ Roulledge.
4.
Beck v. State, 784 P.2d 983 (Nev. 1989).
5.
Board of Education v. Box, 547 N.E.2d 627 (Ill. App. Ct. 1989).
6.
Booth Newspapers, Inc. v. Kalamazoo School District, 450 N.W.2d 286 (Mich. Ct. App. 1989).
7.
Bowman v. Parma Board of Education, 542 N.E.2d 663 (Ohio Ct. App. 1988).
8.
Brouillet v. Cowles Publishing Company, 791 P.2d 526 (Wash. 1990).
9.
City of Canton v. Harris, 109 S. Ct. 1197 (1989).
10.
City of St. Louis v. Praprotnik, 485 U.S. 112 (1988).
11.
Civil Rights Act of 1871, 42 U.S.C. sec. 1983.
12.
Commonwealth v. Willis, 553 A.2d 682 (Pa. Super. Ct. 1988).
13.
Cotter v. School District, 562 A.2d 1029 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1989).
14.
Craig v. State, 560 A.2d 1120 (Md. 1989), rev.'d and remanded sub nom., Maryland v. Craig, 110 S.Ct. 3157 (1990).
15.
D. T. v. Independent School District No. 16, 894 F.2d 1176 (10th Cir. 1990).
16.
Daro, D. , & Mitchel, L. (1989). Current trends in child abuse reporting and fatalities: The results of the 1989Annual Fifty State Survey. (Available from National Committee for Prevention of Child Abuse, 332 S. Michigan Avenue, Suite 950, Chicago, IL60604-64357).
17.
Delon, F. G. (1985). A teacher's sexual involvement with pupils: "Reasonable cause" for dismissal. Education Law Reporter, 22, 1085-1093.
18.
DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services, 109 S. Ct. 998 (1989).
19.
District of Columbia v. Doe, 524 A.2d 30 (D.C. 1987).
20.
Dziech, B. W. , & Schudson, C. B. (1989). On trial: America's courts and their treatment of sexually abused children. Boston: Beacon.
21.
Elvin v. City of Waterville, 573 A.2d 381 (Me. 1990).
22.
Fadler v. Illinois State Board of Education, 506 N.E.2d 640 (Ill. Ct. App. 1987).
23.
Finkelhor, D. , & William, L. M. (1988). Nursery crimes: Sexual abuse in day care. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
24.
Fossey, W. R. (1990). Confidential settlement agreements between school districts and teachers accused of child abuse: Issues of law and ethics. Education Law Reporter, 63, 1-10.
25.
Franklin v. Gwinnet County Public Schools, 911 F.2d 617 (11th Cir. 1990).
26.
Guidry v. Rapides Parish School Board, 560 So.2d 125 (La. Ct. App. 1990).
27.
Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 457 U.S. 800 (1982).
28.
Haugaard, J. J. , & Reppucci, N. D. (1988). The sexual abuse of children: A comprehensive guide to current knowledge and intervention strategies. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
29.
Homer, J. (1991). When is a school district liable under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983 -The evolution of the "policy or custom" requirement. Education Law Reporter, 64, 339-348.
30.
Hooker, C. P. (1987). Teacher dismissal for improper touching or sexual contact with students. Education Law Reporter, 39, 941-957.
31.
Horace Mann Insurance Company v. Leeber, 376 S.E.2d 581 (W. Va. 1988).
32.
Ingraham v. Wright, 430 U.S. 651 (1977).
33.
Insurance Company of North America v. Querns, 562 So. 2d 365 (Fla. Ct. App. 1990).
34.
J. 0. v. Alton Community Unit School District 11, 909 F. 2d 267 (7th Cir. 1990).
35.
Jane Doe "A" v. Special School District, 901 F. 2d 642 (8th Cir. 1990).
36.
John R. v. Oakland Unified School District, 256 Cal. Rptr. 766 (Cal. 1989).
37.
Johnson v. Board of Trustees, 771 P.2d 137 (Mont. 1989).
38.
K. E. v. Hoffman, 452 N.W.2d 509 (Minn. Ct. App. 1990).
39.
Kimberly M. v. Los Angeles Unified School District, 263 Cal. Rptr. 612 (Cal. Ct. App. 1989).
40.
Lamb v. Westmoreland Central School District, 533 N.Y.S.2d 157 (N.Y. App. Div. 1988).
41.
Landstrom v. Barrington School District, 220, 739 F.Supp. 441 (N.D. Ill. 1990).
42.
Mares v. State, 758 S.W.2d 932 (Tex. Ct. App. 1988).
43.
Martin v. City of Biddeford, 568 A.2d 1103 (Me. 1990).
44.
Maryland v. Craig, 110 S.Ct. 3157 (1990).
45.
Matta v. Board of Education, 552 A.2d 1340 (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 1989).
46.
McReynolds v. Maupin Elementary School District No. 84, 132 F.R.D. 67 (D. Or. 1990).
47.
Meiers-Post v. Schafer, 427 N.W.2d 606 (Mich. Ct. App. 1988).
48.
Monell v. Department of Social Services, 436 U.S. 658 (1978).
49.
Osterback v. State, 789 P.2d 1037 (Alaska Ct. App. 1990).
50.
Pembaur v. City of Cincinnati, 475 U.S. 469 (1986).
51.
People v. Hudy, 538 N.YS.2d 197 (1988).
52.
People v. Moffat, 560 N.E.2d 352 (111. Ct. App. 1990).
53.
Scadden v. State, 732 P.2d 1036 (Wyo. 1987).
54.
School Board v. Unemployment Appeals Commission, 522 So.2d 556 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1988).
55.
State v. Grover, 437 N.W.2d 60 (Minn. 1989).
56.
State v. Thompson, 792 P.2d 1103 (Mont. 1990).
57.
Stoneking v. Bradford Area School District, 882 F.2d 720, (3rd Cir. 1989), cert. denied sub nom., Smith v. Stoneking, 110 S. Ct. 840 (1990).
58.
Thelma D. v. Board of Education, 737 F. Supp. 541 (E.D. Mo. 1990).
59.
United States Fidelity and Guaranty v. Toward, 734 F. Supp. 465 (S.D. Fla. 1990).
60.
Valente, W. D. (1990). School district and official liability for teacher sexual abuse of students under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983. Education Law Reporter, 57, 645-659.
61.
Whitt v. DeLeu, 707 F. Supp. 1011 (W.D. Wis. 1989).
62.
Winks, P. L. (1982). Legal implications of sexual contact between teacher and student. Journal of Law and Education, 11, 437-477.
