As a school teacher I was required to report suspicions of possible child abuse whether it took place at school or at home. My fellow teachers and I even had to sign a paper confirming that we were informed of this.
If we saw instances of abuse, signs that it was happening like physical marks or certain student behaviors, or could reasonably conclude it was possible either through indirect or direct statements from students, we were bound to report the suspicion to the designated administrator who would pass the report on to someone further up the line so that it could be investigated.
If it was found that we had not reported possible abuse that a reasonable person could have seen, not only could that end our career, but we could be drawn into the case as an enabler.
Once the teacher made the report, he or she was removed from the process regardless what was ascertained from the investigation.The anonymity of the initial reporter was important as it eliminated the fear of repercussions for having made the required report, and students would not be forced to be silent or guarded around that person to their potential disadvantage as they may not want the abuser to know that they had been revealed directly or indirectly if it were important that potential abuse was known.
The initial reporters are like whistle blowers who take a concern they have arrived at for others to verify through investigation, but are unnecessary if the investigation reveals facts that validate the initial suspicion or dispel it.
If nothing comes from the investigation, everyone just moves on.
That is why I was rather shocked when, after having read an essay by a student who I had heard tell others about mistreatment by his grandfather with whom he lived, and having observed bruises on his arms he had told another student had been caused by his grandfather, and I made the report to the designated administrator, that administrator came to my classroom door during a class and asked me to step into the hall to explain to the grandfather he had brought to my room why I suspected he had harmed his grandson.
In practice, the administrator, rather than conduct his own investigation, should have passed the report further along, and the grandfather and the student would not have been aware of the report unless and until the investigation revealed enough to call for their direct involvement.
The repercussions of this were obvious.
If the grandfather was, indeed, physically abusing the student or hadn’t been to that point, the abuse could intensify or even begin in retaliation for the student, if not directly stating there was abuse, acting in such a way or saying things that implied that abuse was taking place, and, as the grandfather lived near me and I had to pass his house to get to the park where I walked my dog and often patronized the same stores in the area as he did, I too could face retaliation.
A whistle blower presents credible suspicions to those who investigate the suspicion, and who then either drop it if there is no substance or further pursue it if there is.
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The only reason to reveal a whistle blower’s ID is to silence that person and all others who see the consequences of doing the right thing.
At that particular time I was advocating for GLBT students, was unabashedly openly Gay, and had garnered some community respect for my advocacy and remaining strong in the face of all that the Bible Belt could throw at anyone in my position, while school administration was developing a negative reputation from their often over the top reaction to the simplest things. On more than one occasion, unable to counter the message, silencing or wounding the reputation of the messenger was the best they could attempt to do.
I took exposing me as the person reporting the possible abuse as one of those attempts, perhaps by muffling me through embarrassment.
Much, I assume, as is being hoped for by Trump and his sycophants in demanding the whistleblower’s name be released.
In this instance the student was removed from my class at the behest of the grandfather, and the report apparently ended with that meeting at the door.